Benjamin K. Smith papers relating to O'Brien Galleries
name: label: Creator
content: Smith, Benjamin K., 1872-1973
label: Names
content: House of O'Brien
label: Names
content: M. O'Brien & Son
label: Names
content: O'Brien Art Galleries
label: Names
content: O'Brien Galleries (Chicago, Ill.)
label: Names
content: O'Brien's Art Emporium
label: Names
content: Heller, Helen West, d. 1955 -- Exhibitions
label: Names
content: Nickerson, Samuel Mayo, 1830-1909 -- Art collections
label: Names
content: O'Brien, Martin, 1834-1917
label: Names
content: O'Brien, William Vincent, 1859-1952
label: Names
content: O'Brien, William Vincent, 1902-1972
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Donated by Barton Smith, 1986, son of Benjamin K. Smith (1872-1973), was an employee of the gallery from 1912 to 1922 prior to opening his own art appraisal business.
creator: label: Creator
content: Smith, Benjamin K., 1872-1973
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Art gallery; Chicago, Ill. and Scottsdale, Az. Chicago's first art gallery and one of the oldest family owned and operated gallery in the United States. It opened in 1855 as a frame shop, offering a variety of services to both artists and collectors. It was called by several names, including O'Brien's Art Emporium, O'Brien Art Galleries, O'Brien Galleries, House of O'Brien, and M. O'Brien & Sons. The gallery remained in Chicago until 1941, closed during the war, and resumed operation in Scottsdale, Arizona in the 1950s. Three generations of O'Briens (Martin, William, and William Jr.) ran the gallery before it moved to Arizona; all were committed to bringing culture and the visual arts to Chicago.
function: label: Function
content: Art galleries, Commercial -- Illinois
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Item (partial microfilm reel)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1912-1941
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.smitbenj
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Drawings
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: 35mm microfilm reels 4065 & 4181 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Papers kept by Benjamin K. Smith, an employee of the O'Brien Galleries (1912-1922), including: handwritten lists concerning paintings from the Samuel Nickerson collection on consignment from the Chicago Art Institute (1920-1921) and furniture bought for the O'Brien Galleries (photographs of furniture microfilmed on reel 4181); a December 1912 issue of ART, a monthly magazine published by the Galleries; sales catalogs and announcements for the O'Brien Art Galleries, the House of O'Brien, and M. O'Brien & Sons; a 1922 exhibition announcement for paintings by Helen West Heller at the Walden Book Shop with pencil sketches of a table "Spanish early 17th cent." on its reverse; a newspaper advertisement and an article (1941) "Gallery Fading from Picture as Art Declines in Chicago."