Tryon Toy Makers 1920


Title	Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers, Tryon, NC - Folder # 1919-1920
Creator	Biltmore Industries
Alt. Creator	Grovewood Galleries, Inc.
Alt. Creator	D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections
Subject	Keyword : Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers ; Biltmore Industries ; Homespun Shops ; weaving ; handicraft ; wood carving ; Eleanor P. Vance ; Charlotte L. Yale ; George W. Vanderbilt ; Fred Seely ; wool ; wool carding ; wool dying ; Grovewood Gallery ; Ruth Hatch ; settlement house ; Henry Street Settlement ;
Subject	LCSH : Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers Biltmore Industries Biltmore Homespun Decorative arts -- North Carolina Artisans -- North Carolina Hand weaving -- North Carolina Handicraft -- North Carolina Vance, Eleanor Yale, Charlotte Hatch, Ruth Seely, Fred L. Grove, E.W. Weavers -- North Carolina Weaving -- Appalachian Mountains Appalachian Mountains -- History
Description	Various letters of correspondence from Chalotte L. Yale and Eleanor Vance, founders of the Biltmore Estate Industries to and from Fred L. Seely and interested parties regarding the development and maintenance of Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers in Tryon, NC. Correspondence covers the years between 1919 and 1925 and is useful in building a history of the Toy-Makers as well as craft industries in western North Carolina.
Publisher	D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville 28804
Contributor	Jerry Ball, Grovewood Gallery, Inc.
Date	2004-06-11
Type	Image ; text ; manuscript
Format	Digital files ;
Identifier	http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/mss/BiltmoreIndustries/BiltmoreIndustries.html
Source	M01.08
Language	en=English
Relation	Fred L. Seely Oral History [restricted use] ; E.M. Ball Collection
Coverage	1901-1925 ; Tryon, N.C. and Asheville, NC
Rights	Restrictions apply. Any display, publication, or public use must credit the Grovewood Gallery, Inc. Asheville, NC and the D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville. Copyright retained by the creators of certain items in the collection, or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Donor	Donor number 168
Acquisition	2001-11-20
Citation	The Biltmore Industries Collection (1901-1980), D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville 28804. Any use of the materials in this collection must cite the Grovewood Gallery, Inc.,, 111 Grovewood Road, Asheville NC 28804.
Processed by	Jerry Ball, Museum Attendant and Resident Historian, Grovewood Gallery (2000-2001) and UNCA Special Collections staff, 2001 ; 2004-06-11 .
Last update	2004-06-11

Box	Folder	Item 1bitry...	Description	Thumbnail
1	0037	0001a	December 1, 1919, Bill for order # 313 of Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers for $76.50
	0037	0001b	December 3, 1919, Bill for order # 313 of Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers for $2.25
	0037	0001c	December 3, 1919, Bill for order # 313 of Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers for $30.00
	0037	0001d	December 18, 1919, Bill for order # 313 of Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers for $24.50
	0037	0001e	December 20, 1919, Bill for order # 313 of Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers for $41.25
	0036	0001f	January 12, 1920 payment by Grove Park Inn, Inc. to Miss Elenor P. Vance for the Tryon School of Wood Carving orders [order # 313] in the amount of $174.00
	0035	00002	January 25, 1920. Letter from Miss Hatch [for Fred Seely] to Charlotte Yale requesting a complete set of "Mountain Home" for Mrs. S.N. Fitkin [Pitkin?] New York. Mentions illness of Miss Vance.
	0034a 0034b	0003a 0003b	January 26, 1920. Letter to Miss Hatch from Charlotte Yale regarding the "Mountain Home order for Fitkin. Indicates that pricing will increase in the future.
	0033	0004	February 12, 1920. Letter to Miss Hatch from Charlotte Yale regarding order (no.4850) including new design of Bo-Peep and her sheep.
	0032	0005	April 1, 1920. Letter to Miss Hatch from Charlotte Yale regarding order for Arks and Mountain Home sets.
	0029	0006	April 17, 1920. Letter to the Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC. from Eleanor Vance regarding bills for merchandise.
	0031	0007	April 26, 1920. Letter from Miss Hatch to Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers advising that bills were never received and requesting they be sent.
	0028	0007x	June 3, 1920. Letter to Miss Charlotte L. Yale from Grove park Inn, News Stand. Notice that two packages of damaged toys are being returned for repair.
	0027	0008	June 14, 1920. Letter to Miss Hatch from Charlotte L. Yale regarding the toys to be repaired and plans for a visit to Asheville.
	0026a 0026b	0009	July 3, 1920. Letter to Miss Hatch from Charlotte L. Yale regarding a question on Child Labor Laws and summer workers at Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers. Refers to the "different class" of tourist at Grove Park Inn.
	0025	0010	July 7, 1920. Letter to Charlotte L. Yale from Miss Hatch. Response to question regarding Child Labor Law. Refers Yale to Miss Ruth Knowlton and Miss Ruth Londoner who can provide information on the law.
	0023	0011	July 12, 1920. Letter to Fred Seely from Vance and Yale regarding the account in the Asheville paper of Seely's proposed Children's Hospital in Asheville and their congratulations.
	0024	0012	July 14, 1920. Letter to Vance and Yale from Seely regarding the newspaper account of proposed Children' Hospital. Seely notes: "I used to think you ladies were foolish to try so hard to maintain the teaching feature of your work against such odds, but I believe that I am just about as bad as you are." Seely describes marketing in Ladies Home Journal, Pictorial Review and the production of 10,000 yards per month at Biltmore Homespun.
	0022a 0022b	0013	July 16, 1920. Letter from Charlotte Yale to Fred Seely thanking him for the invitation to Asheville. She asks if Tryon Toy-Makers and Weavers might weave cotton curtains for the proposed Children's Hospital.
	0021	0014	July 19, 1920. Letter from Seely noting that he plans to be out of town and acknowledging Yale's letter.
	0020	0015	August 26, 1920. Letter to Miss Hatch from Charlotte Yale. Notes on the repair of the Ark set and order from Grove Park Inn.
	0019	0016	September 18, 1920. Letter to Fred Seely from Charlotte Yale. Thanks to Seely for his hospitality at the Inn and visit to the Homespun Shops. Shw request permission to bring Miss Vance and friend [?] to Asheville on the train, the Carolina Special, on Monday.
	0018	0017	September 26, 1920. Letter to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Seely from "The Vances." Acknowledges the week in the Grove Park Inn and thanks the Seely's for their hospitality.
	0017	0018	September 28, 1920. Letter from Seely to Eleanor Vance at "Hillcote", Tryon, NC. He notes a positive letter from Mrs. Vanderbilt regarding her visit to the Grove Park Inn.
	0016a 0016b	0019	September 29, 1920. Letter from Fred Seely regarding homespun cotton experiments. Seely indicates that the dyes are not stable in the cotton. He notes another visit from Mrs. Vanderbilt for the officers ball of the 30th Division. He requests some thin veneer animals so electrotypes may be made of the designs and prints be made.
	0015	0020	October 1, 1920. Letter from Seely to Vance and Yale regarding the dyes tests. Seely sent an inquiry to "the German dye chemist" requesting a match with more stable dyes.
	0014a 0014b 0014c	0021a 0021b 0021c	October 2, 1920. Letter to Fred Seely from Charlotte Yale. She request copy of Mrs. Vanderbilt's letter. She notes, "She [Vanderbilt] is such a direct, sincere and fair minded person that we felt sure she would be happy to know the real facts of your work. You will find her from now on a helpful and true friend to the Industries." She determines to work harder on the dye problem and requests a delay on the electrotype project. Indicates a reduction in the weaving functions of their business (only two employees).
	0013	0022	October 4, 1920. Letter to Fred Seely from Charlotte Yale. Acknowledges samples of the German dye chemist. They accept Seely's advice to "not have too many irons in the fire, and to bend every energy towards a better development of the toys."
	0012a 0012b	0023	October 15, 1920.Letter from Charlotte Yale to Fred Seely. Requests a visit from Seely to discuss the cottage they bought in the Spring. Asks Seely for advice about holding on to their two real estates ""'till your plans for a building have taken definite shape?" They "enclose the samples of the German Dye Chemist after giving them the same test you gave ours..." By November 1 we shall have finished nearly everything promised for the Chattanooga House [linens and embroidery.]
	0011a 0011b	0024	October 18, 1920. Letter from Fred Seely to Charlotte Yale. Agrees with Yale about the fugitive nature of dyes and cotton. He advises to not let the cottage go. He outlines a program for the construction of the Biltmore Homespun enterprise. He notes that getting cement is difficult and that he has a location for their enterprise and plans to build by spring. "I have a fine location for you and can see how that the lower story will be half in the bank so that the upper story, in part of which you would live, would be entered off of the lawn just back of the wool drying press and the lowere story have a cement floor and face toward the woods, driving the noise away from the hotel, but I will talk that all over with you and we will work out a plan of rental and all that as soon as we can get together. :
	0010a 0010b	0025a 0025b	October 24, 1920. Letter from Eleanor Vance to Fred Seely. Acknowledges the receipt of brown homespun. She notes that they have taken Seely's advice not to sell the cottage "where we weave until later on." She expresses great reluctance to give up their home in Tryon and their friends.
	0009	0026	November 13, 1920. Letter from Fred Seely to Eleanor Vance. Questions regarding napkins and table covers for the dining room at Grove Park Inn. He questions if the Tryon weavers can produce a cotton table cloth of sufficient width.
	0008	0027	November 15, 1920. Letter from Fred Seely to Eleanor Vance. He provides Vance with the address of a prospective buyer of toys. The address is of Miss Irene Lewishon, a settlement worker in New York at the Henry Street Settlement who wants toys for the children at the Settlement house.
	0007a 0007b 0007c 0007d	0028a 0028b 0028c 0028d	November 15, 1920. Letter from Eleanor Vance to Fred Seely. She suggests that Seely is better prepared to weave the table covers and suggest that he use linen thread, not cotton. She provides the name of a dealer in linen thread in New York. Also recommended is Dominion Linens Limited, Guelph, Canada, a dealer in linen yarns. Other sources for yarn are also given. Notes that Mrs. Vanderbilt has offered to help the Tryon industry. Invites Seely to Tryon.
	0006	0029	November 16, 1920. Letter from Ruth Hatch to Charlotte L. Yale. Miss Hatch asks for information on toys in stock so she can send and order. She requests and Ark set.
	0005	0030	November 18, 1920. Letter from Charlotte Yale to Miss Ruth Hatch. Information on Christmas orders for the Grove Park Inn.
	0004	0031	November 24, 1920. Letter from Yale and Vance to Fred Seely. Acknowledges the receipt of the panels [?].
	0002	0032	November 29, 1920. Letter from Charlotte Yale to Miss Hatch. Requests a clothes brush from Grove Park Inn and a wooden ruler made of different woods to be sent with bill. Also asks about Hearth brushes for another customer.
	0003	0033	November 30, 1920. Letter from Ruth Hatch [?] to Charlotte Yale. Advises that whisk brooms are being sent and that Hearth brooms and Bellows are in stock
	0001	0034	December 8, 1920.Letter from Charlotte Yale to Miss Hatch. She sends thanks for the clothes brushes and ruler and remarks on the busy Christmas season.