Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Lys, Claudia de.
Title:	Claudia de Lys Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1920-1960
Quantity:	23 linear ft.
Abstract:	American anthropologist, author. Collection includes correspondence, clippings, drafts and manuscripts for publication, photographs, news releases, printed material, and sound recordings. Writings and research material on customs, folklore, palmistry, and superstition.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives

Biographical History

Claudia de Lys (dates unknown) is an American anthropologist and author of numerous books on customs, folklore, palmistry, and superstition.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Claudia de Lys Papers consist of three accessions which have not yet been integrated. The collection has received minimal processing, and the inventory which follows is a simple box listing.

The original accession contains correspondence, galley proofs, and printed material (mostly newspaper and magazine clippings), radio broadcast recordings, a three-part recording of an interview with de Lys, and commercial recordings.

The 1990 addition contains correspondence, photographs, writings, and memorabilia.

The 1992 addition contains correspondence, writings, and memorabilia.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The collection has received minimal processing and by and large remains in original order. Note that the box numbering restarts with "Box 1" for each. Please specify accession and box number when requesting material.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

More than one hundred artifacts and pieces of art were transferred to the Syracuse University Art Collection in 1985. These include 27 original cartoons by Ton Smits; 30 drawings, 47 prints and three print blocks by Gus Bundy; a bas-relief bust of de Lys by Edgardo Simone; a charcoal portrait of de Lys by Paul Swan; and an oil painting of the Hagia Sophia in Turkey, circa 1930. For more information about these items please contact the SU Art Galleries.

Recordings from the collection have been digitized. Please contact the repository listed above for more information.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Claudia de Lys Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Unspecified, 1990, 1992.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: DCA
Date: Sep 1985
Revision history: 17 Jun 2010 - converted to EAD (MRC); 21 Feb 2018 - phonodiscs added (MRC); 4 Mar 2025 - commercial recordings added, post-digitization review, digitization note added (IRP)

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Inventory

Note on alternate formats:

Recordings from the collection have been digitized. Please contact the repository listed above for more information.

	Original accession
Box 1		Correspondence 1920s-1960s - incoming and outgoing; contains some print material
Box 2		Graphic material - copies of print cartoons by Ton Smits; drawings and block prints by Gus Bundy; originals transferred to SU Art Galleries
Box 3		Graphic material - photographs
Box 4		Galley proofs, A Treasury of Parenthood
Box 5		Galley proofs, A Treasury of American Superstition and To Be or Not To Be a Virgin - also typescript of To Be or Not To Be a Virgin
Box 6		Signatures, unbound, A Treasury of American Superstition
Box 6		Typescripts - ideas for advertiseres; radio program; dictionary of French sayings
Box 7		Printed material - superstitions; typescript copies; news releases; clippings
Box 8		Printed material - typescript list of sayings
		Printed material - clippings of sayings
Box 9			Air and breathing
Box 9			Breasts
Box 9			Breastfeeding
Box 10			Hands, fingers
Box 10			Handwritings
Box 10			Lefthandedness
Box 10			Palmistry
Box 11			Hands, symbols
Box 11			Mouth - diseases
Box 11			Mouth - falsehoods
Box 11			Mouth - Kinsey Dept.
Box 11			Mouth - kissing
Box 12			Mouth - kissing
Box 13			Mouth - kissing
Box 14			Miscellaneous
Box 15		Printed material - superstition clippings
Box 16		Printed material - superstition clippings
Box 17		Printed material - superstition clippings
Box 18		Printed material - superstition clippings
Package		Printed material - scrapbook of clippings
		Recordings
Oversize 1			Musicana U. S. A., volume 3: Vista and voices in the night, Philharmonia Orchestra Of Madrid conducted By Alexander Semmler - commercial Long-playing record, with handwritten dedication from Amber Roobenian Harrington (performer) to Claudia de Lys (Vinyl record)
Oversize 1			Purcell: Abdelazer suite, Edvard Fendler conducting the Vox Chamber Orchestra - commercial Vox 199 album set with 3 discs (Shellac disc)
Oversize 1			Wagner: Selections From Six Operas, performed by Lauritz Melchior - commercial Victor M 749 album set with 5 discs (Shellac disc)
Oversize 1			NORAD: Face to the future, Program 1: Birthrate - radio broadcasting album set of 7 discs produced in cooperation with the North American Air Defense Command; full list of speakers appears on the album cover (Vinyl record; running time 30:00) (ID#: lys_cd_004)
				Side A includes promotional spots: 1. Larry LeSueur; 2. Chet Huntley; 3. Allen Jackson; 4. Alex Dreier; 5. Dallas Townsend.
Oversize 1			NORAD: Face to the future, Program 2: Political Science; Program 3: Law - radio broadcasting album set of 7 discs produced in cooperation with the North American Air Defense Command (Vinyl record; running time 30:00) (ID#: lys_cd_005)
Oversize 1			NORAD: Face to the future, Program 4: Theology; Program 5: Machined Mentality - radio broadcasting album set of 7 discs produced in cooperation with the North American Air Defense Command (Vinyl record; running time 30:00) (ID#: lys_cd_006)
Oversize 1			NORAD: Face to the future, Program 6: Sustenance; Program 7: Superstition - radio broadcasting album set of 7 discs produced in cooperation with the North American Air Defense Command (Vinyl record; running time 30:00) (ID#: lys_cd_007)
Oversize 1			NORAD: Face to the future, Program 8: Primordial Power; Program 9: Communications - radio broadcasting album set of 7 discs produced in cooperation with the North American Air Defense Command (Vinyl record; running time 30:00) (ID#: lys_cd_008)
Oversize 1			NORAD: Face to the future, Program 10: Medicine; Program 11: Vehicle Engineering - radio broadcasting album set of 7 discs produced in cooperation with the North American Air Defense Command (Vinyl record; running time 30:00) (ID#: lys_cd_009)
Oversize 1			NORAD: Face to the future, Program 12: Gravity; Program 13: Security - radio broadcasting album set of 7 discs produced in cooperation with the North American Air Defense Command (Vinyl record; running time 30:00) (ID#: lys_cd_010)
Oversize 1			"Superstition In News", Claudia de Lys, parts 1 and 6 1941 - Town Hall Club Roundtable, N.Y.C. (Lacquer disc) (ID#: lys_cd_001)
Oversize 1			"Superstition In News", Claudia de Lys, parts 2 and 4 1941 - Town Hall Club Roundtable, N.Y.C. (Lacquer disc) (ID#: lys_cd_002)
Oversize 1			"Superstition In News", Claudia de Lys, parts 3 and 5 1941 - Town Hall Club Roundtable, N.Y.C. (Lacquer disc) (ID#: lys_cd_003)

	1990 accession
		Correspondence-subject files
			Adamo, Hunter and Alice
			Batchelor, C.D. and Julie Forsyth - includes original artwork
			Battey, Terence Louise
			Bundy, Gus - includes original artwork
			Cloud, Virginia
			Cole, Madelaine
			Darragh, Kathleen
			Debruille, Paulette
			Evans, Henry S.
			Evans, Isabelle and Philip
			Garmisa, Ilyana
			Grayson, Anka and James
			Grolier, Inc.
			Hamilton, Marjorie J.
			Harcourt, Brace and Company
			Kamin, Claude and Martin
			Kendrick, Eleanore (agent)
			Kilbourn, Lucy
			Kline, Harry Byrd
			Lopatecki, Yvonne de
			Murphy, J.E. - includes original artwork
			Oldfield, Barney
			Oman, Annie and Sheridan - includes original artwork
			Orner, Faustina
			Plantiff, Ellen
			Poterbaugh, Edward and Celene
			Russell, George B. and Edith
			Serebrykoff, Lynn Christensen
			Short, Marcia
			Silvermine Publishers
			Speller, Robert (publisher?)
			Sugar, Paul
			Tomiuk, Yolande / Tania Shamy
			Traver, Marion Gray - includes original artwork
			Wadler, Leonard
			White, Mary Lee
		Photographs
			Miscellaneous
		Writings
			"The Cat is Out of the Bag" - manuscript draft
			Superstitious? Here's Why
			A Treasury of American Superstition
			A Treasury of Parenthood and Its Folklore
			Your Cat: Fact and Superstition
			Your Cat: A Treasury of Fact and Superstition
		Memorabilia
			Clippings
			Essays
			Phonodiscs - 2 Long-playing records
			Syndicate sheets
			Miscellaneous

	1992 accession
		Correspondence-subject files
Box 1			General
			Personal
Box 1				MacNiel, Stanley S.
Box 1				Mayfield, John - 3 folders
Box 1				Philosophical Library, Inc.
Box 1				Syracuse University
			Subject files
Box 1				Boy
Box 1				Bundling
Box 1				Chaperons
Box 1				Circumcision
Box 1				Sex determination - 2 folders
		Writings
			Books
Box 1				A Century of Cats
			Essays
Box 1				"As I recall…en route on my life's journey" - manuscript draft
Box 2				"As I recall…en route on my life's journey" - manuscript draft
Box 2				"The cat's out of the bag" (working title: The Cat's Nine Lives Plus) - correspondence, research material, photographs, manuscript drafts
Box 2				"Lena's Odd Odyssey" - research material, manuscripts, 4 folders
Box 2				"Savage wife excels as husband's partner," New York World-Telegram, 10 Jan 1935
Box 2				"Working island cats" Pet Digest Winter 1964
Box 2				"Your cat: a treasury of fact and superstition - manuscript draft, 2 folders
		Memorabilia
			Printed material
Box 2				Clippings about
Box 2				Clippings, general
Box 2				Miscellaneous
Box 2			Miscellaneous

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