MS 8327 Records of the Rudy Komon Art Gallery
- Records
- c1900, 1959-2000 (bulk 1961-84)
- 7.26 m (39 boxes; plus 5 large folio packages package and 5 drawers
of card indexes)
- Available for reference
The records were presented to the National Library by Mrs Gwen Frolich
under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme in 1991.
The records consists of correspondence, photographs, exhibition
catalogues, scrapbooks containing reviews and catalogues of Rudy Komon. They
provide a comprehensive record of the activities of Rudy Komon and his Gallery
for the period 1959-84, although there is no correspondence dating from the
first two years of the Gallery (1959-61).
Komon was an art dealer and wine judge. He came to Australia from
Czechoslavia, where Komon was working as a journalist, in 1952. The Rudy Komon
Art Gallery was opened in Woollahra in 1959. Komon is suvived by his wife Ruth.
Mrs Gwen Frolich joined the gallery in 1961 as Komon's business partner
until his death in 1982. The Gallery was then ran by Frolich until it was
closed in 1984.
See: Who's who in Australia, 1980, p. 496; Encyclopedia of
Australian art, vol. 1, p.663.
- Correspondence: general files, arranged by artists, 1961-84
- Correspondence: specific files, arranged by artists, galleries and
companies, 1962-84
- Photographs (General)
- Photographs (Personal)
- Exhibition catalogues, 1965-83
- Scrapbooks, 1959-84
- Index cards of paintings and other art works
- Miscellaneous, 1962-84
- Miscellaneous papers bequeathed by Ruth Komon, c.1900-2000
Series 1. Correspondence arranged by artists, 1961-84
This series consists of alphabetical file mainly containing letters
from artists whose works were exhibited in the Rudy Komon Art Gallery, as well
as young artists trying to publicize their works and Gallery Directors. The
files have been arranged in alphabetical order. In some cases letters from the
same individuals can be found in the specific files in Series 2.
The correspondents include Tate Adams, George Baldessin, H. C. Coombs,
Sir William Dargie, David Thomas, Guy Grey-Smith, Jack (Elwyn Augustus) Lynn,
John Siddeley, Tom Silver, Roy Dalgarno and Betty Churcher.
For more information see File List 1
Series 2. Correspondence arranged by artists, galleries and
companies, 1963-84
This series contains files relating to specific correspondence with
artists, commercial and public galleries, and business firms, mainly concerning
the sale of art works or exhibitions. Letters from the same individuals can
sometimes be found in the alphabetical files in Series 1
The correspondents include Tate Adams, Bruce Arthur, Jim Ede, Tony
Underhill, Keith Moore, David Aspen, Arthur Boyd, John Brack, Judy Cassab,
Leonard French, Peer Lindholt Savage, Margaret Mackean, Jolly Barry, Kym
Bonython, Alex Bortignon, Jeffrey Bren, Joseph Brown, Phillip Cannizzo, Jock
Clutterbuck, Lawrence Daws, Sidney Nolan, Ewa Pachuka, Clifton Pugh, Alan
McCulloch, Frank Hodginson, Jon Molvig, Norma Redpath, John Olsen, Peter
Powditch, Ron Robertson-Swan and Fred Williams.
For more information see File List 2
Series 3. Photographs (General)
This series, which has been arranged in alphabetical order by name of
artist, contains photographs and negatives mostly of art works but also of
artists. They include George Baldessin, Charles Blackman, Arthur Boyd, James
Gleeson, Ewa Pachuka, Clifton Pugh, Jeffrey Smart and Bret Whiteley.
For more information see File List 3
Series 4. Photographs (Personal)
This series comprises of photographs of Rudy Komon relating to his
activities as the Cellarmaster of the Food and Wine Society in Sydney (1956-76)
and Wine Judge at the Royal Agricultural Shows in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide,
Perth and Canberra (1959-79).
Series 5. Exhibition catalogues, c.1965-83
The series comprises catalogues, marked up with prices and other
annotations, of the Rudy Komon Art Gallery exhibitions. The catalogues, mostly
printed but some typescripts, have been arranged alphabetically by artists.
Series 6. Scrapbooks, 1959-84
The scrapbooks contain reviews and catalogues of all of the exhibitions
in the Rudy Komon Gallery. The reviews appeared in most Australian newspapers,
including the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian and the
Financial Review.
Series 7. Index cards
This series consistsof card index to paintings and other art works,
arranged alphabetically by artist, showing when and where they were exhibited,
how they were disposed of, and in many cases giving the prices.
Series 8. Miscellaneous
This series contains financial papers (1962-84) and miscellaneous
valuations (1977-84).
Series 9. Miscellaneous papers bequeathed by Ruth Komon,
c.1900-2000
This series consists of materoal relating to the book launch of 52
Faces of Rudy Komon, photographs, newspaper clippings, correspondence and
miscellaneous items.
FILE LIST 1
Folders Correspondence Dates
1-2 A 1965-69
3 A 1970-71
4 A 1972-77
5 A 1978-81
6 A 1981-84
7-8 B 1965-69
9 B 1970-77
10 B 1978-84
11 C 1963-70
12 C 1970-77
13 C 1978-83
14 C 1984
15 D 1965-70
16 D 1970-72
17 D 1973-84
18 E 1963-69
19 E 1970-84
20 F 1964-66
21 F 1970-79
22 F 1980-84
23-24 G 1964-69
25 G 1970-72
26 G 1973-77
27 G 1978-84
28-29 H 1964-70
30 H 1970-79
31 H 1980-84
32 I 1963-83
33 J 1963-70
34 J 1970-84
35-36 K 1961-70
37 K 1970-83
38 K 1984
39 L 1972-77
40 L 1978-84
41-42 M 1964-1970
43 M 1970-77
44 M 1978-83
45 M 1984
46 Mc 1964-71
47 Mc 1972-84
48-49 N 1964-70
50 N 1970-77
51 N 1978-81
52 O 1964-84
53 P 1964-66
54 P 1967-70
55 P 1971-76
56 P 1977-81
57 P 1982-84
58 Q 1964-66
59 Q 1967-71
60 Q 1972-77
61 Q 1978-84
62 R 1962-66
63 R 1967-69
64 R 1970-77
65 R 1978-84
66-67 S 1964-69
68 S 1970-71
69 S 1972-77
70 S 1978-83
71 S 1982-84
72-73 T 1964-70
74 T 1970-77
75 T 1978-84
76 U 1963-70
77 U 1971-83
78 V 1963-70
79 V 1971-73
80 V 1974-77
81 V 1978-83
82 W 1964-65
83 W 1966-67
84 W 1968-69
85 W 1970-72
86 W 1973-74
87 W 1975-77
88 W 1978-83
89 W 1984
90 XYZ 1964-84
FILE LIST 2
Folders
1 Adam, Tate, 1968-79
2 Art Gallery of South Australia, 1972-81
3 Arthur, Bruce, 1970-76
4 Aspden, David, 1970-83
5 Atelier'72, 1974-77
6 Baldessin, George, 1970-84
7 Ballarat Art Gallery, 1970-78
8 Barry's Art Gallery, 1970-73
9 Bonython, Kym, 1970-83
10 Bortignon, Alex, 1972
11 Boyd, Arthur, 1970-83
12 Brack, John, 1970-83
13 Bren, Jeffrey, 1973-83
14 Brown, Joseph, 1970-80
15 Cannizzo, Phillip, 1970-84
16 Cassab, Judy, 1970-82
17 Clutterbuck, Jock, 1971-84
18 Daws, Lawrence, 1973-82
19 Desborough Galleries, 1973-75
20 Ede, Jim, 1965-70
21 French, Leonard, 1962-79
22 French, Leonard, 1980-84
23 Leonard French Exhibition, 1965-67
24 Gallery A, 1970-74
25-26 Georges Australia Ltd. 1963-71
27 Georges Australia Ltd., 1972-82
28 Hodgkinson, Frank , 1970-83
29 Holdsworth Gallery, 1970-77
30 Ikon Fine Art , 1963-70
31 Lidums Art Gallery, 1968-72
32 Alan McCullock, 1972-84
33 Molvig, Jon, 1965-79
34 Moore, Keith, 1966-71
35 [Australian] National Gallery, 1970-77
36 [Australian] National Gallery, 1978-83
37 [Australian] National Gallery, 1984
38 NRMA ,1970-80
39 Nolan, Sidney, 1976-84
40 Olsen, John, 1966-84
41 Pachucka, Ewa, 1972-83
42 Powditch, Peter, 1971-83
43 Pugh, Clifton, 1963-71
44 Pugh, Clifton, 1972-84
45 Realities Pty. Ltd., 1976-84
46 Reid Gallery, 1970-75
47 Redpath, Norma, 1970-82
48 Robertson, Ron - Swan, 1970-77
49 Senbergs, Jan, 1966-84
50 Sibley, Andrew, 1966-71
51 Smart, Jeffrey, 1973-84
52 Solander Gallery, 1974-84
53 Sydney University, 1972-84
54 Travelodge, 1972-73
55 Underhill, Anthony, 1964-66
56 Whiteley, Brett ,1963-69
57 Williams, Fred, 1966-71
58 Williams, Fred, 1972-84
FILE LIST 3
Folders Photos
1 Alexander (a sculptor)
2 Aspen, David
3 Baldessin, George
4 Blackman, Charles
5 Boyd, Arthur
6 Boyd, Ivon, Brack, John and Bren, Jeffrey
7 Bungay, Robert and Byrne, Sam
8 Carse, J.H., Chirico, G. de, Collins, Lynn, Coburn,
John and Crawford, L.
9 Cassab, Judy
10 Clutterbuck, Jock
11 Dabro, Ante
12 Daen, Lindsay
13 Dalgarno, Roy, Daws, Lawrence and de Maistre, Roy
14 Dent, John and Dobell, William
15 Drysdale, Russell
16 Ellis, Robert
17 Escobedo, Augustus (Mexican sculptor)
18 Feint, Adrian and Fairweather, Ian
19-20 French, Leonard
21 Frolich, Gwen
22 Gleeson, James
23 Gleghorn, Tom, Greenhalgh, Victor, Grey-Smith, and
Gaudier-Brzeska, H.
24 Haynes, George, Heger, D. Hill, Hodgkinson, F. and
Hope, Lawrence, Hope and Hopkins,A.
25 Jakola, Isto, Johnson, G. and Jamieson, Gill
26 Klippel, Robert and Kemp, Katz
27 Klippel, Robert
28 Kossatz, Les
29 Leach-Jones, Alun
30 Leti, Bruno and Lewers, Margo
31 McKay, Ian and McKay, Barbara
32 May, Edward, Madigan, Rosemarry and Marcus, Ed
33 Miller, Godfrey
34 Molvig, Jon and Moller, Peter
35 Moore, Henry and Murray-White, Clive
36 Kellner, S.
37-38 Nolan, Sidney
39 Olsen, John and Orban, Desiderius
40-41 Pachucka, Ewa
42 Percival, John, Picasso, Pablo and Powditch, Peter
43 Pugh, Clifton
44 Ragus, Aurel, Rapotec, Stanislaus and Rees, Lloyd
45-46 Redpath, Norma
47 Richardson, Douglas, Robertson-Swann, Ron and Roberts,
Tom
48 Sanders, Tom, Schaffer, C. and Sellbach, Udo
49 Senberg, Jan
50 Smart, Jeffrey
51 Smith, Eric
52 Sibley, Andrew and Shepherdson, Gordon
53 Tuck, Marie, Tucker, Albert and Thornton, Wallace
54 Underhill, Anthony
55 Upward, Peter and Vassilief, Danila
56 Wakelin, Roland
57 Walker, Stephen and Whiteley, Bret
58 Fred Willams Exhibition, 1978
Folio 1 Miscellaneous photographs and cuttings, including
photographs on Dickerson
Addition 7.06.01
Series 9 Miscellaneous papers bequeathed by Ruth Komon,
c.1900-2000
Box 36
Folder
1 Material relating to the book launch of 52 Faces of Rudy Komon;
guest lists, book distribution lists, typescript of the launch speech, 1999
2 Cards and letters to Ruth Komon from people expressing their appreciation of
52 Faces...., includes photographs taken at an after launch party, 1999-2000
3 Various correspondence, 1956-82
4-6 Photographs of family and friends, c.1900-1982
7 Photographs of Rudy's 70th birthday party, 1978
Box 37
8 Photographs of Rudy's wake, 1982
9 Official documents of Rudy Komon, e.g. passports and ID papers
10 Catalogue, articles and newspaper clippings for an exhibition at the Art
Gallery of New South Wales, 1999 titled 'The Innovators: collectors who
shaped Sydney's avant-garde, 1963-78'
11-12 Newspaper clippings relating to Rudy's wine and art interests, including
clippings on Ruth's teaching career, 1970's-80's
13 Miscellaneous publications, exhibition lists, catalogues etc.
Box 38
Bag of petty cash receipts (1970's), 1 notebook (1980), 1 diary/address book (1982)
wine judging medals, (mostly Agricultural Society of NSW), 1 gold tooth filling,
1 file miscellaneous pamphlets and notes
Box 39
Tape cassettes, 2 gallery guest books (1967, 1971)
Series Box
1 1-15
2 16-22
3 23-30; Folio item 1 in Folio box 1
4 31
5 31-34
6 Folio items 2-5 in Folio box 1
6 Folio items 3-4 in Folio box 2
7 5 metal drawers
8 34-35
List prepared January 1992 Updated 18 September 1996 Updated
October 2001 |