Arrangement: The collection is arranged into two major parts. The first includes the personal papers of Edgar B. Stern and is housed in boxes 1-17 and volumes 1-15. The second part includes the business records of the New Orleans firms of Lehman, Stern, and Company, cotton merchants (1880-1940), and of two subsidiary companies: Commercial Press and Warehouse Company (1912-1936) and Southern States Land and Timber Company (1919-1921), housed in boxes 18-19 and in volumes 16-78. The collection is 21 linear feet.

Date Acquired: 00/00/1969

Subjects: Commercial Press and Warehouse Company., Cotton trade -- Louisiana -- New Orleans., Lehman, Stern, and Company., Longue Vue House and Gardens (New Orleans, La.), New Orleans (La.) -- Commerce., New Orleans (La.) -- History., New Orleans Cotton Exchange., Philanthropists -- United States., Southern States Land and Timber Company., Stern, Edgar Bloom, 1886-1959., Stern, Edith Rosenwald, 1895-1980., Stern, Maurice, 1855-1919., Stern family.

Forms of Material: Correspondence., Diplomas., Financial records., Personal papers., Photographs., Reports., Speeches., Telegrams.

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection includes of Edgar B. Stern's personal correspondence, legal and financial records, military papers, college papers and memorabilia, invitations, international and New Orleans post cards, clippings, pamphlets, scrapbooks, certificates, diplomas, speeches, essays, reports, telegrams, maps, photographs and photographic negatives, cartoons, and printed material. Financial records of cotton firms include massive (up to 59 cm.) ledger books.

Biographical Note

Edgar Bloom Stern was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1886 to Maurice and Hannah Bloom Stern. Maurice Stern was a partner in the firm of Lehman, Stern and Company, whose offices were located at the corner of Baronne and Gravier Streets, but were moved in 1917 to 840-842 Union Street. The family home was located at 5115 Saint Charles Avenue. Edgar Stern lived most of his life in New Orleans with the exception of attending college at Harvard University. Mr. Stern had an active business and civic career, involving himself in a wide range of enterprises, from the arts, to education, to health care, all aimed at enhancing the development of the city. In 1921, he married Edith Rosenwald of Ravinia, Illinois, daughter of Sears, Roebuck & Company magnate Julius Rosenwald; the Sterns were acclaimed as philanthropists. Edgar B. Stern was president of the New Orleans Cotton Exchange in 1927-1928. He became active nationally, receiving appointments to federal commissions and committees; his civic work included involvement at the state and local levels also. Longue Vue House and Gardens in New Orleans, a Classical Revival mansion, was their family home. Edgar B. Stern died on August 24, 1959. In the twenty-first century and post-Katrina, Longue Vue, designated a National Historic Landmark, is an internationally recognized historic site that continues to serve as an educational and cultural resource

Subject/Index Terms

Commercial Press and Warehouse Company.
Cotton trade -- Louisiana -- New Orleans.
Lehman, Stern, and Company.
Longue Vue House and Gardens (New Orleans, La.)
New Orleans (La.) -- Commerce.
New Orleans (La.) -- History.
New Orleans Cotton Exchange.
Philanthropists -- United States.
Southern States Land and Timber Company.
Stern, Edgar Bloom, 1886-1959.
Stern, Edith Rosenwald, 1895-1980.
Stern, Maurice, 1855-1919.
Stern family.

Administrative Information

Repository: Louisiana Research Collection

Alternate Extent Statement: 21 linear feet

Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public. No known restrictions.

Use Restrictions: Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Acquisition Source: Donated by Edith Rosenwald Stern.

Acquisition Method: Gift.

Preferred Citation: Edgar B. Stern collection, Manuscripts Collection 235, Louisiana Research Collection, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118.

Finding Aid Revision History: LAC Group entered inventory information in Archon in 2011. Revised by LAC 5/2/11.

Other Note: OCLC Number: 406599180

Box and Folder Listing

Box 10: Photographs, postcards and ephemera

Folder 1: circa 1915-1944

circa 1915. Members of the Board of Directors, New Orleans Association of Commerce. Photo by H.J. Harvey. Stored in oversize folder 4.

1926?. Members of the New Orleans Cotton Exchange. Stored in Oversize folder 5.

1932 June 22. Harvard Class of 1907. 25th reunion. Eliot House terrace. Stored in oversize folder 6.

1944 January 17. Graduation dinner. Class 30-Sections 203-204. Camp V803, 803 Signal Training Regiment. Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. At Joseph's Eatontown, New Jersey. By Asbury Park Photo Service.

Folder 2: circa 1918

Military photographs: Photograph of Edgar B. Stern?, autographed photographs of Graham Bush and Paul M. Deiter?

Folder 3: Photographic portraits, 1919-1940 and undated

1919. Portrait of Edgar B. Stern in military uniform. Copyright by Bachrach.

1938 January 3. Lessing J. Rosenwald. Inscribed: "To my very dear H.(?) Stern. Lessing J. Rosenwald. 1/3/38".

1934 November 20. J.H. Dillard. "To Edgar B. Stern with the cordial regard and good wishes of his friend, J.H. Dillard. November 20, 1934." By Champlain Studios, New York. Stored in oversize folder 7.

1940 June 10. Maurice (Goldstein?) Inscribed: "To recall happy days spent together. Maurice June 10th 1940." Photograph by J.M. Bacon? Stored in oversize folder 8.

undated. de Lesseps S. Morrison on steps of Gallier Hall. Inscribed: "To Mr. Stern with highest regard for your community spirit. de Lesseps S. Morrison". Stored in oversize folder 13.

undated. Monte M. Lemann. Inscribed: "To Edgar B. Stern, outstanding citizen and my dear friend, With great affection, Monte M. Lemann." Photograph by Kay Hart. Stored in oversize folder 14.

undated. "Bill". Inscribed: "With my highest esteem and warmest affection - Bill." Photograph by Halsman, New York. Stored in oversize folder 15.

undated. Dorothy Dix. Inscribed: "Very sincerely your friend Dorothy Dix." Photograph by Bedou. Stored in oversize folder 16.

Six unidentified pictures of children.

Folder 4: Photograph and telegram, Hannay, President Liverpool Cotton Exchange, to E.B. Stern, President, New Orleans Cotton Exchange, 1927 February 17.

Photograph shows board of New Orleans Cotton Exchange witnessing and participating in a Trans-Atlantic business transaction by telephone.

Folder 5: Etching printed portrait of E.D. White, 1912

Signed by Schneider. Copywrited 1912 by William K. Barmore, New York. Stored in oversize folder 3.

Folder 6: Photographs with negatives, undated

Unidentified golfer

Children at play

Tree hauling

Folder 7: Photographs, undated

3 men - 1 is Edgar B. Stern, other 2 unidentified.

Unidentified group portrait. Men in black top hats. A black stick accompanies this photograph.

Candid shot of group of men including Monte Lemann and Edgar B. Stern.

Hale Boggs, Mayor de Lesseps S. Morrison, Sam Rayburn, Mrs. Edith Stern, Richard W. Freeman in speakers' platform. Opening ceremonies of Royal New Orleans Hotel?

Members of Dillard University Board of Administrators? Phot by Leon Trice.

Folder 8: Unidentified photographs of family and friends

Micellaneous unidentified photographs of family and friends. Also:

Photographs of natives, interior of Brazil. Photographs of dairy near West Palm Beach, Florida.

Sears Roebuck and Company Board of Directors. Photograph by Oscar and Associates. Stored in oversize folder number 9.

Sears Roebuck and Company Board of Directors. Original colored photograph by Department 730, Sears studio. Stored in oversize folder number 10.

Unidentified group photogrpah. New Orleans Cotton Exchange? Stored in oversize folder number 11.

Unidentified class picture. Stored in oversize folder 12.

Original design for bookplate. The Maurice Stern Fund for medical litertaure. Library of the Tulane University Medical School. Includes photograph of Maurice Stern. Stored in oversize folder number 17.

Folder 9: Negatives, tree planting, undated

Folder 10: Postcards, undated

Views of Pitlochry, Scotland, 2 bound sets.

Water-colored postcards of Worcestershire, The Lygon Series.

Miscellaneous postcards, England and Scotland.

Postcards of Hampton Court Palace, Morland Series.

Postcards of Holyrood Palace.

Postcards of Broadway and Edinburgh Castle.

Folder 11: Eleven French postcards, undated

"Le Toquet." Paris-Plage. "Le Front de Champagne" Les Forts de Reims, Le Cornillet, Moronvilliers. Paper-bound. E. Croiseau, Editeur. Reims.

Folder 12: Postcard, "Agememnon, The Greek Play at Harvard, 1906," photo by George H. Kent, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1906

Folder 13: New Orleans postcards, undated

Avenue of Live Oaks, Audubon Park

The Cabildo

Old Slave Block, St. Louis Hotel

Audubon Place

"Mammy"

Palm and Oak, City Park

The Peristyle, City Park

Tomb of the Army of Tennessee, Metairie Cemetary

Union Station Park

Folder 14: Postcards, paper-bound, undated

"Avant et Après la Destruction d'Ypres". Album-Vues. Bruxelles: Em. Thiel.

"Quatre Jours aux Champs de Bataille avec les 'Grand Voyages'". Paris: Agence F. Le Bourgeois.

Folder 15: Miscellaneous tickets, souvenirs, 1921

Tulane University Special Collections