Irena Brynner papers
name: label: Creator
content: Brynner, Irena
topic: label: Occupation
content: Jewelers -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Occupation
content: Opera singers -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Occupation
content: Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Women sculptors
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Irena Brynner papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by Ragnar D. Ness, executor of the Irena Brynner Estate, in 2004.
creator: label: Creator
content: Brynner, Irena
setName: label: See more items in
content: Irena Brynner papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of jeweler Irena Brynner measure 14.2 linear feet and date from circa 1914 to 2003. The papers document Brynner's career as a jeweler in California and New York through biographical material including sound recordings of her diary; correspondence with family, friends, and art organizations; diaries, notebooks, and other writings; exhibition announcements, news clippings, and other printed material; photographs and slides; artwork including eight sketchbooks; and eleven scrapbooks.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Irena Brynner (1917-2003) was jeweler, sculptor, and opera singer who worked primarily in New York City. Brynner was born in Vladivostok, Russia. Her father was a member of the Swiss diplomatic corp, and she spent her youth living in China, Japan, and France. Brynner immigrated to the United States prior to World War II where she began her career as jeweler. Brynner was the cousin of actor, Yul Brynner, and worked in the San Francisco Bay area through the 1950s before moving to New York City. Brynner held exhbitions across the United States, throughout Europe, and in Japan.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 14.2 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1914-2003
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.bryniren
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
label: Type
content: Diaries
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 8 series

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1930-2002 (1.6 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, 14-15)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1930-2003 ( 2.3 linear feet; Boxes 2-4)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1930-2003 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 4-5)

Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1942-2003 (1.0 linear feet; Boxes 5-6)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1932-2000 ( 0.9 linear feet; Boxes 6, 16, OV 18)

Series 6: Artwork, circa 1949-1998 (1.0 linear feet; Boxes 6-7, 17)

Series 7: Scrapbooks, 1948-1997 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 7-8, 16)

Series 8: Photographs, circa 1914-2002 (5.2 linear feet; Boxes 8-13, 17)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Ricky Gomez in 2019.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sketchbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Diaries
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of jeweler Irena Brynner measure 14.2 linear feet and date from circa 1914 to 2003. The papers document Brynner's career as a jeweler in California and New York through biographical material including sound recordings of her diary; correspondence with family, friends, and art organizations; diaries, notebooks, and other writings; exhibition announcements, news clippings, and other printed material; photographs and slides; artwork including eight sketchbooks; and eleven scrapbooks.

Biographical material includes family records and certificates, consular papers, and address books. Also included are 30 sound cassettes primarily of Brynner reading her diary in Russian and a radio interview with Brynner.

Correspondence is with family, friends, artists and art organizations and galleries. Much of the correspondence is in English, French and Russian. Included are correspondence between Brynner and her cousin, actor Yul Brynner.

Writings primarily consist of diaries and notebooks, lectures, and pieces from writing classes Brynner attended in the 1990s.

Personal business records consist primarily of inventories and price lists of the various jewelry pieces Brynner created. There are also shipping receipts and loan agreements with various art organizations.

Printed materials consist primarily of exhibition announcements and press releases. There are also news clippings and magazine articles related to Brynner's jewelry. 

Artwork primarily consists of sketches and sketchbooks of jewelry designs and sculture designs.

Scrapbooks include various materials such as newspaper clippings, photographs, and exhibition announcements.

Photographic material includes personal photographs, photographs of jewelry, negatives of both personal photographs and photographs of jewelry, and slides of jewelry.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Irena Brynner conducted by Arline M. Fisch, 2001 April 26-27.