Hester Diamond papers
name: label: Creator
content: Diamond, Hester
label: Names
content: De Kooning, Willem, 1904-1997
label: Names
content: Hepworth, Barbara, Dame, 1903-1975
label: Names
content: Moore, Henry, 1898-1986
label: Names
content: Nicholson, Ben, 1894-
topic: label: Occupation
content: Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Art -- Collectors and collecting
label: Topic
content: Women art dealers
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The collection was donated in 2022 by The Estate of Hester Diamond via David Diamond, co-executor.
creator: label: Creator
content: Diamond, Hester
setName: label: See more items in
content: Hester Diamond papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of New York art collector, dealer, and interior designer Hester Diamond measure 7.0 linear feet and date from 1950 to 2022. The collection comprises biographical materials containing diaries, home improvement and collection plans, Diamond's art history notes, and other items; art collection files consisting of appraisals, expenses, early business dealings conducted by Harold Diamond, and other records; correspondence from dealers offering artworks to Diamond; professional files documenting Diamond's mineral collection, her work on VISTAS, and other activities; printed materials consisting of clippings about Diamond, business cards, and a published book about the art collection; and photographic materials of home decor and works of art.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Hester Diamond (1928-2020) was an art dealer, collector, and interior designer in New York, N.Y.­ Diamond was born in Bronx, N.Y. to David and Edith (née Wilbur) Klein. She received a B.A. degree in English from Hunter College in Manhattan where she frequented art museums. She married art dealer Harold Diamond in 1950. The couple shared a love of art and began collecting soon after they had married. After Harold's death in 1982, she married Ralph Kaminsky who died in 2012. In 2015, she married David S. Wilson. Along with managing the art collection, Diamond was an interior designer, a founder of VISTAS, Virtual Images of Sculpture in Time and Space, and was president of the Medici Archive Project. Diamond died in 2020 in Manhattan, N.Y.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 7 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1950-2022
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.diamhest
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Diaries
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 6 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1950-2019 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 2: Art Collection Files, 1950s-2020 (2.7 linear feet; Boxes 2-4)

Series 3: Dealer Files, 1987-2019 (1.0 linear foot; Boxes 4-5)

Series 4: Professional Files, circa 1994-2019 (1.7 linear feet; Boxes 5-7)

Series 5: Printed Materials, circa 1989-2020 (0.2 linear feet; Box 7)

Series 6: Photographic Materials, circa 1970-2022 (0.2 linear feet; Box 7)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Mundy in 2024.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Diaries
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of New York art collector, dealer, and interior designer Hester Diamond measure 7.0 linear feet and date from 1950 to 2022. The collection comprises biographical materials, art collection files, dealer files, professional files, printed materials, and photographic materials.

Biographical materials consist of two diaries, an appointment book, home improvement files that include plans to accommodate Diamond's art collection, Diamond's art history class notes, Wilbur family history, and a few other items. 

Diamond's files documenting her art collection consist of alphabetical binders containing information on the artworks, expense binders documenting conservation and other work done to the artworks and photography, and other files relating the collection. Included are photographs of the collection by Bruce Schwarz along with locationion information, as well as Harold Diamond's correspondence with Ben Nicholson, Willem de Kooning, Antoine Pervsher, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and other artists in the 1950s.

Dealer files consist mainly of correspondence to Diamond offering information on artworks available to purchase; however, the donor noted that Diamond did not accept most of the offers. Diamond's professional files documenting her activities outside of the art collection include material regarding her mineral collection, VISTAS publishing, Medici Archive Project, and other activities. Printed materials consist of clippings about Diamond, business cards, a published book about the Diamond art collection, and a few other items. Photographic materials are of home decor, furniture, and works of art.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: The Archives of American Art also holds an oral history interview with Hester Diamond conducted on October 4-5, 2017 for the Archives of American Art.