Esther Bear Gallery records
name: label: Creator
content: Esther Bear Gallery (Santa Barbara, Calif.)
label: Names
content: Bear, Donald, 1905-1952
label: Names
content: Bear, Esther, 1905-1987
label: Names
content: Frasconi, Antonio
label: Names
content: Johnston, Ynez, 1920-
label: Names
content: Martinez, Alfred
label: Names
content: Ward, Nina de Creeft
topic: label: Topic
content: Women art dealers
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Esther Bear Gallery records were donated by Esther Bear in 1978 and 1987.
creator: label: Creator
content: Esther Bear Gallery (Santa Barbara, Calif.)
setName: label: See more items in
content: Esther Bear Gallery records
abstract: label: Summary
content: The records of Santa Barbara, California art gallery, Esther Bear Gallery, measure 5.7 linear feet and date from 1928 to 1985, with the bulk of the records dating from 1954 to 1977. The collection comprises administrative records that include exhibition files, photographs, records documenting the gallery's operations, and files for the Donald Bear Collection and Endowment Fund; professional correspondence with artists, clients, and galleries regarding exhibitions, sales and loans, and other business dealings; and artist files for Thomas Cornell, Antonio Frasconi, Ynez Johnston, Miguel Marina, Alfred Martinez, and Nina de Creeft Ward, among others.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: The Esther Bear Gallery was a commercial art gallery located in Santa Barbara, California, that specialized in contemporary art. It was founded by Esther Mary Bear (1905-1977), who was born in St. Louis, Missouri. The gallery exhibited works by Leonard Baskin,  Antonio Frasconi, Rico Lebrun, Lee Mullican, Nina de Creeft Ward, Cady Wells, and other prominent artists including Esther Bear's husband, Donald Jeffries Bear (1905-1952), who was also the director of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art from 1940 to 1952. Esther Bear closed her gallery in 1977.
function: label: Function
content: Art galleries, Commercial -- California
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 5.7 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: bulk 1954-1977
label: Date
content: 1928-1985
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.estebeag
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Drawings
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as three series.

Series 1: Administrative Records, 1941-1981 (1.5 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, OV 8)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1928-1975 (0.5 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 3: Artist's Files, 1941-1982 (3.7 linear feet; Boxes 3-7, OV 8)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Mundy in 2021.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Portions of the collection are available on 35mm microfilm reels 3986-3987. Researchers should note that the arrangement of the material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The records of Santa Barbara, California art gallery, Esther Bear Gallery measure 5.7 linear feet and date from 1928 to 1985, with the bulk of the records dating from 1954 to 1977. The collection comprises administrative records that include exhibition files, photographs, records documenting the gallery's operations, and files for the Donald Bear Collection and Endowment Fund; professional correspondence with artists, clients, and galleries regarding exhibitions, sales and loans, and other business dealings; and artist files for Thomas Cornell, Antonio Frasconi, Ynez Johnston, Miguel Marina, Alfred Martinez, and Nina de Creeft Ward, among others.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Also found in the Archives of American Art are the Donald Bear papers, 1923-1960.