Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney papers, 1851-1975, bulk 1888-1942

This series consists of material of a more personal nature or relating to more personal aspects of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney's life apart from her numerous professional, philanthropic, and artistic activities. Material includes schoolwork, report cards (for both Whitney and her daughter, Barbara), financial material (relating mostly to household and clothing expenses), official and travel documents, interviews, biographical sketches and writings about Whitney (including pieces written by Guy Pene du Bois, Frederick James Gregg, and Camille Mauclair), awards and honorary degrees, address and telephone books, printed material, two sound recordings of interviews on two sound discs, and scattered lists and notes.

Also found are files relating to various committees in which Whitney participated, such as ones for the campaign of Charles Hughes for President in 1916, for the erection of Victory Hall, a combined war memorial and convention center, and the New York World's Fair; files relating to the Whitney's custody battle for her niece, Gloria Vanderbilt, in 1934; and files relating to the gift of Whitney's dresses to the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1975.

Of particular note in this series are a paper doll book consisting of hand-made, painted, and individually named paper dolls, presumably created by Whitney sometime in the late 1880s or early 1890s, and the book A Handbook of Anatomy for Art Sudents (1896), which may have been used by Whitney in her early studies of art and which contains scattered sketches and notes. Another item of note is a letter of introduction for the Whitneys, written by Alice G. Vanderbilt and introducing them to the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

Files are arranged alphabetically.

The bulk of this series has been scanned with the exception of some clippings and printed miscellany; the bulk of A Handbook of Anatomy for Art Students (Whitney's enclosed sketches and notes have been scanned); and clippings relating to the Gloria Vanderbilt custody case.