Truman Warner Anthropological Collection
Scope and Content Note
The collection has been inventoried based on perceived material type. The highest number of objects are African in origine, followed by Asian and Native American. The objects are predominantly masks, musical instruments, and tools, but also includes carved figures and other miscelllanea.
The masks are for the most part ceremonial and depict deities or mythological figures. A majority of the objects are made from wood, clay, hair, and various plant materials. The textiles in the collection include baskets, hats, and tapestries.
The objects have been marked as undated though the digital objects linked to from this finding aid do make some attemopt to date the material. It is assumed that the objects were primarily acquired in Warner's travels from the 1960s-1990s, however, the date of the actual object is difficult to determine as most are not assembled with modern construction materials (glues, screws, plastics, etc.).
The archivists have done their best to identify most of the objects but some may be mislabeled. Researchers are encouraged to share any input on the identity and age of items in the collections.
Digital images of most of the items in the collection are provided.
The collection also includes one box of materials deemed to be of questionable research value but was likely assembled as examples of modern fabrication of some of the "folk art" designs in the collection.
Dates
- Creation: 1960-1980
Creator
- Warner, Truman A. 1920-1997 (Person)
- Western Connecticut State University. Department of Academic Affairs. (Organization)
- Western Connecticut State University. Department of Academic Affairs. (Organization)
Access Restrictions
Open for research without restrictions.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
Ruth A. Haas Library
Archives and Special Collections
181 White Street
Danbury, CT 06810
Phone: 203-837-8992
E-mail: stevensb@wcsu.edu
Historical/Biographical Note
Warner began his career at WCSU in 1958 as Dean of Admissions, and after several years he began teaching in the Social Science Department. He served as Chairman of the joint Department of History and Social Sciences, introduced courses in non-western cultures, and taught his specialty, Japanese History and Culture.
Sources:
- Baines, Anthony. The Oxford Companion to Musical Instruments. New York: Oxford University Press Incorporated, 1992.
- Diagram Group. Muscial Instruments of the World: An Illustrated Encyclopdia. New York: Facts on File Incorporated, 1976.
- Bossert, Helmuth Theodor, 1889-1961. Folk art of Asia, Africa, and the Americas [by] Helmuth Th. Bossert. New York, Praeger [1964]
- Fair, Susan W. Alaska native art : tradition, innovation, continuity / Susan W. Fair ; edited by Jean Blodgett. Fairbanks, AK : University of Alaska Press, c2006.
- Glassie, Henry H. The spirit of folk art : the Girard Collection at the Museum of International Folk Art / Henry Glassie ; color photography by Michel Monteaux ; black-and-white photography and drawings by Henry Glassie. New York : Abrams in association with the Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe, 1989.
- Jonaitis, Aldona, 1948- Art of the Northwest coast / Aldona Jonaitis. Seattle : University of Washington Press ; Vancouver : Douglas & McIntyre, c2006.
- Leuzinger, Elsy. Afrika. English. Africa; the art of the Negro peoples. [Translated by Ann E. Keep] New York, McGraw-Hill [1960]
- Newton, Douglas, 1920- New Guinea art in the collection of the Museum of Primitive Art. New York, Museum of Primitive Art; distributed by the New York Graphic Society, Greenwich, Conn., 1967.
- Listening to our ancestors : the art of native life along the north pacific coast / introduction by chief Robert Joseph. Washington, D.C. : National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution in association with National Geographic, c2005.
- National Museum of the American Indian (U.S.) Treasures of the National Museum of the American Indian : Smithsonian Institution / foreword by W. Richard West, Jr. ; introduction by Charlotte Heth ; texts by Clara Sue Kidwell and Richard W. Hill, Sr. 1st ed. New York : Abbeville Press, c1996.
Extent
50 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This is a small collection of objects from Asia, Africa, the Americas and New Guinea collected presumably from the 1960s and 1980s by Truman Warner to be used in class and for his personal collection. The collection is predominantly made up of musical instruments and masks.
Arrangement
Objects are arranged by type and then by assumed region of origin.
Provenance
Portions of this collection were originally housed in the basement of White Hall. They were sent to the Haas library in 2004 as part of the Truman Warner Collections and were placed in storage. The storage conditions were sub-optimal and they were moved and processed for their protection in Nov 2008. In 2009, additional objects were donated by Richard Davis to be included in this collection.
Subject
- Warner, Truman A. 1920-1997 (Person)
- Western Connecticut State University. Department of History. (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the Truman Warner Anthropological Collection
- Status
- Unverified Full Draft
- Author
- The 2009 Accretion was initially processed by Melissa Dunn. Additional identification of objects and photography was undertaken in 2017 by RJ Hinds and completed by Jamie Cantoni and Brian Stevens in 2018.
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
- Edition statement
- This version was derived from WarnerArtifacts.xls
Repository Details
Part of the Western Connecticut State University Archives and Special Collections Repository
Haas Library
181 White St
Danbury 06810 USA US
203.837.8992
203.837.8322 (Fax)
stevensb@wcsu.edu