Gregor Norman-Wilcox Amelung Correspondence

Collection — Box: 01

Identifier: MS-0112

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This small collection consists primarily of incoming correspondence to Gregor Norman-Wilcox, former Curator of Decorative Arts at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in 1932. The letters relate to identification of glass attributed to the Amelung Glass Manufactory and investigation of other sites associated with John Frederick Amelung. Correspondents include museum curators, antiques dealers, and owners of other pieces attributed to the manufactory, including Marshall L. Etchison, Rhea Knittle, George McKearin, Ruth Ralston, Arthur J. Sussel, and Harry Hall White. Other materials include articles, notes, and a photograph.

Also of note in this material is a reference in a letter written by Harry Hall White to an African American antiques dealer in Frederick, Maryland, "Nick." "Nick" is thought to be Nicholas Robertson, born in 1862. White characterizes him as very knowledgeable about Amelung glass.

Dates

1930-1933

Creator

Norman-Wilcox, Gregor (1905 (date of birth) - 1969 (date of death)) (Person)

Language of Materials

Collection materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for public research. Researchers must make an appointment to view the collection.

Conditions Governing Use

The Copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. The user agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Corning Museum of Glass and the Rakow Research Library against all claims, demands, costs and expenses incurred by copyright infringement or any other legal or regulatory cause of action arising from the use of Library materials.

Biographical / Historical

Gregor Norman-Wilcox was a curator of decorative arts at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art from 1931 to 1969. He had many interests in the field of decorative arts, including early American glass, specifically glass attributed to the Amelung Glass Manufactory. Norman-Wilcox became acquainted with Dwight P. Lanmon, former curator at and director of the Corning Museum of Glass, in the 1960s, which perhaps explains how some of Norman-Wilcox's correspondence was acquired by The Corning Museum of Glass.

The Amelung Glass Manufactory was founded in 1784, by John Amelung, an immigrant from Breman, Germany. Bringing 68 German craftsmen with him, he established a glass manufactory on 2000 acres of land, which came to be called New Breman, near Frederick, Maryland. Over the next six years, the business expanded to employ between 400 and 500 workers, and include an additional 1000 acre site. By 1790, however, the business faced a shortage of customers and early in the year experienced a damaging fire. Faced with these difficulties, Amelung twice appealed to Congress for assistance, but was twice turned down, and the business seems never to have reopened after the fire. In 1795, Amelung attempted to sell most of the business and land, but could not find a purchaser. The factory was declared bankrupt at the end of 1795, and, over time, returned to woods and farmland.