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  • Material relating to Kurt Schwitters compiled by his English companion, Mrs Edith ‘Wantee’ Thomas mostly after the artist’s death in 1948
  • Correspondence and documents relating to the Ernst Schwitters v Edith Thomas court case, 1963
  • Correspondence and documents, numbered sequentially, from various correspondents relating to Kurt Schwitters and his works

Material relating to Kurt Schwitters compiled by his English companion, Mrs Edith ‘Wantee’ Thomas mostly after the artist’s death in 1948

1948–91

  • Email

Available online are various items selected from the Kurt Schwitters collection featuring writings, correspondence and photographs, particularly relating to Schwitters' relationship with Edith Thomas, and the court case between Edith and Kurt Schwitters' son, Ernst, regarding the division of Schwitters' works following his death. Items from this collection also available online are: private view cards and exhibition catalogues relating to exhibitions featuring Schwitters' work; photographs of Schwitters, and his family and friends; and photographs of his works and locations he visited.

Further details on this collection are available on the archive catalogue.

Collection Owner
Kurt Schwitters 1887–1948
Collection
Tate Archive
Acquisition
Presented by Edith Thomas's son, Geoff Thomas, in 1995.
Reference
TGA 9510

139 objects in this collection

  • Material relating to Kurt Schwitters compiled by his English companion, Mrs Edith ‘Wantee’ Thomas mostly after the artist’s death in 1948

    139 Objects

    • Writings about Schwitters by Edith Thomas

      2 Objects

    • Correspondence and documents relating to the Ernst Schwitters v Edith Thomas court case, 1963

      100 Objects

      • Correspondence and documents, numbered sequentially, from various correspondents relating to Kurt Schwitters and his works

        68 Objects

      • Correspondence and documents relating to the Schwitters v Thomas court case

        32 Objects

    • Printed ephemera relating to Kurt Schwitters

      20 Objects

    • Photographs relating to Kurt Schwitters

      17 Objects

Title
Correspondence and documents, numbered sequentially, from various correspondents relating to Kurt Schwitters and his works
Date
1947–60
Description
Compiled by Edith Thomas' solicitors. Some of the numbered documents are missing. Includes a copy of Schwitters hand-written will, letters from Ernst Schwitters, letters from galleries, agreements, lists of works and press cuttings.
Reference
TGA 9510/3/1

Showing 41–60 of 68 objects

Letter to Eve Schwitters from Margaret Miller at the Museum of Modern Art about Kurt Schwitters’ collage work held at the Museum

Margaret Miller, Museum of Modern Art (New York, USA), recipient: Eve Schwitters
24 February 1949

Letter to Edith Thomas from Geo. Gatey & Son as a follow up to their letter dated 14 Feb 1949

George Gatey & Son Solicitors (Windermere, UK), recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
25 March 1949

Letter to Mr Handley at Geo. Gatey & Son from Edith Thomas regarding the transport and sale of Schwitters’ work

Edith “Wanty” Thomas, recipients: Harold Handley, George Gatey & Son Solicitors (Windermere, UK)
29 March 1949

Letter to Edith Thomas from Geo. Gatey & Son with enclosed letter from the Museum of Modern Art about the transport of Schwitters’ collages

Collection owner: Kurt Schwitters
21–26 April 1949

Letter to the Museum of Modern Art from Geo. Gatey & Son regarding payment for the sale of Schwitters’ work and the transport of his works

George Gatey & Son Solicitors (Windermere, UK), recipient: Museum of Modern Art (New York, USA)
26 July 1949

Letter from Margaret Miller at the Museum of Modern Art to Geo. Gatey & Son with letter from Margaret to Eve Schwitters enclosed

Margaret Miller, Museum of Modern Art (New York, USA)
6 October 1949

Letter from Geo. Gatey & Son to Edith Thomas regarding the transport of Schwitters’ work

George Gatey & Son Solicitors (Windermere, UK), recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
13 October 1949

Letter from Geo. Gatey & Son to Margaret Miller at the Museum of Modern Art about the transport of Schwitters’ work

George Gatey & Son Solicitors (Windermere, UK), recipients: Margaret Miller, Museum of Modern Art (New York, USA)
25 October 1949

Letter from Geo. Gatey & Son to Edith Thomas about the transport of Schwitters’ work

George Gatey & Son Solicitors (Windermere, UK), recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
25 October 1949

Letter from Geo. Gatey & Son to Edith Thomas about a cheque received from the Museum of Modern Art

George Gatey & Son Solicitors (Windermere, UK), recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
31 October 1949

Letter from Geo. Gatey & Son to Edith Thomas with a note about their charges

George Gatey & Son Solicitors (Windermere, UK), recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
26 November 1949

Letter to Edith Thomas from The Hanover Gallery about payment for some of Schwitters’ work

Hanover Gallery (London, UK), recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
7 April 1955

Letter from The Hanover Gallery to Edith Thomas regarding the sale of some of Schwitters’ collage work

Hanover Gallery (London, UK), recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
22 June 1955

Letter from The Hanover Gallery to Edith Thomas regarding payment for the sale of two of Schwitters’ collages

Hanover Gallery (London, UK), recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
6 September 1955

Copy of a letter sent from Edith Thomas to the Sidney Janis Gallery regarding the return of Schwitters’ work

Edith “Wanty” Thomas, recipient: Sidney Janis Gallery
23 September 1955

Note regarding payment for the sale of Schwitters’ collage work

Unknown person(s)
30 September 1955

Letter from The Hanover Galley to Edith Thomas regarding payment for Schwitters’ work

Hanover Gallery (London, UK), recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
10 October 1955

Letter from The Hanover Gallery to Edith Thomas (‘Wantee’) sent with a cheque to pay for the purchase of Schwitters’ work

Hanover Gallery (London, UK), recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
13 December 1955

Letter from the director of The Hanover Gallery to Edith Thomas (‘Wanty’) regarding a lunch meeting

Hanover Gallery (London, UK), recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
14 October 1957

Letter from Ernst Schwitters to Dr Walter Dux

Ernst Schwitters, recipient: Dr Walter Dux
1958
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