Michael Higgins papers
name: label: Creator
content: Higgins, Michael, 1908-
label: Names
content: American Craftsmen's Council
label: Names
content: Institute of Design (Chicago, Ill.)
label: Names
content: Midwest Designer-Craftsmen
topic: label: Occupation
content: Glass artists -- Illinois
label: Topic
content: Decorative arts
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The collection was donated in 1975 by Michael Higgins.
creator: label: Creator
content: Higgins, Michael, 1908-
setName: label: See more items in
content: Michael Higgins papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of Illinois glass artist Michael Higgins measure 1.2 linear feet and date from 1949 to 1973. The collection documents Higgins's role in founding and furthering craft organizations in the Midwest through correspondence, professional files, exhibition records, transcripts, organizational files for several craft organizations including Midwest Designer-Craftsmen, and printed materials.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Michael Higgins (1908-1999) was a glass artist in Riverside, Illinois.

Higgins was born in London, England and attended the London Central School of Arts and Crafts. He emigrated to the United States in 1939 becoming the head of Visual Design at the Chicago Institute of Design after World War II. There, he met his wife Frances Stewart, who was one of his students. They married in 1948 and opened their own glass studio outside of Chicago in Riverside. 

In the early 1950s, Higgins became involved with a special crafts exhibit at the Chicago Art Institute and an eventual spin-off organization, the Midwest Designer-Craftsmen. The organization was interested in developing exhibitions, markets, and professional associations for craft professionals in the Midwest. Higgins was one of the main forces behind the organization and the body which followed it, the Illinois Craftsmen's Council. 

Higgins died in Riverside in 1999.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.2 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1949-1973
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.higgmich
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 3 series.

Series 1: Correspondence, 1951-1967 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Professional Files, 1951-1969 (0.5 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 3: Printed Materials, 1949-1973 (0.3 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Mundy in 2022.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: The collection is available on 35mm microfilm reels 1626-1627 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of Illinois glass artist Michael Higgins measure 1.2 linear feet and date from 1949 to 1973. The collection documents Higgins's role in founding and furthering craft organizations in the mid-west. 

Records include correspondence regarding exhibitions and craft organization activities. Professional files contain drawings, photographs of the exhibition Contemporary Living (1952), exhibition records, transcripts for panel talks, a Kenneth Bates show review typescript, and organizational files for the American Craftsmen's Council, Midwest Designer-Craftsmen, and a few other organizations. Also found are printed materials consisting of clippings and exhibition catalogs.