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Kent Olson papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 91

Scope and Contents

The Kent Olson papers, 1979-2012 (bulk 1980-1989), contains documents, photographs, and artifacts pertaining to the purchase of artwork in the Olson-Brandelle North American Indian Art Collection. These consist of inventory sheets with an overview of each piece of art, photographs of the art and the artists, prize ribbons, receipts, checks, brochures, news clippings, magazine articles, invitations to exhibitions, certificates of authenticity, books and photocopies of chapters from them, catalogs, and correspondence with and business cards from artists as well as gallery owners and curators.

Dates

  • Creation: 1979-2012
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1980-1989

Creator

Language of Materials

English and Spanish

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from Augustana College Special Collections and the copyright holder.

Historical Note

Kent Olson is an attorney, but his passion in life has been to connect with Southwest Native American people through their art. In 1979, he began looking through a book containing magnificent photographs of Pueblo pottery while visiting a colleague in Scottsdale, Arizona. He began to learn more, reading extensively, visiting galleries, museums, and the famous Indian Market in Santa Fe, connecting with artists and purchasing their work. He assembled his collection, aiming for a diversity of pueblo, clay, shapes, and uses, to aid in the study of the growth of North American Indian art as a fine art form. In 2004, Olson decided to donate his extensive collection of North American Indian pottery and artifacts to Augustana College. The Olson-Brandelle North American Indian Art Collection was named to honor Olson’s paternal and maternal ancestry

Extent

2.5 Cubic Feet (/ 6 boxes)

Abstract

Kent Olson is an attorney, but his passion in life has been to connect with Southwest Native American people through their art. He assembled the Olson-Brandelle North American Indian Art Collection, aiming for a diversity of pueblo, clay, shapes, and uses, to aid in the study of the growth of North American Indian art as a fine art form. The Kent Olson papers, 1979-2012 (bulk 1980-1989), contains documents, photographs pertaining to the purchase of artwork for Olson's collection. These consist of inventory sheets with an overview of each piece of art, photographs of the art and the artists, prize ribbons, receipts, checks, brochures, news clippings, magazine articles, invitations to exhibitions, certificates of authenticity, books and photocopies of chapters from them, catalogs, and correspondence with and business cards from artists as well as gallery owners and curators.

Arrangement

The materials have been retained in the donor’s original order. Folders are grouped alphabetically by tribe, then organized alphabetically by artist’s last name. A list of the codes used for each tribe follows:

AC--Acoma CHK--Cherokee COC--Cochiti HOP--Hopi INU--Inupiaq Eskimo ISL--Isleta JEM--Jemez KIO--Kiowa LAG--Laguna MAI--Maiou MAR--Maricopa MEX--Mexican MOV--Mohave MOH--Mohawk NAJ--Navajo PIC--Picuris PIU--San Juan Paiute PHIS--Anasazi/Tusayon/Mogollow/Hopi/Salado/Hohokam/Sinagua SNIL--San Ildefonso SNJU--San Juan/Santa Clara STAN--Santa Ana STCL--Santa Clara STDO--Santo Domingo TAO--Taos TES--Tesuque TLG--Tlingit TO’OD--Tohono O’odham TSIM--Tsimshian WYN--Wyandotte YUM--Yuma (Quechan) YPK--Yup’ik ZIA--Zia ZUN--Zuni

The code UNK is used when the artist's name is unknown.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Received from Kent Olson, 2004.

Processing Information

Processed by Rukmini Girish, 2013. Revised by Atticus Garrison, June 2016.

Title
Kent Olson papers, 1979-2012 (bulk 1980-1989).
Status
Completed
Author
Atticus Garrison
Date
June 2016
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Augustana College Special Collections Repository

Contact:
639 38th Street
Thomas Tredway Library
Rock Island Illinois 61201 United States