Wallpaper Club: Elsie Klumpner

As I've been mentioning, the mailing of the "Historic Paperhanging Techniques" essay has brought me back into contact with many wallpaper people from past associations, and introduced me to new people, too.

It's surprising what a hold wallpaper still has. While we see it often on stages and film sets (most recently scads of it in "The Help") this popular culture use usually looks backwards. Nevertheless, these dramatic displays keep wallpaper in front of us, awaken curiosity, and remind us that a rigorous approach to wallpaper history pays rich dividends.

One of those enthralled is Elsie Klumpner from the Washington, DC, area. She writes:

Bob,


I would love to be in contact with anyone who is interested in wallpaper, particularly those who might want to be part of a group in the USA.


Here is a little information about me:


I'm a former computer programmer who moved to Silver Spring, Maryland from Baltimore, Maryland in 1994 and embarked on a new career in decorative arts history. I received my Masters degree in 2003 from the Smithsonian-Parsons Masters Program in the History of Decorative Arts.


During grad school I focused my studies on 20th century furniture and industrial design. Following graduation I worked briefly with an auction house, then an antiques dealer and finally as the director of a small history museum - The Laurel Museum, in Laurel, Maryland. After leaving there in 2008 I began assistant teaching and then teaching in the Smithsonian Masters program from which I graduated. I now teach a Survey of Decorative Arts II (a catalog of objects in all media) and The History of Wallpaper. I taught an introductory wallpaper course in 2010 and will teach a course in Topics in Wall Coverings in the fall of 2012.


I am learning about wallpaper primarily on my own. I am reading, visiting collections, doing research and trying to make contacts - all in an effort to learn as much as I can about the history, technology and use of wallpaper. I've been very taken with the subject of wallpaper and wall coverings and am planning further courses and eventually a book on the subject of 20th century wall coverings.


Thank you so much for your information and your help. I will keep in touch.

Elsie
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Elsie also reports that she went to London to do some research on the history of wallpaper and attended the last lecture of the season at the Wallpaper History Society on July 12th. Clare Taylor spoke. She met many members of the society including: Treve Rosoman, Abby Cronin, Robert Weston, Georgiana Hamilton, Emma Hadry (from the Geffrye Museum), Caroline McNamara and a few others.

She also met with Gill Saunders at the V&A who graciously showed her some of their 20th century papers. Elsie plans to visit Manchester next to see the Whitworth collection (2nd largest in the U. K., I think) and meet Christine Woods.

Elsie can be reached at:

jimelsie@comcast.net