Raymond Waldron papers, 1939-1994 KA.0044 This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit February 28, 2017 Describing Archives: A Content Standard Kellen Design Archives 2008 66 5th Ave./ lobby level New York, NY, 10011 212.229.5942 archivist@newschool.edu
Table of Contents Collection Overview... 2 Biographical note... 3 Scope and Contents note... 4 Organization and Arrangement... 4 Administrative Information... 4 Related Materials... 5 Keywords for Searching Related Subjects... 5 Other Finding Aids note... 5 Collection Inventory... 6 Series I. Biographical and personal, 1941-2003... 6 Series II. Interior design jobs... 6 Series III. Raymond Waldron, Inc., 1971-1994... 6 Series IV. Student work... 7 Series V. Travel sketchbook... 7 Collection Overview Repository Kellen Design Archives Creator Waldron, Raymond S. Title Raymond Waldron papers Date [inclusive] 1939-1994 Extent 4 linear ft: 2 boxes, 1 oversize box, 11 oversize folders, stereo slides - Page 2 -
Summary Raymond S. Waldron, Jr. (1913-2002) attended the New York School of Fine and Applied Art (later, Parsons School of Design) from 1938-1941. After serving in World War II, Waldron worked for Lord & Taylor. In 1965, he established his own interior decoration firm. The Raymond Waldron papers include his student work, a travel sketchbook, and professional files. Work from Waldron's years at New York School of Fine and Applied Art include notebooks with graded assignments, instructor handouts, sketches, and tracings; and larger-format renderings of European interiors and sites. A travel sketchbook reflects Waldron's later design studies in New York, France and Italy. Materials from Waldron's professional career include project files, design research, stereo slides of the Blair House, among other projects, and publicity for his business. Preferred Citation note [Identification of item], [date (if known)], Raymond Waldron papers, KA.0044, box, folder, New School Archives, The New School, New York, New York. Biographical note Raymond S. Waldron (1913-2002) was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri, transferring in 1938 to Parsons (then the New York School of Fine and Applied Art). Part of his time in school was spent abroad studying at the school's Paris Ateliers (the Paris school closed in October 1939 due to the war, and remained inactive thereafter for nearly a decade). Waldron served in the U.S. Army during World War II, working as a cartographer, designing camouflage nets, and producing architectural drawings following the bombing of Nagasaki. After the war, Waldron went to work for the Interior Design Department of Lord & Taylor in New York City. His most prominent project for Lord & Taylor was designing the renovation of the Queen s Bedroom in Blair House, the U.S. Presidential guest house in Washington, D.C. In 1965, Waldron left Lord & Taylor to establish his own business, Raymond Waldron, Inc., specializing in the decorative use of eighteenth and nineteenth century antiques. The firm remained active until Waldron s death. -- Source: - Page 3 -
This information is based upon a biographical sketch of Raymond Waldron furnished by Laird Rodet. Scope and Contents note The Raymond Waldron papers include working notebooks and a sketchbook Waldron kept while a student at the New York School of Fine and Applied Art. The notebooks include graded assignments as well as instructor handouts, exercises, sketches and tracings for research projects. Other student work includes larger-format gouache renderings of European interiors and sites. A later sketchbook reflects Waldron's studies in New York, France and Italy (possibly as an advanced student in the Ecole des Beaux Arts in France). Also included are project files, design research and publicity for Waldron's interior decorating business, stereo slides of the Blair House and other projects. Organization and Arrangement Organized in 4 series I General, 1941-1987 II Raymond Waldron, Inc., 1971-1994 III Sketchbook, 1948-1953 IV Student work, 1938-1940 test test test Administrative Information Publication Information Kellen Design Archives 2008 Conditions Governing Access note Collection is open for research use. Please contact archivist@newschool.edu for appointment. Use Restrictions To publish images of material from this collection, permission must be obtained in writing from the New School Archives. Please contact: archivist@newschool.edu. Immediate Source of Acquisition note - Page 4 -
Donated by Laird Rodet, Peggy J. Roy Rodet, and Melissa Waldron in 2004. Related Materials Fellow Parsons alumnus and designer Lyman Martin interior decoration work and papers (KA.0031) in the New School Archives includes an illustrated travel journal from the same period as Waldron's sketchbook. Entries in Martin's journal indicate they both participated in a Parsons-sponsored European program following their respective service during World War II. Keywords for Searching Related Subjects Corporate Name(s) Lord & Taylor. New York School of Fine and Applied Art. Paris Ateliers. Parsons School of Design. Interior Design Department. Genre(s) Notebooks. Renderings. Sketches. Slides (photographs). Student projects. Occupation(s) Interior designers. Subject(s) Interior decoration -- Study and teaching -- France -- 20th century. Interior decoration -- Study and teaching -- New York (State) -- New York -- 20th century. Other Finding Aids note - Page 5 -
For selected item-level description and images from the Raymond Waldron papers, see The New School Archives Digital Collections at http://digitalarchives.library.newschool.edu/index.php/detail/collections/ KA0044. Collection Inventory Series I. Biographical and personal, 1941-2003 Death Record, 2003 1 1 Military service, circa 1946 1 2 Consists of a photograph of Waldron in uniform and photo reproduction of his Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Army, Headquarters, United States Strategic Bombing Survey. New York School of Fine and Applied Art diploma, 1941 1 3 Paintings sold (inventory), 1955 1 4 Personal library (inventory and notes), before 2002 1 5 Series II. Interior design jobs 1941-1987 Bedroom, rendering, undated k_osx-4 14 It is possible that this work was done by Waldron as a student. House of Time, floor plans, undated 1 6 Lord & Taylor: Correspondence, 1949-1965 1 7 Lord & Taylor: Blair House project: General, 1963-1964 1 8 Lord & Taylor: Blair House project: Photographs, 1963-1964 1 9 Series III. Raymond Waldron, Inc., 1971-1994 1971-1994 Announcements and advertisements, probably 1971, 1989-1990 1 10 Clients 1971-1994 Ayres, Mary Billing and correspondence, 1982-1988 1 11-12 Designs and plans, circa 1982-1988 1 13 Florida apartment, 1986-1988 1 14 Quotations and purchases, 1984-1988 1 15 Freund, 1971-1993 2 1 Stanley and Sally Leezenbaum, 1973-1994 2 2 Design for a bed (measured drawing), between 1971 and 1994 2 3 Office plans, 1987 k_osxxx-5 13 - Page 6 -
Architectural drawings for Waldron's office. Photographs 2 4 Includes head shot and photographs of Waldron's apartment, which was also his office. Stereo slides, undated g_1 Series IV. Student work 1938-1940 or 1941 Link to selected images from this series., 1938-1940 or 1941 [http://digitalarchives.library.newschool.edu/index.php/detail/collections/ka0044.01] Course notebooks and sketchbook History of Painting I and II (notebook) 2 5-6 Interior Architecture and Decoration I and II (notebook) 2 7-11 Interior Architecture and Decoration II (sketchbook) k_13 8 Measured drawings, renderings and studies Includes color wheel. 2 12 k_13 9 k_osx-4 15-16 k_osxx-5 14-16 k_osxxx-5 9-10 Series V. Travel sketchbook 1948-1949, possibly 1953 (Bulk, 1948-1949) While Waldron received a diploma from the New York School of Fine and Applied Art in 1941, after serving in World War II, he traveled to France and Italy on a lecture tour sponsored by the school. This sketchbook consists of sketches, renderings and notes from the tour, as well as what are possibly sketches made on a return trip that may not have been part of a Parsons tour. Link to selected images from this series., 1948-1949, possibly 1953 [http://digitalarchives.library.newschool.edu/index.php/detail/collections/ka0044.02] Sketchbook k_13 10 Sketchbook inserts and tracings k_13 11 - Page 7 -