Albert Field (archivist) Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth and Family

Since 2003, the Archives has continued its work under the direction of Field’s former colleague and friend, Frank Hunter.

In 1998, Field stated that he had found the solution to Charles Dickens’s unfinished work The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Field’s theorized solution, likely drawn up in the 1960s, was published posthumously in 2017.

Over time, Field began to focus primarily on Dalí prints, and his expertise in authentication was regularly utilized by interested individuals, museums and auction houses including Christie’s and Sotheby’s. Field participated in over 20 art fraud investigations during his career and testified in court as an expert witness. In 1996, Field published The Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dali, a reference of virtually all of Dalí’s authentic prints, as well as numerous fakes.

Field claimed to have the world’s largest collection of playing cards, possessing over 6,000 decks in total, some of which date back to the 15th century. Most of his collection was donated to Columbia University. His eponymous 1987 book, Transformation Playing Cards, cataloged and presented all known examples of one particular type of playing card.

In or around 1972, Field completed hiking the Appalachian Trail and published an account of his experiences in the 1975 book, Hiking the Appalachian Trail, Volume One. He was Executive Director of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference from 1977 to 1980.

In 1955, Field became Dalí’s official archivist upon the artist’s request. Field founded the Salvador Dalí Archives, a repository of Dalí information which continues its authentication work to this day.

During Dalí’s sojourns at the St. Regis Hotel in New York between the 1950s and 1970s, Field routinely observed the artist confirm or deny the authenticity of pieces brought before him. Ian Gibson describes Field by 1963 as “a seasoned habitué of Dali’s Sunday court at the King Cole Bar” with “privileged status as a friend and collaborator.”

Albert Field became interested in the works of Salvador Dalí after visiting the artist’s “Dream of Venus” pavilion exhibit at the 1939 World’s Fair in Queens, New York. Field’s interest in Dalí deepened after attending the artist’s 1941–42 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. He became closely acquainted with Dalí in the 1940s, meeting with him frequently upon the artist’s travels to New York. During this time, Field began informally collecting information about Dalí’s many works on handwritten index cards.

George Albert Field Jr. (November 8, 1916 – August 4, 2003) was known for cataloging and authenticating artwork by the surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. Designated by Dalí as his official archivist in 1955, Field went on to archive and confirm the authenticity of thousands of Dalí works, mostly prints.

A large portion of his collection of Dalí books, works and other materials were donated to the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. This collection includes “Landscape” (c. 1910), arguably the earliest known oil painting by Dalí.