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Kaj Klitgaard Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Klitgaard, Kaj, 1888-1953
Title: Kaj Klitgaard Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1914-1966
Quantity: .5 linear ft.
Abstract: Correspondence (1914-1966); photographs, sketchbooks, and published material, including articles and clippings. Correspondents include Egmont Arens, Peggy Bacon, Rockwell Kent, Alfred Kreymborg, Harry E. Maule, William McFee, Ogden Nash, John Crowe Ransom, Henry Morton Robinson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Charles Allen Smart, and Lowell Thomas. Additional letters of many of the correspondents can be found in a scrapbook.
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Library
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
http://scrc.syr.edu

Biographical History

Danish-American painter, novelist, author, seaman (1888-1953).

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

Spanning the years 1914 through 1966, the Kaj Klitgaard Papers comprises biographical material, correspondence, artwork, writings, and memorabilia of the Danish-American author, painter, illustrator, educator, and master mariner (1888-1953). Though revealing little about his life in Denmark or his wartime experiences, the collection provides insight into Klitgaard's professional career and personal life in the United States, especially when used in conjunction with the Papers of his wife, Georgina Klitgaard, whose collection is also located in Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Library.

Arranged chronologically, the Correspondence, primarily from the years 1923 to 1932, consists of incoming letters pertaining to Klitgaard's artistic and literary ventures. Correspondents include artists and literary figures (Egmont Arens, Peggy Bacon, Virgil Barker, William Harlan Hale, Robert Preston Harriss, Ernest W. Harrold, Rockwell Kent, Alfred Kreymborg, William McFee, Harry Edward Maule, Henry Allen Moe, Hermon More, Ogden Nash, John Crowe Ransom, Henry Morton Robinson, Charles Allen Smart, Lowell Thomas); publishers (Doubleday, Doran and Company, Inc., William Edwin Rudge, Inc.); and art galleries (E. Weyhe). A selected index to the Correspondence follows the box list.

Artwork encompasses a lithographic plate, reproductions, sketchbooks, and sketches. The reproductions, with the exception of one exhibition catalog designed by Klitgaard, are all posters of maps (Greenwich Village, the Holy Land, Manhattan from the Battery to 59th Street) which may be found in Oversize Package #1. In addition to two Sketchbooks, there are three original pencil and watercolor sketches, as well as a number of photocopies.

Writings consists of a book dummy of Seven Months and Seven Days, an illustration proof for Through the American Landscape, an interview, a key to Klitgaard's map of the Holy Land, a photocopied review, a script, and published stories which are organized by title.

Memorabilia includes copyright certificates, personal photographs, poetry by Otto Gelsted, printed material, and reviews. Printed material contains newspaper clippings (1927-1946), two exhibition catalogs, and several literary periodical reviews (1941-1946). Holograph and typescript manuscripts by Daisy Sanial Gill, William McFee, Hughes Mearns, and Charles Allen Smart, as well as a radio script constitute Reviews.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on this material.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Smart, Charles Allen, 1904-1967
Arens, Egmont
Bacon, Peggy
Kent, Rockwell, 1882-1971
Klitgaard, Kaj, Archives
Kreymborg, Alfred, 1883-1966
Maule, Harry E. (Harry Edward), b. 1886
McFee, William, 1881-
Nash, Ogden, 1902-1971
Ransom, John Crowe, 1888-1974
Robinson, Henry Morton, 1898-1961
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
Thomas, Lowell, 1892-1981

Subjects

Art, American
Art, American, 20th century
Authors, American, 20th century
Danish Americans
Novelists, American
Painters, United States
Painting, Modern, 20th century, United States

Genres and Forms

Articles
Clippings
Correspondence
Photographs
Sketchbooks
Sketches

Occupations

Artists
Authors
Novelists
Painters

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Kaj Klitgaard Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Library

Finding Aid Information

Created by: ASE
Date: Apr 1993
Revision history: 2 Aug 2005 - EAD file created (MRR)

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Inventory

Biographical material
Box 1 Biographical material
Correspondence
Box 1 Correspondence 1914-1966, undated (2 folders)
See also Selected Index to Correspondence
Artwork
Box 1 Lithographic plate 1936
Box 1 Reproductions - "The Circus in Paint" undated
Oversize 1 Reproductions - Posters (3) undated
Box 1 Sketchbooks "1940-1941," undated
Sketches
Box 1 Pencil and watercolor (3) undated
Box 1 Photocopies undated
Writings
Books
Box 1 Seven Months and Seven Days - dummy
Box 1 Through the American Landscape - illustration proof
Box 1 Interviews - by Warren Bower, "Readers' Almanac" undated
Box 1 Key to map of the Holy Land 1927
Box 1 Reviews (photocopy) undated
Box 1 Scripts - "The Art Dealer in Heaven," The Hue and Cry 1929
Box 1 Stories (by title) 1931 1951, undated
Box 1 Miscellaneous (photocopy) undated
Memorabilia
Box 1 Copyright certificates 1927, 1929
Box 1 Photographs 1925 1939, undated
Box 1 Poetry by others - Gelsted, Otto 1931
Printed material
Box 1 Clippings 1927-1946, undated
Box 1 Exhibition catalogs 1929, undated
Box 1 Reviews 1941-1946, undated
Reviews
Box 1 Holograph, typescript 1929, 1930, undated
Box 1 Radio script - Higgins "Ship Ahoy" Program, WNOE 1946
Box 1 Miscellany
Selected index to correspondence
The American Caravan
1929 Nov. 13
Arens, Egmont
1926 Mar. 12
Bacon, Peggy
undated
Barker, Virgil
undated
Carnegie Institute
1941 Apr. 24
Doubleday, Doran and Company, Inc.
1929 July 5
1929 Aug. 6
1929 Aug. 27
1929 Sept. 30
1929 Oct. 16
1929 Dec. 19
1930 Mar. 18
1930 Apr. 18
1930 May 9
1930 Aug. 6
1930 Sept. 3
1930 Dec. 8
1930 Dec. 15
1930 Dec. 29
1931 Feb. 10
undated
The Evening Citizen
1930 Feb. 19
The Evening Sun
1930 Apr. 26
[John Simon] Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
1953 Nov. 19
Hale, William Harlan
undated
Harriss, Robert Preston
1930 Apr. 26
Harrold, Ernest W.
1930 Feb. 19
The Hue and Cry
undated
Kent, Rockwell
1928 July 26
1928 Dec. 18
1929 Feb. 18
1929 Mar. 23
1929 Aug. 22 (Frances)
1930 Dec. 17
1936 Apr. 21
The Kenyon Review
1938 Oct. 1
1952 Nov. 18
Kreymborg, Alfred
1928 Mar. 16
1929 Nov. 13
The Literary Digest
1932 Feb. 19
McFee, William
1930 May 24
1930 June 8
1931 Oct. 14
undated
See also Reviews
Maule, Harry Edward
1929 Aug. 6
1929 Dec. 19
1930 May 9
1930 Dec. 15
1931 Feb. 10
Maverick Theater
1930 July 14
Moe, Henry Allen
1953 Nov. 19
More, Hermon
undated
Nash, Ogden
1930 Mar. 18
1930 Apr. 18
1930 Aug. 6
1930 Sept. 3
1930 Dec. 8
New Masses
1926 Mar. 12
Ransom, John Crowe
1938 Oct. 1
1952 Nov. 18
Robinson, Henry Morton
1952 May 13
Roosevelt, Franklin D.
1936 Mar. 3
William Edwin Rudge, Inc.
1927 May 10
1927 Nov. 7
1928 Mar. 6
1928 Aug. 17
1930 June 19
1930 July 17
1931 Feb. 3
Smart, Charles Allen
1929 July 5
1929 July 26
1929 Aug. 27
1929 Sept. 30
1929 Oct. 13
undated
See also Reviews
Southern Pacific Company
1927 June 22
1928 Jan. 13
Thomas, Lowell
1932 Feb. 19
[E.] Weyhe
1927 June 16
1930 Feb. 21

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