The Ellin Ente Oral History Project

Collection

Identifier: A0012

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Ellin Ente Oral History Project is a collection of oral history interviews with early collectors and dealers of American folk art, named for American Folk Art Museum volunteer Ellin Ente. Interviews were conducted by Patricia Keller, and are with Helaine (1942- ) and Burton Fendelman (1937- ), M.J. (Mike) Gladstone (1923-2015), William H. (Bill) Guthman (1924-2006), Cordelia Hamilton (1917-2011), Harry B. Hartman (1930-2015), Chris Huntington and Charlotte McGill, Harvey (1924-2010) and Isobel Kahn, Gerald Kornblau (1928-2011), Cyril I. Nelson (1927-2005), Sam C. Pennington (1929-2007), Leo (1919-2015) and Dorothea Rabkin (1921-2008), George William (Bill) Samaha and Madeline Fisher, R. Scudder Smith, and Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Sterling (1916-2006).

The collection includes original audiocassette tapes of the interviews, as well as the same interviews on Compact Disc.

Dates

2003

Creator

Keller, Patricia (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research. Access to sensitive materials may be restricted at the discretion of the American Folk Art Museum.

Conditions Governing Use

The Ellin Ente Oral History Project is owned by the American Folk Art Museum. The collection is subject to all copyright laws, and is dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship.

Biographical Note

Ellin Ente (1927-1998) was a docent and volunteer photographer for the American Folk Art Museum in the 1970s and 1980s. She was passionate about photography, and photographed many of the museum’s installations and public programming.

Ente lived in Westport, Connecticut, and had two sons, Stephen P. Ente and Douglas E. Ente, who funded the Ellin Ente Oral History Project in their mother’s memory. Their leading gift to fund the project inspired forty additional contributions.

Extent

101 audiocassette(s) (3 audiocassette boxes)

54 compact disc(s) (1 compact disc box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in alphabetical order by the surname of the interviewee.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

The collection is on audiocassettes, which have been digitized to compact discs. There are also digital derivatives that are stored on the American Folk Art Museum local network. If a researcher needs access to the digital recordings, he or she may request a computer with appropriate advance notice.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Ellin Ente Oral History Project was organized by the American Folk Art Museum. It was funded by Ente's two sons, Stephen P. and Douglas E. Ente in their mother's honor. Interviews were conducted by Patricia Keller.