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Print
9581117
  • Title
    Robert Emerson Curtis papers
  • Creator
  • Call number
    MLMSS 11742/Boxes 1-6
    MLMSS 11742/Boxes 7X-10X
  • Level of description
    fonds
  • Date

    1915-1990
  • Type of material
  • Reference code
    9581117
  • Physical Description
    3.31 metres of textual material, includes photographs and drawings (6 boxes and 4 outsize boxes)
  • ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

    Robert Emerson Curtis (1898-1996) was born in England and arrived in NSW in 1924. He established himself primarily as a commercial artist, who specialised in documentary illustration. He drew, for example, the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, worked for B.H.P. and also documented projects such as the Sydney Opera House and the Gladesville Bridge. He was also commissioned to design murals and posters.
  • Scope and Content
    Artwork and papers regarding the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, and mining and industry, including copies of prints, photographs, published books and magazines, book outlines and drafts

    Box 1
    Spare prints of Robert Emerson Curtis’ work
    Booklet of Malley’s history and operations (illustrations by R. Emerson Curtis)
    Rough material for articles mixed, manuscripts
    Copies of letters from Melbourne 1938,1940
    News articles referring to Wartime history Australia and New Guinea 1940-1945
    Letters from Ruth to Robert Emerson Curtis North Queensland
    Personal mail 1968 and Curtis Family Tree by Ellie 1969
    Letters from New Guinea, Northern Territory, Darwin, Cairns etc

    Box 2
    Business and personal letters 1931-1932,1934-1941,1946,1948,1956,1958,1960-1968,1979
    Personal letters 1915,1921,1924-1925,1930-1934,1936-1938,1940-1941,1943-1946,1948-1953,1957-1968
    The B.H.P. Review Jubilee Number June 1935 (illustrations by R. Emerson Curtis)
    Newcastle city coal collection history and works 1930s-1985
    Australia at work proposed book 1930-1990

    Box 3
    Opera House Trust correspondence 1964-1969 , includes lists of pictures etc and licence agreement between R. Emerson Curtis and Sydney Opera House 1973
    Opera House cartoons and comments 1961,1963,1965-1968,1977,1986
    Opera House diagrams notes 1963
    Sydney Opera House Publicity Clips on book “A vision takes form” R. Emerson Curtis published January 1968
    Birth of a miracle the Sydney Opera House story notes 1983
    Birth of a miracle the Sydney Opera House -scrapbook of drawings
    Scrapbook of Sydney Opera House 1958-1973 news clippings and personal comments
    News pictures Sydney Opera House from Feb 1957 The [Utzon] winning design
    Selected negatives of the Sydney Opera House for reprints

    Box 4
    Opera House articles news items 1957,1959,1963,1965-1966,1968,1970,1973,1983,1986,1989
    News articles 1964-1975
    News articles early stages 1960s
    Utzon resigns March 1966
    Cartoons – Brisbane Mail – “Cabby” 1921-1923
    “Walkabout” – published articles 1941-1947 by Ruth and Robert E. Curtis
    Steel works -prints-photos Port Kembla etc Varied – workers etc
    Sketches small-mixed-Australia
    Order and account books for commissions 1947-1975
    Commissions for mural for Holden etc- sketches and photographs

    Box 5
    Scrapbook of news articles on Robert Emerson Curtis 1932-1954
    War artist negatives of work by R.E.C.
    Robert Emerson Curtis (REC) war artist correspondence, mostly official and contacts
    Robert Emerson Curtis’ notebook
    Robert Emerson Curtis’ Royal Australian Air Force medical records
    Manuscript of AUSN story: “They spread white wings”
    Phrenology
    Snowy Mountains Scheme
    Biographical exhibition catalogues 1966-1968,1971,1973-1974,1979,1982-1983,1985-1989,1991-1993
    Canberra exhibition notes, articles and drawings 1936,1942,1946
    News articles on Robert Emerson Curtis’ exhibition 1924,1940,1946,1952,1967-1968 ,1979,1982-1983,1987,1989-1990
    Exhibition photographs 1990 and publicity photographs 1967,1976, 1979 (one photo taken by Max Dupain)

    Box 6
    Sydney Harbour Bridge odd sketches
    Sydney Harbour Bridge news clippings 1930,1932,1937,1960,1976,1982
    Bridge Data – facts and history detail
    Bridge Data – prints – odds and ends- historical
    Bridge – block (colour) – (colour supplement) -incomplete in colour

    Box 7X
    Sydney Opera House design development
    Drawings - roughs - Sydney Opera House
    Sydney Opera House sketch detail
    Sydney Opera House large prints (56 sketches)

    Box 8X
    War artist (includes 15 sketches)
    Early work proofs P.O. The Sydney Mail 1932,1934-1935
    Prints large and small (All States) (Drawings): includes sketches, photographs and notes
    Bridge book lithographs (spare)
    Australia at work- impressions in word and picture by R. Emerson Curtis (‘published’- news- series- all states Sunday Sun and Guardian) 1936
    Various advertising and cover prints 1930-1946 (14 drawings)
    Kodak prints 1939 (13 drawings)

    Box 9X
    Prints of overseas drawings 1969-1970 (8 prints)
    Building the Bridge: scrapbook of sketches, photographs and articles on Sydney Harbour Bridge 1977-1981
    Final drafts of Birth of a Miracle
    Photographic records of some murals done by R. Emerson Curtis
    Forestry W.A. Qld N.S.W. Farm Work, timber – mills and cutters- original sketches and notes 1935-1938,1973,1976,1980-1981
    Railways- original sketches and notes
    Proof prints, articles and illustrations 1930’s by Robert Emerson Curtis (REC) and Ruth Curtis (RAC) 1930-1942,1947

    Box 10X
    The Nation Australia (This is a mock-up for a publication proposed in early post-war Times that did not go into publication).
    Maritime services mural (commission for Museum of Contemporary Art (M.C.A.))
    Prints of early to post-war and some Opera House. General-schemes- or industrial workplaces. Negatives mostly. (approx. 90 prints and sketches)
  • Copying Conditions
    Copyright restrictions may apply
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