Administration and History
name: label: Collection Creator
content: American Watercolor Society
setName: label: See more items in
content: American Watercolor Society records
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.1 Linear Feet (Box 1-2)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1891-1970
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.amerwate, Series 1
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement note
content: Items are arranged chronologically within each folder.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: This series consists of records documenting the administration and history of the American Watercolor Society. Included is a draft of "A History of the American Watercolor Society: 1866-1950" and related notes, written by Frank Gervasi. Gervasi was appointed the first Historian of the society in 1949. Also found are documents about the American Watercolor Society Information Center which was established in the early 1950s to provide information about art and artists to the general public. Other documents include leases for offices and exhibition space at the National Academy of Design, as well as legal documents, voting ballots, and recollections by J. Scott Williams regarding the society's merger with the New York Water Color Club. 

Additional records include the reports of Presidents Frederic Whitaker and Mario Cooper; records of the Gifts and Bequest Committee and Regional Committees; correspondence regarding publicity and other general administrative correspondence relating to board activities, events, the society's participation in national arts events, and other issues. Also included are specific files on the society's participation in the Fine Arts Federation of New York and Artists for Victory, Inc., and a file of several lists of awards given by the American Watercolor Society. 

 Scattered financial records in this series include account books and three general ledgers, monthly treasurer's reports, annual financial statements, other financial reports on matters such as catalog sales and exhibition expenses. Also found are tax documents, records of paid bills, payments, and bank deposits, and correspondence regarding financial issues. During the period covered by this documentation, Edgar A. Whitney and Cathy Altvater served as treasurer.