Rocco Revival, gold-plated door knobs and keyhole escutcheons from the Sherry-Netherland Hotel.

Durr Friedley was a staff member of the Department of Decorative Arts of The Metropolitan Museum of Art from 1911 until 1917, serving as an assistant, Assistant Curator and Acting Curator. Records consist primarily of correspondence regarding prospective Museum acquisitions. Items of special interest include letters concerning the Museum’s acquisition of early American colonial furnishings, later displayed in the American Wing.

James Parker (1924-2001) began his career as a specialist in European decorative arts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1951, was appointed assistant curator in 1954, associate curator in 1962 and curator in 1968. He was appointed Curator Emeritus in 1993, upon his retirement from the Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts (ESDA). He specialized in French and English furniture. The James Parker Records include correspondence and memoranda, research notes, clippings and photographic materials that document Parker’s significant contributions to the Museum and to the field of European decorative arts. These records document the internal activities of ESDA and elucidate Parker’s vigorous work on major Museum acquisitions, publications, exhibitions, permanent gallery installations, and most significantly, his tireless research activities.

Michael Kalil (1943-1991) was an interior architect, philosopher, educator and artist, known for his innovative work with new materials and for humanizing digital technologies. From 1981 to 1991, he was the principal of Kalil Designs/Kalil Studio, a firm that specialized in high-profile commercial, prototype and theoretical, and residential design commissions. Kalil also served as an adjunct faculty member at the Parsons School of Design. The collection includes Kalil's personal and professional papers, including original artwork, sketchbooks, journals, photographs, project records, architectural drawings, photoprints and sketches, design prototypes, and posthumous materials.

This collection mainly consists of Mokuba New York showroom press books, catalogues and color cards, all featuring the company's ribbon, trim and lace products. To a lesser extent, it contains documentation of the showroom's opening in 1999. The showroom, located at 137 West 38th Street, New York, NY 10018, permanently closed in early 2020.

This collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, notes, slides, audio and video cassettes, negatives, transparencies, articles, books, ephemera, postcards and realia objects.