Ruth Vollmer papers
name: label: Creator
content: Vollmer, Ruth, 1903-1982
topic: label: Occupation
content: Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Women sculptors
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Jewish artists
label: Topic
content: German American artists
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Ruth Vollmer loaned the majority of the items on reels 55-56 for microfilming in 1971 and donated the photographs of works of art; loaned material was returned to Vollmer after filming. Unmicrofilmed material was donated by the Vollmer Estate in 1981, through the estate's executor Thomas N. McCarter.
creator: label: Creator
content: Vollmer, Ruth, 1903-1982
setName: label: See more items in
content: Ruth Vollmer papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of sculptor Ruth Vollmer measure 2.5 linear feet and date from circa 1940 to 1980. Found are biographical materials, correspondence, writings and notes, personal business records and professional files, printed material, photographic material including photos of Vollmer and her artwork, and a sketch for a sculpture.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Ruth Vollmer (1903-1982) was a German born sculptor based in New York City, New York. She was known for working with metal wire and mesh to create minimalist sculptures.

Ruth Vollmer was born Ruth Landshoff in Berlin, Germany in 1903, to Jewish parents who were musicians and encouraged her artistic talents. Vollmer moved to New York City in 1935 with her husband, Hermann Vollmer, who was a pediatrician. 

Vollmer began decorating windows for department stores and shops such as Bonwit Teller and Tiffany and Co., integrating small metal pieces into her designs. Later in her career, Vollmer took large commissions and taught classes at the Fieldston School's Children's Art Center. 

Vollmer was acquainted with many important figures in the Abstract Expressionist movement and was an avid collector of art. She died in 1982.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2.5 Linear Feet
label: Extent
content: 2 Microfilm reels
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1940-1980
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.vollruth
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Microfilm reels
label: Type
content: Drawings
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2021. Portions of the collection were microfilmed on Reels 0055-0056 and was returned to Ruth Vollmer after filming. The microfilm was described in a finding aid by Jayna Josefson in 2025 and the microfilm was digitized in 2025 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Collections Information System (CIS) IRM Pool Fund.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Portions of the collection have been microfilmed on reels 0055-0056. The microfilm has been digitized and is available on the Archives of American Art website
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
originalsloc: label: Existence and Location of Originals
content: Original material microfilmed onto reels 0055-0056, with the exception of the photographs, were returned to Ruth Vollmer after filming.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of sculptor Ruth Vollmer measure 2.5 linear feet and date from circa 1940 to 1980. Found are biographical materials, correspondence, writings and notes, personal business records and professional files, printed material, photographic material including photos of Vollmer and her artwork, and a sketch for a sculpture.