Clayton Braun

Clayton Braun was a graphic documentarian active during a very specific period from 1935 to 1936. This brief professional tenure strongly suggests his primary role was associated with the Index of American Design (IAD), a crucial component of the Federal Art Project established during the New Deal era. The IAD aimed to create detailed documentation of historic American decorative arts and crafts, focusing on producing accurate renderings for scholarly reference. Braun’s output is cataloged under the documentation of "15 index of american designs," aligning with this federal cataloging objective.

Braun's known contributions focus exclusively on the technical documentation of early American silverware. Works represented in major collections include two studies detailing a Silver Teapot, alongside renderings of a Silver Mug, Silver Beakers, and a Silver Bowl. These detailed documentations are vital resources for historians and artisans studying American craft history.

All documented works associated with Clayton Braun are preserved in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Because these precise technical studies were created under the Federal Art Project, many of the resulting images are considered public domain. These valuable reference studies, often sought as downloadable artwork and high-quality prints, establish a museum-quality record of historic objects.