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Series I: Cranbrook Academy of Art (CAA)

 Series

Collection Scope

From the Collection:

The collection is arranged in five series:

SERIES I: Cranbrook Academy of Art (CAA) (1946-1978) deals with Thomas’s role as head of the Art Academy Metalsmithing Department and as faculty member, and is arranged topically, then chronologically. Faculty meeting minutes, interspersed with faculty-related communications, are chronologically arranged and cover the period of Zoltan Sepeshy’s retirement and the search for a new Art Academy director. Items on the Metalsmithing Dept. include itineraries from their 1973 London “field trip,” plans for future departmental activities, and lists of donations from members of the “Harchers,” a group of professional and businessmen who worked and studied weekly in the metalsmith shop. A 1973 “Report of the Reexamination of the CAA,” and a study proposing a trimester system for the Academy is in the CAA minutes.

SERIES II: Professional (1930-1985) contains a significant amount of correspondence dealing with Thomas’s many commissions and is arranged alphabetically by commissioning organization. Folders containing general correspondence are arranged chronologically. Other correspondence covers the American Craftsmen Council Conference (ACC), held at Cranbrook, and his 1961-62 book, Metalsmithing for the Artist-Craftsman.

SERIES III: Photographic has both black and white prints and 35 mm color slides of Thomas’s liturgical work, as well as a lesser amount of his secular work. There are two collections of slides of work by Thomas’s students, one arranged by student name, and another, called “alumni work,” arranged by slide number. Box 5 contains the accompanying guide to the numbered collection.

SERIES IV: Drawings (1982, n.d.) is arranged by non-secular and general designs, and also contains several of Thomas’s sketchbooks.

SERIES V: Oversize (1960-1968, n.d.) has large photographs and drawings, plus a folder of scrapbook pages containing publicity on Thomas.

Dates

  • 1930 - 1984
  • Majority of material found within 1950 - 1978

Access

Access to the collection is unrestricted.

Extent

From the Collection: 10.1 Linear Feet ((5 MS, 6 OS). Box 6 contains slide boxes 1-6.)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Cranbrook Archives, Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research Repository

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