Dorothy “Dottie” & Richard “Dick” Manville
This collection was made possible by the passion and dedication of Dorothy “Dottie” & Richard “Dick” Manville (1931–2011) of Southbury, Connecticut. A lifelong resident and local historian, Dottie served as president of the Southbury Historical Society and was an active member of the Wallace Nutting Collector’s Club. Together with her husband Richard, she traveled to auctions and estate sales across the country to build what became one of the most significant private collections of Nutting’s work.
But Dottie’s commitment went far beyond collecting photographs. She recognized the importance of oral history, tracking down former Nutting workshop colorists and their families to record their memories. Through these efforts, she preserved not just the images Nutting created, but also the voices of the people who helped shape them.
The Manville family tree intertwined with Nutting’s legacy: members of the Wilson family, Dick’s ancestors, worked as colorists and even appeared in Nutting photographs such as “Hanging Stockings.” Dottie’s notes and letters—rich with local detail and anecdotes—capture a time when Southbury itself was part of Nutting’s story.
At one point, the Manville collection numbered nearly 1,000 pieces. They only exhibited them all together once during a Wallace Nutting convention, filling their son’s mechanic’s shop with photographs, furniture, and ephemera. A VHS recording of that event, along with Dottie’s talk and an interview with colorist Gertrude Brown, is now being restored to join this archive.
Why This Archive Matters
When Dottie and Dick passed in 2011, much of their collection of art was dispersed through auction. What remains here is a digital record of their lifelong effort to preserve and share Nutting’s world. This archive honors both Wallace Nutting and the couple who recognized that history is more than what hangs on the walls. It is the human story that connects us to the past.
By making these materials accessible, we continue Dottie and Dick’s work: inviting new generations to see, to question, and to wonder.
