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FRIDAY DECEMBER 13, 2024 • VOL. 54, NO. 50
Earliest Color Illustrated New Record Manuscript Of Christmas For Tiffany Poem “A Visit From Studios A Church Commission St. Nicholas” Acquired Rarity Enters Collection Of Morgan Library & Museum
Clement Clarke Moore’s (1779-1863) Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” illustrated by Mary Clarke Ogden (1819-93), belongs to the Morgan Library & Museum, gift of David D. Ogden family in honor of the Morgan’s centennial, 2024, MA23900, photo by Carmen Gonzalez Fraile, 2024.
The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave. New York, N.Y., has acquired the earliest manuscript with color illustrations of the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (more famously known as “The Night Before Christmas”) by Clement Clarke Moore. The book, illustrated by Moore’s daughter, Mary Clarke Moore Ogden, will be on view this holiday season in J. Pierpont Morgan’s Library along with the famous manuscript of Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” from now until Jan. 5, 2025. Clement Clarke Moore (17791863) wrote “A Visit from St. Nicholas” in 1822. It is believed that a family friend sent a copy of the poem to the Troy Sentinel newspaper in Troy, N.Y., which published it anonymously on Dec. 23, 1823. It was attributed to Moore in 1837. In the poem, Moore originated many of the features that are still associated with Santa Claus today. This manuscript was illustrated
by Moore’s daughter, Mary Clarke Moore Ogden (1819-93), and given to her husband, John Doughty Ogden, as a Christmas present in 1855. The volume features the first color illustrations of the poem, set as miniature vignettes within the decorative border surrounding the text. On one of the pages she depicted the house in the Chelsea section of New York City where she and her eight brothers and sisters heard the poem recited by her father every Christmas. Other notable features include the original text of the poem’s second-tolast line, reading “Happy Christmas to all,” which would later be changed to “Merry Christmas to all.” The volume has long been treasured by the Ogden family. It was gifted to the museum by the family in recognition of the Morgan’s centennial. To learn more, visit www. themorgan.org.
“Charlotte Schatz: Industrial Strength” Exhibit Now On View A new exhibition at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa., is now open. “Charlotte Schatz: Industrial Strength” celebrates a formidable artist, feminist, and social activist, who embraced industrial themes and materials typically associated with male artists in the second half of the 20th century. Charlotte Schatz (1929-2023) was a sculptor and painter who lived and worked most of her professional life in Bucks County and taught sculpture and design at Bucks County Community College for 30 years. Schatz explored industrial forms through non-traditional materials and colorful, painted compositions that were considered unconventional for women artists at the time. The James A. Michener Art Museum is located at 138 S. Pine St. in Doylestown, Pa. For additional information, visit www.michenerartmuseum.org.
In 1913, “Danner Memorial Window” Brings $12.4 Million By Karl Pass
Tiffany Studios is one of the most famous companies in the field of early 20th century decorative arts. On Nov. 18, Sotheby’s in New York City sold what is coined the “Danner Memorial Window” for a new auction record of $12.4 million. The monumental stained glass window had been commissioned in 1913 for the First Baptist Church in Canton, Ohio. Named after founding members of the church, John and Terressa Danner, the presale estimate was $5,000,000 to $7,000,000. “It’s a landmark moment for the Tiffany market,” explained Jodi Pollack, Sotheby’s head of 20th-century design, following the sale, “a moment that establishes Tiffany within the pantheon of the most iconic artists of the 20th century.” The work was designed by Agnes Northrup, a Queens, N.Y., native who defied societal expectations by forgoing marriage and family to devote herself to her career. Louis Comfort Tiffany did not retain married women. After studying at the Flushing Institute, Northrup joined the company in the 1880s, both choosing and cutting glass as what was termed a “Tiffany Girl.” Within a decade, she’d been given her own studio and her landscape and garden designs would become intertwined with Tiffany’s aesthetic. By the time of the commission, the studio held a worldwide reputation for both design and technique. Like other memorial pieces, the composition includes trees along a river and mountains in the background. To learn more, visit www. sothebys.com. Continued on page 6
In This Issue This artwork by Charlotte Schatz (1929-2023), “PPG Portland,” is from 2004, and is acrylic-on-canvas, 25-by40 inches, James A. Michener Art Museum, gift of Barbara Schatz, Emmi Schatz, and Rachel Schatz, and photo courtesy Christian Giannelli.
SHOPS, SHOWS & MARKETS . . . . . . .
starting on page 2
SHOPS DIRECTORY . . . . . . .
on page 4
EVENT & AUCTION CALENDAR on page 4 AUCTIONEER DIRECTORY . . . . on page 4 AUCTION SALE BILLS . . . . . . on page 5
FEATURE ARTICLE: Haddon Heights Vintage Christmas Decor - Page 4
CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . on page 7