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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

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

1948–91

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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 relating to the Ernst Schwitters v Edith Thomas court case, 1963
Date
1947–66
Description
The case concerned the division of works by Kurt Schwitters to Edith Thomas and Ernst Schwitters after the artist's death and includes files of correspondence and documents between Thomas and her lawyers; material used as evidence; and letters of support and press cuttings following the court case.
Reference
TGA 9510/3

Showing 81–100 of 100 objects

Letter from [Geo. Gatey & Son] to Edith Thomas in response to her letter dated 29 Mar 1949

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

Letter from [Geo. Gatey & Son] to Edith Thomas in response to her letter dated 2 May 1949

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

Letter from Ernst Schwitters to Edith Thomas (‘Wanty’) regarding the sale, preservation and inheritance of Kurt Schwitters’ work

Ernst Schwitters, recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
12 February 1949

Letter from [Geo. Gatey & Son] to Edith Thomas in response to her letter dated 4 Jan 1949

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

Letter from [Geo. Gatey & Son] to The Museum of Modern Art in response to their letter dated 22 Jan 1949

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

Letter from Harold Handley at Geo. Gatey & Son to Mrs Horner about an unfinished portrait by Schwitters which was in her possession

Harold Handley, George Gatey & Son Solicitors (Windermere, UK), recipient: Mrs Horner
27 January 1948

Receipt for payment for Kurt Schwitters’ funeral costs from Chistopherson & Burrows undertakers

Christopherson and Burrows Undertakers, recipient: Unknown person(s)
January 1948

Photocopy of an exhibition catalogue for ‘Kurt Schwitters’ at The Pinacotheca Jan-Feb 1948

Pinacotheca Gallery (New York, USA)
[January 1948]

Letter from Harold Handley at Geo. Gatey & Son to Mrs Horner about her unfinished portrait by Kurt Schwitters

Harold Handley, George Gatey & Son Solicitors (Windermere, UK), recipient: Mrs G. W. Horner
12 January 1948

Note listing Kurt Schwitters’ assets

Harold Handley, George Gatey & Son Solicitors (Windermere, UK)
date not known

Letter from Ernst Schwitters to Edith Thomas (‘Wanty’) about his father’s health and his wish to travel to the UK to see him

Ernst Schwitters, recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
27 December 1947

Letter from Ernst Schwitters to Kurt Schwitters and Edith Thomas (‘Wanty’) about his financial troubles, photography and his Kurt Schwitters’ health

Ernst Schwitters, recipients: Kurt Schwitters, Edith “Wanty” Thomas
23 November 1947

Letter from Ernst Schwitters to Kurt Schwitters and Edith Thomas (‘Wanty’) about his holiday, his father’s health and his wish for his father to move to Lysaker and Bergmann

Ernst Schwitters, Eve Schwitters, recipients: Kurt Schwitters, Edith “Wanty” Thomas
21 September 1947

Photocopy of Kurt Schwitters’ last will and testament

Kurt Schwitters
15 November 1947

Letter from Ernst Schwitters to Kurt Schwitters sending him birthday wishes

Ernst Schwitters, recipient: Kurt Schwitters
20 June 1947

Letter from Robert Melville at The London Gallery to Kurt Schwitters in response to his letter dated 4 May 1947

London Gallery Ltd (London, UK), Robert Melville, recipient: Kurt Schwitters
6 May 1947

List of Schwitters’ works with measurements and dates with photocopy

Unknown person(s)
10 March 1947

List of Schwitters’ works with measurements entitled, ‘MERZ’

Unknown person(s)
date not known

List entitled, ‘Hanover Gallery’ on an envelope

Unknown person(s)
date not known

One page of a letter from Ernst Schwitters to Edith Thomas

Ernst Schwitters, recipient: Edith “Wanty” Thomas
12 January 1949
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