Miye Matsukata papers
name: label: Creator
content: Matsukata, Miye, 1922-1981
label: Names
content: Art Asia Gallery
label: Names
content: Fitchburg Art Museum
label: Names
content: Haystack Mountain School of Crafts -- Students
label: Names
content: Janiye (Firm)
label: Names
content: Principia College -- Students
label: Names
content: Hickey, Judy
label: Names
content: Hubbard, James C.
label: Names
content: Oka, Takashi, 1924-
topic: label: Occupation
content: Jewelers -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Occupation
content: Metal-workers -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Occupation
content: Designers -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Topic
content: Decorative arts
label: Topic
content: Jewelry making
label: Topic
content: Asian American art
label: Topic
content: Asian American artists
label: Topic
content: Asian American jewelers
label: Topic
content: Asian American metal-workers
label: Topic
content: Japanese American art
label: Topic
content: Japanese American artists
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Women designers
label: Topic
content: Women jewelers
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Miye Matsukata papers were donated in 1984 by Mrs. Edwin O. Reischauer, Matsukata's sister and in 2008 and 2017 by Ann Hubbard Gaddis, the sister of Matsukata's business partner and heir, James Hubbard.
creator: label: Creator
content: Matsukata, Miye, 1922-1981
setName: label: See more items in
content: Miye Matsukata papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of jewelry designer and metalsmith Miye Matsukata measure 12.45 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 1982, with the bulk of the material dating from 1964 to 1981.The papers include correspondence, interviews, journals, writings and lectures, exhibition files, Janiye business records, printed materials, scrapbooks, artwork, sketchbooks, and photographic materials that document Matsukata's work as a jeweler and owner of Janiye, an atelier located in Boston, Massachusetts.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Miye Matsukata (1922-1981) was a Japanese American jewelry designer and metalsmith based in Boston, Massachusetts. She worked at her jewelry firm Janiye in Boston from 1950 to her death. 

Matsukata was born in Japan to Shokuma and Miyo Matsukata and had four sisters named Haru, Naka, Taneko  "Tane," and Mari. After coming to the United States in 1940, Matsukata attended Principia College in Elsah, Illinois,  graduating in 1944. Afterwards, she attended The Museum School in Boston. In 1950 she established Janiye, a jewelry atelier, with former classmates Naomi Katz Harris and Janice Whipple Williams. The name Janiye is a combination of the three co-owners' names. By 1958, Matsukata became the sole owner of the company with James Hubbard, a stone cutter, serving as  business manager and agent. Nancy Michel, Alexandra Watkins, and Yoshiko Yamamoto became the leading team of jewelers to execute Matsukata's designs.

Matsukata traveled extensively to Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Peru, India, western and central Europe, and to Scandinavia after winning a scholarship in 1950. She also spent a substantial amount of time in Japan, especially during her collaboration with the Japanese pearl company Mikimoto. Her work was inspired by the places she visited and she often documented the sources of her inspiration through her writings and sketches. 

Matsukata died in 1981 in Boston. Janiye remained open after her death with Michel and Watkins as the new owners.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 12.45 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1900-1982
label: Date
content: bulk 1964-1981
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.matsmiye
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Diaries
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
label: Type
content: Interviews
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 11 series.

Series 1: Correspondence, 1957-1981 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Interviews, 1968-1978 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 3: Journals, 1966-1981 (0.7 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 4: Writings and Lectures, 1962-1982 (1.0 linear feet; Boxes 2-3)

Series 5: Exhibition Files, 1964-1980 (0.3 linear feet; Box 3)

Series 6: Janiye Business Records, 1948-1982 (6.1 linear feet; Boxes 3-5, 7-10, 17)

Series 7: Printed Material, circa 1965-1982 (0.2 linear feet; Box 10)

Series 8: Scrapbooks, circa 1945-1980 (0.2 linear feet; Box 15)

Series 9: Artwork, 1946-1981 (0.5 linear feet; Boxes 10, 15)

Series 10: Sketchbooks, circa 1950-1981 (1.0 linear feet; Boxes 10-11, 15)

Series 11: Photographic Material, circa 1900-1982 (2.3 linear feet; Boxes 11-14, 16)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Mundy in 2018.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Portions of the collection are available on 35 mm microfilm reels 4495-4503 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of the material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.

One sound reel was digitized in 2013 and is available at Archives of American Art offices. Researchers may view the original reel for the archival notations on it, but the original reel is not available for playback due to fragility.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
label: Genre/Form
content: Diaries
label: Genre/Form
content: Sketchbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Interviews
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of jewelry designer and metalsmith Miye Matsukata measure 12.45 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 1982, with the bulk of the material dating from 1964 to 1981.The papers include correspondence, interviews, journals, writings and lectures, exhibition files, Janiye business records, printed materials, scrapbooks, artwork, sketchbooks, and photographic materials that document Matsukata's work as a jeweler and owner of Janiye, an atelier located in Boston, Massachusetts.

Correspondence is with family, James Hubbard, various customers, galleries, and colleagues. Interviews include recordings of Matsukata and Takashi Oka, Judy Hickey and Miyo, and two interviews from 1968.

Eleven journals contain Matsukata's writings about her work, travel experiences, impressions of Mikimoto, and include some sketches. Writings and lectures consists of five appointment books; biographical statements and resumes; essays; lecture recordings, manuscripts, and slides; twelve memo books; notes; two travel itinerary books; and writings by James Hubbard that include an essay about Matsukata.

Exhibition files consist of correspondence, price and invitations lists, loan forms, and drafts for jewelry shows at the Art Asia Gallery, Fitchburg Art Museum, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Principia College, and other galleries. Business files for Janiye include donations, financial and legal material, inventory books, publicity files, and sales records; and client and vendor files containing invoices, correspondence, and special order details for works produced by Matsukata and other jewelers at Janiye.

Printed materials include booklets, clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, an invitation, press releases, and Janiye sales catalogs. Two scrapbooks feature clippings and sketches of dinnerware, and early brochures and photographs of Janiye.

Artwork consists of sketches of jewelry, dinnerware, mountains, and landscapes. Additionally, 47 sketchbooks of travel, jewelry, and dinnerware are found in the collection. Photographic materials include photographs, negatives, slides, and several glass slides depicting Matsukata, her family, Janiye, jewelry and dinnerware, and travel.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: The Archives of American Art also holds several collections related to Miye Matsukata, including Photographs of Miye Matsukata, Slides of jewelry designed by Miye Matsukata, Alexandra S. Watkins papers concerning Miye Matsukata, Miye Matsukata note with sketch to Mrs. Bartlett, Jane England Chandler papers regarding Miye Matsukata necklace, and Photographs of Miye Matsukata jewelry.