The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts & Printed Ephemera

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts & Printed Ephemera, named for Winterthur's first curator, consists almost exclusively of primary research material. Items include personal and business accounts in the form of diaries, family papers, tax records, and letter books of craftspeople and merchants. In addition, the Downs Collection contains drawings (architectural, artistic, and amateur); wills and household inventories; children's toys and games; scrapbooks and journals; and fabric swatch books. An extensive microform collection, including copies of material owned by other public repositories and private individuals, supplements the manuscript holdings.

To access the online book Guide to the Winterthur Library: The Joseph Downs Collection and the Winterthur Archives, which provides detailed information on the Downs Collection holdings as well as a comprehensive index of names, places, and subjects, click here.

For information on the Maxine Waldron Collection of Children’s Books and Paper Toys, click here.

An important complement to the Downs Collection is the Edward Deming Andrews Memorial Shaker Collection, named to honor America's pioneer Shaker scholar. The collection features manuscripts, books, and visual materials related to the Shakers as well as the research archives compiled by Dr. Andrews.

Reference contact: 302.888.4853