2004.9.1

This srcapbook contains a lot of clippings about Dorothy Wright Liebes and her weaving career, from the Golden Gate International Exposition to her work in San Francisco to her move to New York. Also included are the many staff members she employed in her studio. Kamma Zethraus, good friend of Liebes and a fellow weaver, compiled the scrapbook. (Zethraus was one of the original group of weavers who worked with Dorothy Liebes when she started her design business in Berkeley.) There are many clippings relating to her career as well. The scrapbook contains photographs (mostly glossy black and whites, a couple of color) as well as letters and exhibition catalogues (brochures). The colorful, handwoven cover was made by UC Berkeley weaver Ralph Higbee. (The scrapbook is covered with handwoven fabric in bright pink, turquoise color, blue and black, fastened at the spine with a black cord run through three sets of metal grommets.) Higbee moved to New York to participate in Liebes' New York studio. He worked with her until her death. (Hand written notes in the scrapbook are by Zethraus and identify most of the individuals in the photographs; some by only their first name.)

Dorothy Liebes, October 14, 1899-1973, was born in Santa Rosa, California and educated at San Jose State, University of California (Berkeley), California School of Fine Arts and received her Master's Degree from Columbia University, New York. Her first marriage to Leo Liebes ended in divorce in 1929. Her design career began with her own firm, Dorothy Liebes Design, Inc, in Berkeley in 1934. Her first major architectural commission was for the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite and the Stock Exchange Club in San Francisco, both in 1935. She exhibited at the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island (in San Francisco Bay) 1939-40; (she was appointed the Director of Decorative Arts Exhibition for the fair in 1937). During World War II she worked with the American Red Cross, gathered Bay Area craftsmen and weavers together (such as Kamma Zethraus of Marin County, and Lea Van P. Miller of Berkeley) to create occupational therapy sessions in weaving for returning, wounded servicemen. (The Red Cross patch in the scrap book probably belonged to Kamma Zethraus.) Working with architect Timothy Pflueger, she designed San Francisco's Stage Door Canteen - a place where World War II service men and women could come for relaxtion and entertainment. In 1946 she began working as a color stylist for The Dobeckmun Co. (manufacturer of Lurex metallic yarns); from that time on her names was often associate with the use of Lurex. Her design studio was moved to New York in 1948, and the San Francisco studio remained her production studio. In 1952 she moved all operations to New York and closed the San Francisco Studio. In 1948 Dorothy Liebes married journalist Relman Morin, head of the Associated Press in Washington, D.C. She is remembered as a hard worker and a vivacious hostess. Her work is in collections from coast to coast. Higbee took charge of distributing many pieces of her work to museums and educational institutions after her death. Some pieces in our collections show her relationship to the automotive industry, for which she designed textiles for vehicle interiors/upholstery.

Used: Kamma Zethraus