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Benson Latin American Collection

Rare Books and Manuscripts

Inventory

Donald Cordry Collection Relating to Mexican Masks

Prepared by the Mexican Archives Project
November 1994

Introduction

The Donald Cordry Collection Relating to Mexican Masks was donated to the Benson Latin American Collection in 1982 by Dorothy Mann Cordry. The collection was described by the Benson's Mexican Archives Project in July 1994.

The collection contains three boxes of manuscript and galley proofs, 88 photographic prints, and 201 slides. Donald Cordry's publication, Mexican Masks, published by the University of Texas Press in 1980, was based upon the collection. The masks listed at the end of this finding aid are held by the Institute of Latin American Studies and not by the Benson Latin American Collection.

The suggested citation for the collection is "Donald Cordry Collection Relating to Mexican Masks, 1931-1978, Benson Latin American Collection, General Libraries, University of Texas at Austin."

Biographical Sketch

Artist; self-taught Mesoamerican scholar and ethnographer of the arts and crafts of Indian Mexico. Born 1907 in Detroit, Michigan; died August 30, 1978 in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Cordry studied at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and later earned a reputation as an expert on puppets, which he both created and collected. He began collecting artifacts and information documenting Mexican Indian arts and crafts in 1931, on a trip to Mexico. He formed professional associations with the Heye Foundation (now the Museum of the American Indian), which sponsored further trips, and with the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles, California. In 1941 Cordry traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico, and in 1942 founded a crafts workshop there to finance his expeditions to collect and record ethnographic data. He later relocated to Mixcoac, in Mexico City, and Cuernavaca, but kept his home in Mexico and pursued the documentation of its arts and crafts until his death. Publications include: Mexican Indian Costumes (1968) and Mexican Masks (c1980).

Scope and Contents Note

Manuscript, galley proofs, photographs, and slides relating to the publication of Cordry's book, Mexican Masks, the result of his work to preserve and record Mexican masks and their significance. The original, edited manuscript comprises 455 typed pages and is accompanied by galley proofs. Photographic material, made up of 88 black and white photographs dating from 1931 to 1977, 201 color slides, and two negatives, depicts ceremonial Mexican folk masks, mask makers, and people wearing the masks. Most photographs are annotated. Assorted materials consist of a 1945 broadside promoting the Feria Regional de Corpus in Papantla, Veracruz, and a flat mask, "Tzotzil Zinacantan."

Container List

SeriesBox No. Contents
Manuscript and galley proofs of Mexican Masks1Manuscript of Mexican Masks, pp. 1-362
2Manuscript of Mexican Masks, pp. 363-455
3Galley proofs of Mexican Masks
Photographic material4Photographs (62 black & white prints)
5Photographs (26 mounted prints)
6Slides (201) and negatives (2)
Assorted material6Mask "Tzotzil Zinacantan"
6Fig. 304, "Feria Regional de Corpus"

For photo of Donald Cordry, see unnumbered slide, "foto by Doris Hayden, 1963" in plastic sheet containing only four slides (8-2, #30-4, #29-5, and DC)

Inventory of Mexican Indian Dance Masks
from the Cordry Collection

(Institute of Latin American Studies)

Gift of: Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Boeckman, 5380 Nakoma Dr., Dallas, Texas 75209.
October 26, 1981
ItemDescription
1.137Tastoanes. Hag Mask. Coll. Sra. M. Teresa Pomar. 1970. Leather and sisal fiber. Jalisco-Guadalajara. Very old.
2.78Santiago Horse. Nahua. Cotepec de los Costales, Guerrero. Cordry, 1971.
3.109Clowning Dance Procession. Nahua Religion of Tajutla, Morelos. Old leather Mojinganga Mask.
4.142Yellow Tiger. Leather. Zitala, Guerrero.
5.100Viejos. Old man with moveable jaw; Locos and Modes dance also. Cruz Grande, Guerrero and nearby ranchos.
6.26Locos. Light face with mustache. Guerrero.
7.108Monkey Hair Mask. Cholula, Puebla. Carnival Mask.
8.118Viejitos Dance. Old Man Face Smiling. Michoacan, very old. Tarascan.
9.145Red Devil Face, Popoluca Acatepec, Guerrero. José Rodriguez, Carver.
10.36Seven Sins Dance. Popoluca Calpisaco, Guerrero. Devil Mask. José Rodriguez, Carver.
11.31Devil 3 Potenicas Nahua with horns. Acapetlahuaya, Guerrero.
12.129Large Color (bi-color) face, Nahua. Tlacololeros. Apargo, Guerrero.
13.106Actlatlahuco. Blue Green with hair and mustache. State of Mexico. Rancheros Dance. Mask for an Indian.
14.114Vagueros (an Indian). Actlatlahuco near Terrango. With B/R hair mustache.
15.22Small Mixtec. S. Pedro, Sin Hube, Oaxaca.
16.20Tejerones Mask. Pinotepade, Don Luis, Oaxaca, 1962.
17.23Mixtec. San Juan, Colorado, Oaxaca. Dance. Los Grimelos, Cordry, 1974.
18.179Hermit Large Pastorela. Nahoa, Cuetzloa, Guerrero.
19.131Nahua Apongo, Guerrero. Los Manulos. Blue Face.
20.133Old Woman Face. Yellow Ochre on Wood with Gesso.
21.80Deer Head. Nahua; Atliaco, Guerrero. Tecuare Dance.
22.84Black Bull, Mixtec. Bajo Jicayan. Dance of the Bull. Collected 1970, Cordry.
23.97Nahua. Huitziltopoc, Guerrero. Devil Dance (long Black Bird Face).
Gift of: Dr. and Mrs. Sandor Burstein, 120 Seacliff Ave., San Francisco, California 94121.
24.Yellow Bird Mask. Nahua; Ayutla, Guerrero. Aztec Dance. Large Helmet-Knight style.
Collection obtained by: Professor Gibbs Milliken, Department of Art, TheUniversity of Texas, Austin, Texas.
Collection location: Institute of Latin American Studies, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas. December 1, 1980.
Acquisition Report, February 7, 1983.
Gift of: Dorothy Mann Cordry, San Teronimo #410, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
ItemCordry
Inventory
Number
Description
1.67Devil Mask. Colotlipa. Wood.
2.63Orange and Black Horned Devil. Huisotepec, State of Mexico. Wood.
3.124Blue Face Chaniheula Mask. Mixtec; Huazolotitlan, Oaxaca. Wood.
4.68Horned Face with Blowing Mouth. Nahua; Tlaquitlapa, Mexico. Wood.
5.21Pink Face with Fur. Dance of the Tejorones. Oaxaca. Fur and Wood.
6.41Nahua Mask. Cuetzala, Mexico. Wood.
7.32Mask of Cortez from Margues Dance. Nahua; Tlacotepec.
8.172Dance of the Moors and Christians. Nahua; Ocotlan, Guerrero. Wood.
9.142Dance of the Tigres. Nahua; Zitlala, Guerrero. Yellow Painted Leather and Fur.
10.64Dance of the Espuelas (Spurs). Nahua; Tlaquitlapa. Horn and Wood.
11.115Dance of the Vaqueros. Green Face with Horsehair Mustache. Nahua; Tlacotpec. Hair and Wood.
12.42Mask for Tenoxtle Dance. Nahua; Guerrero. Wood.
13.117Dance of the Vaqueros. Nahua; San Francisco. Small Face with Blowing Mouth. Wood.
14146Rey Pilato (King Pilate) from the Moors and Christians Dance. Nahua; San Martin Pachivia, Guerrero. Tall Painted Wood Cylinder.
15.56Bat Mask. San Franciso. Wood.
16.157Dance of the Rancheros. Actlatlahuco, State of Mexico. Wood.
17.148Bearded Face. Dance of the Viejos. Nahua; Lahuistlan de la Sal, Guerrero. Wood.
18.7Tarascan. State of Michoacan. Old, ca.1831. Wood.
19.39Nahua. Malijeca, Guerrero. Made by José Rodriguez. Wood.
20.72Rabbit Mask for the Devil Dance. Nahua; Atlixtac, Guerrero. Wood.
21.46Birdman Mask. Dance of the Texoxtle. Nahua; Acatlan, Guerrero. Wood.
22.70White Donkey Mask for Devil Dance. Nahua; Xalpatlahuac, Guerrero. Wood.
23.165Dance of the Moors and Christians. Nahua; Guerrero. Wood.
24.166Mojiganga Mask. Nahua; Atlixtac, Guerrero. Wood.
25116Pascola Dance. Mayo. Navoja, Sanora. White Horsehair and Wood.
26.113Las Malinches Dance. Huave. San Franciso del Mar, Oaxaca. Armadillo Shell and Javalina Hair.
27.121Small Pink Malincae Face. Dance of the Viejos. Nahua; Apango, Guerrero. Wood.
28.37Diablo Sapo Dance. Cuadrillita de Metlatono, Guerrero. Nahua. Made by José Rodriguez. Wood.
29.103Dance of the Viejos. Moveable Jaw with Two Teeth. Cruz Grande. Wood.
30.81Sheep Mask. Nahua. Colotlipa, Guerrero. Wood.
31.51Multi-Face Mask. Quilinique Dance. Nahua. Flesh and Red Color. Atenxoxola or Xiloxochican Guerrero. Wood.
32.173Dance of the Moors and Christians. Tarascan. State of Michoacan. Wood.
33.28Dance of the "Locos" (Crazy People). Nahua; Cruz Grande, Guerrero. Wood.
34.86Pig Mask with Tusks. Nahua; Apanga, Guerrero. Wood and Ivory.
35.11Laughing Man Face. Cuadrilla Vaucho in Tlapa, Guerrero. Made by José Rodriguez, ca. 1950.
36.93Black Animal Face. Nahua; Xaxacualco, Guerrero. Wood.
37.73Dog Mask for Tlacolorero Dance. Nahua; Ayutla, Guerrero. Wood.
38.135Serpent for Rain Ceremony. Large Sculpture Worn Around Waist. Nahua; La Parota, Guerrero. Painted Wood and Leather.
39.29Mask for Santiago Dance. Nahua; Tuliman, Guerrero. Wood.
40.161Nahua. Aguacatitlan, Guerrero. Wood.
41.52Twin-Face Mask for the Quilinique Dance. Nahua. Atenxoxola or Xiloxuchican, Guerrero. Wood.
42.66Mask for Lizard Dance. Nahua; Guerrero. Blue Painted Wood with Lizard-Shaped Nose.
43.104Dance of the Viejos. Nahua; Copala, Guerrero. Wood.
44.144Probably Lord of the Animal Dance Helmet Mask. Nahua; Tuliman, Guerrero. Cylinder of Natural Wood with White Pigment in Crevices.
45.no #Free Standing Vulture Mask. Polychrome Cylinder. Wood. No Data. Value Estimated.
The following items are on loan from: Mrs. Sandor Burstein, 120 Seacliff Ave., San Francisco, California 94121, (415) 387-2978.
1.17Dance of the Tejorones. Mixtec. Painted Wood.
2.169Dance of the Moors and Christians. Nahua; Tlapelucala, Guerrero. Wood.
3.162Dance of the Vaqueros. Face with Movable Jaw. Nahua; Ixcatiopan. Wood.
4.4Mixtec. Huazolotitlan, Oaxaca. Wood.
5.65Nahua. State of Jalisco. Wood.
Collection obtained by: Professor Gibbs Milliken, Department of Art, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas.
Collection location: Institute of Latin American Studies, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas.

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