Freret and Wolf Office Records
Scope and Contents
This collection of records from New Orleans architectural firm Freret and Wolf (Douglass V. Freret, 1903-1973; Albert J. Wolf, 1914-2004), as well as records from predecessor office Douglass V. Freret, includes project drawings, correspondence, and photographs related to academic, commercial, medical, office, religous, and residential buildings and alterations. Projects were done in New Orleans, throughout Louisiana, and in cities throughout the United States. Small travel sketches created by Freret while he was a student at the Ecole de Fontainebleau, France (1923) and while traveling in Mexico (1937) are also maintained.
Dates
- 1905–1980
Creator
- Freret, Douglass V., 1903-1973 (Person)
- Wolf, Albert J., 1914-2004 (Person)
- Freret and Wolf (1946-1980) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection is the physical property of Tulane University Special Collections. Copyright belongs to the creators or their legal heirs and assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or owner’s heir for permission to publish where Tulane University Special Collections does not hold the copyright. For further information, please contact Research Services at specialcollections@tulane.edu.
Biographical / Historical
Douglass V. Freret was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He received his undergraduate degree from Tulane University, and a master’s of architecture degree from Cornell University. He also studied at the Ecole de Fontainebleau des Beaux Arts in France. He worked for a short time for architects York and Sawyer in New York. He returned to New Orleans from there to work with architects Favrot and Livaudais until 1933. He was a commissioned officer in the Naval Reserve during World War II, and trained at the University of Michigan in naval architecture. In 1946, he partnered with Albert J. Wolf to form the firm of Freret and Wolf.
Albert James Wolf was also born in New Orleans. He received his B.A and B.F.A. from Yale University. After graduation, he worked as a draftsman for Douglass Freret. He left Freret’s office to work with the United States Corps of Engineers during World War II. After Freret’s death, Wolf continued to operate the firm until 1980 on his own. Wolf learned bookbinding in his retirement, eventually operating a studio known as L’Atelier Le Loup. He donated his bookbinding services to Tulane University Libraries’ Special Collections Division and his work may be identified by his trademark stamp.
Extent
953.52 Linear Feet (275 folders, 18 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into seven series: Series 1: Project Drawings; Series 2: Project Correspondence; Series 3: Project Photographs; Series 4: Miscellaneous Correspondence; Series 5: Progress Photographs and Library Catalog; Series 6: Douglass Freret's Travel Sketches; Series 7: Project Renderings.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The bulk of the records were given to Tulane in 1975 by Albert J. Wolf, Jr. Wolf continued the firm until 1980, when he gave the remaining records.
- Architectural drawings Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Architecture -- Louisiana -- New Orleans Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Architecture -- Louisiana -- New Orleans -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Architecture -- United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Tulane University Special Collections Repository
