By Nancy Armitage
Since the 1870’s, Collis P. Huntington’s family enjoyed their yearly “Grand Tours” of England, France, Spain, & Italy. Mrs. Belle Worsham (later Huntington) 1st trip to Europe was recorded in 1879, she especially enjoyed France & Paris. The family had to sail abroad for 10 days on the Atlantic Ocean to get to Europe from NYC.
In the mid 1890’s, at their newly built Collis & Arabella Huntington Mansion at No. 2 East 57th Street, New York City, New York, they built a “picture gallery” (paintings). Sometimes, the Huntingtons would buy paintings on their grand tour. The Huntington archives listed (3-page long) some of the paintings in this “salon style” picture gallery. They owned Bouguereau, Corot, Reynolds, Romney, Diaz, Rembrandt, etc… The list just goes on and on. Which would have made them master art collectors in my book……
In the year 1907, to high society & the art world. Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington (widow of Collis P. Huntington) became a “art collector” with her portion of the Rudolphe Kann French collection is Paris. In reality, she & her deceased husband, C. P. Huntington had been art collectors of master paintings for decades. They married in 1884 & bought paintings on their travels & at art auctions in the 1880’s & 1890’s, also.
The Huntington’s traveled a lot by ship & train, collecting art & paintings was a fun past time. It was recorded that Arabella Huntington bought French paintings in New Orleans & Paris, etc. Buying a painting could have been a memory of a trip abroad or a gift for a birthday or a Christmas present. Collis once stated that at the beginning of his art collecting that he would buy new artists work, instead of historical artists; that contemporary artist paintings were much more affordable. In the Thorpe Book titled: H. E. Huntington, a biography, it states that Collis stated that he had two extravagances: Books & Pictures [Paintings]. Thorpe concluded that Collis & Arabella Huntington, “learned [about buying art] from going to auctions, from reading books on art & from the many dealers with whom they did business…Belle was buying from J. J. Duveen as early as 1887.” That’s interesting.
At some point, Collis & Arabella Huntington did get more serious with their collecting. There started buying more expensive & valuable pieces of art. C. P. Huntington loved to go to the NYC auctions houses & buy paintings he loved to look at. He especially liked landscapes & portraits. He really loved the excitement of the art auctions & bidding against wealthy American art collectors.
Mrs. Arabella Huntington had taken a liking to the opulent Louis XVI & Louis XV French furniture & paintings. Mrs. Arabella Huntington especially liked Paris: the food, the language (she was fluent), the elegant fashionable dresses, hats, & the architecture. She would often buy her yearly wardrobe at the House of Worth in Paris. Mrs. Huntington love all things French, she loved roses, lavender, & violets. In Paris, she could pick up scented bath soaps & oil; even the candy & French lozenges these lavender & violet flavors. She loved French porcelain plate ware: Sevres, Havilland (gold white and pink roses), “Old Paris”, & Limoges (gold & white) were some of her favorites. Many of her plateware sets in Havilland & Limoges with gold and white and sometimes had pink roses.
Mrs. Arabella Huntington would often arrive in Paris in June, her birthday month (June 1st). She stayed at the Ritz Paris often, Hotel Bristol, or also the Hotel Continental. In Paris, she would go antiquing, visit art galleries, art museums, & she loved the opera.
The Paris Ritz was famous for their afternoon tea or “5 O’Clock tea”. A place to see & be seen after shopping or purchasing art! Afternoon Tea at the Ritz Paris was the rage in Paris during this time period, quite a stylish thing to do.
French “Omelette par Excellence.” (1895)
4 eggs, s/p, chopped [flat-leafed] parsley, [French Tarragon & French Chervil or baby chives] minced onion, [heavy cream], grated [French] cheese (Gruyere is typical in Paris, Brie, or Camembert) or [goat cheese], minced ham [“jambon”] in French, chopped green peppers, pinch of curry.
Directions: Cut up all veggies, herbs, & place in small bowls. In a bowl with a whisk or fork, beat the eggs until fluffy & add a splash of heavy cream. Add the herbs, ham, veggies, & salt & pepper, & curry powder. Add 1 t. butter to sauté pan. Pour egg mixture into sauté pan, let cook on one side for a couple of minutes, add cheese and flip. Cook other side & turn the circle into half of circle & sprinkle with more cheese & herbs. Serve immediately. Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping magazine recipe April of 1895
In 1900, Mrs. Collis P. D. Huntington “Arabella” was a widow. She was spending large amounts of time in Paris, she was so sad. Her dear friend, Mrs. Charles Alexander (“Hattie” or Harriet Crocker Alexander) also had a mansion in Paris in this time period. The Alexander mansion in Paris is stated in the New York Social Register in 1902. It is a sure possibility that Arabella might have stayed with her friend, “Hattie” also.
Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington meets Sir Joseph Duveen (Art Dealer), I’m not sure exactly when, as early as the 1880s. But in 1905, Arabella & Duveen are together having a grand time purchasing antiques for H.E. Huntington in Paris. She sends Henry “Edwards” Huntington a telegram stating that Duveen & herself had just bought 5 amazing French Boucher tapestries for him. They communicate to HEH, that the tapestries would go perfectly in Large Library in his Huntington Mansion in San Marino, CA. They sort of ruin his plans for his beloved books, to go along the walls of his Large Library. HEH really respected both Arabella & Duveen interior design taste & so he moved forward with the tapestry idea. Later, HEH pays them back for the tapestries. At this time, Henry E. Huntington was building his Huntington mansion in Southern California (San Marino Ranch) from 1908-1910, he moved in as a single divorced man in April 1910, with 5 servant staff.
In 1907, Mrs. Collis P. Huntington “Arabella” or “Belle” had been a widow for 7 years. After Collis died, Arabella was mourning, she was very sad & she spent a lot of time in Paris. From the Huntington archives, (Huntington Library, San Marino, CA) we know Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington from March 1907-June 1910 buys, renovates, & lives in her 1st large mansion in Paris, France. Mademoiselle Huntington’s Paris address is 2 and 4 rue de l’ Elyssee & rue de la Gabriel in Paris, France. This address was once called Hotel de Hirsch, Paris (once owned by Empress Eugenie).
I think Duveen was trying to Arabella into the Rodolphe Kann collection purchase for a long while. She had the smarts to buy this Parisian mansion, in my opinion probably to house all these French treasures she had just purchased. Mrs. Arabella Huntington buys a portion of this large amazing Kann Collection in June of 1907 & she also buys this Parisian mansion in June of 1907.
Arabella employs a wonderful couple named Mr. & Mrs. Antoine Miconnet, as her houseman [Butler] & her French cook. They were loyal employees to Madamoiselle Huntington at her 1st & 2nd Parisian mansion & also at the Chateau Beauregard (1913-1923). Document: HEH Coll. MS 12445 (HEH Correspondence) Huntington Library San Marino, CA
In June of 1907, Mrs. Arabella Huntington buys her portion of the Rodolphe Kann collection (almost half of the collection). The surprising thing about the Kann impressive French estate was that it was expected go to the Louvre Museum in Paris. But Rodolphe didn’t do that, he gave his estate to his brother & his 3 sisters. Who in turn, sold it off in Paris through the Duveen Bros. At the time, “It was regarded as the greatest collection in private hands”. Says the Book: H. E. Huntington, a biography by Thorpe. That information alone would have given Arabella, a grand shopping hot flash!! And the fact that the objects were once owned by her favorite, Queen Marie Antoinette from the Versailles Palace & Madame de Pompadour in Paris France…. She would have been over the moon with this purchase & Duveen in her ear the whole time. Mrs. Arabella Huntington was totally enchanted by French Queen Marie Antoinette. See my blog by that title for details.
We know that in July of 1907, Mrs. Arabella Huntington was staying at the fabulous Hotel Ritz Paris in Paris, France. Soon she is off to travel to Germany (for the baths) & the south of France. Often, she is writing to her son, Archer Huntington of her grand European adventures. In other letters, Archer is quite shocked that his mother spent $7,000,000.00 million dollars for this French art collection. He would write to his mother stating she is going to the poor house with this purchase. He could have been jealous too, he was still trying to purchase items & Spanish paintings for his Hispanic Society [Museum] in New York City, NY.
The elegant French royal antiques (furniture & object d’ art) were comprised of King Louis XV of Versailles France & his wife, Queen Marie Antoinette estate. There was Louis XV desks, Louis XV commodes (fancy French curvy dresser) & French consoles (fancy buffet table under a large mirror), Bronze bust of Louis XV by Lemoyne, Meissen Lion & Lioness porcelains, a pair of Dresden Statuettes, a French Fire screen, a Louis XV clock, Louis XV Writing tables, a sofa/settee, Chinese porcelain ewers, 4 sets of Dresden fine bone porcelains plates etc. Book: H. E. Huntington a biography by Thorpe
Also, she purchased – the master French & Dutch paintings were as followed: Rembrandt: “Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer”, Rembrandt: “Portrait of Hendrickje Stoffels”, Bouchers Paintings, Fragonard paintings, & Greuze paintings, Hals: “Young Kooijmanszoon van Ablasserfam”, Hals: “Portrait of a Lady”, Nattier paintings & Watteau paintings & 1/2 dozen other artists, Dutch Roger vander Weyden: “Madonna & Child” or Virgin & Child, A Goya painting & a Velazquez painting The book: H. E. Huntington a biography by Thorpe p. 334
In Summer 1907, she travels down to Aix de Provence, France to relax from Paris. My quess is that she visited the baths at “Les Bains” there are several (thermo baths for arthritis & sciatica pain). She was “Taking to the Cure” they called it or using these thermo baths to relax, with a rigid diet to lose weight, & walking a little every day. It was probably very stressful writing that very large check! Also, she was trying to figure out what to do with all those master paintings & royal French antiques!!!
In the summer of 1907, Mrs. Arabella Huntington writes a letter to her son, Archer Huntington. She is excited about her very large & very expensive Parisian purchase – the Rudolphe Kann Collection. She is in Aix de Provence, in the south of France. In the letter, she talks that she has spent every bit of her money for the Kanon [Kann] Collection. She states that she went to the Monsieur Kann Paris estate/mansion many times over the weeks with Duveen. She is super happy with her amazing purchases, knowing their worth & but especially their beauty! She was proud of buying the Rembrandts (the Homer), (& with the women), 2 fine Franz Hals paintings, & of course, the small Virgin & Child painting by Dutch artist Van der Weyden. She really down plays all these other (100’s) numerous treasures (list above). Also, she bought a few pieces of old French furniture & some mounted Chinese vases by Caffieri [probably the Celadon green?], & your little Velasquez & Goya paintings. This part really makes me laugh. She gives Archer Huntington these 2 master paintings for his Hispanic Society of America, NYC. He founded this museum in 1904: those paintings would have been treasures to him!! Its like she knew she would get the wrath from Archer Huntington (for spending all this money). So she made sure that she bought her son these 2 impressive master paintings to get Archer off her back!!
She writes that she totally knows Duveen’s games & that he tells all his art customers who bought what…. to get them jealous & such. Nancy Note: At the Huntington Library in San Marino, I saw the 4 gigantic catalogs of Rudolphe Kann Collection. It has black & white photographs (about 18″ wide & 24” long & each 2″ thick) that encompassed the whole Rodolphe Kann Collection. Mrs. Arabella Huntington’s large purchases would have made up almost 2 of those huge Catalogs. Each page of the catalogs photos of all items (100’s of items in each catalog) in the Collection were French desks, French couches, 4 sets of Dresden fine bone china & so much art & master paintings (partial list above).
Arabella was very influenced by this fast talker Joseph Duveen. He would introduce her to these great finds, which she couldn’t resist, but to buy them. Her son, Archer Huntington called Sir Joseph Duveen “a pirate”, which probably made Arabella laugh because it was so true. Duveen Brothers made millions of dollars off wealthy Americans during the Gilded Age. Knowing this, she happily buys lots of French paintings & French sculpture, Louis XVI furniture, & any items owned by Queen Marie Antoinette or any royals (French or English) she can get her hands on.
Duveen convinced Arabella that her art collection needed to be bigger & better – to add more value to it. Duveen with his father had art & antique salons in Paris, London, & New York. So Duveen Bros. bought the very large & expensive Rudolphe Kann Collection for $17 million dollars in 1907. Then they sold it off to very wealthy Americans, like Mrs. Collis P. Huntington (Arabella).
Mrs. Collis P. Huntington “Arabella” buys the Kann Collection, Paris:
In November 1907, the New York Times broke the art news that that special Parisian Rudolphe Kann Collection had been bought up by many Prominent American art buyers. Duveen Bros. bought it for $17,000,000.00 million dollars. This grand purchase of Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington on the top of the art collectors list in America. Mrs. Huntington’s portion of the Kann Collection cost her $7,000,000.00 ($7 Million). There was also J. P. Morgan, George Gould, Wm. A. Clark, Benjamin Altman, & P. A. B. Widener. There is a letter to Mrs. Arabella Huntington from her son Archer Huntington stating that they were all going to the poor house for that one purchase!!
(See the Connoisseur Magazine Article Vol. 20 January-April 1908.) There is a informative article titled “Mrs. Collis P. Huntington Collection” & illustrated many pictures of her fine French furniture, numerous paintings, & sculpture. It is all about her grand purchase of her portion of the Kann Collection estate in Paris France.
In the Henry E. Huntington Collection – Menu Ephemera, I found 2 Maxin’s Paris menus dated in 1908 which are preserved at the Huntington Library San Marino, CA. It can be assumed that this 2 archived French menus were the property of Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington. — C. P. Huntington had died in 1900; H. E. Huntington had never been to Paris at that point. Arabella Huntington had taken her annual “Grand Tour” to Paris since the 1870’s when she was Mrs. Arabella Worsham. The Maxim’s menu starts with Appetizer Cocktail: Caviar or Lobster Cocktail or Melon or Grapefruit Cocktail, a Soup & Fish Course (Sole or Salmon), Entrees are listed with Lamb, Chicken, Steak & Potatoes, Veal, Chicken Curry, Vegetable course: Petit Pois (small garden peas) Haricots verts (Green Beans) Desserts: Soufflé Rothschild, Meringue Glace, Crepes, Sauté Fruits. Glace Vanilla Café or Chocolate. Maxims makes their own lovely citrus tea. Maxims de Paris Tea Blend (Citrus Blend) a little taste of Paris! Their ingredients for this delicious tea is Black tea, Bergamot flavorings, lemon essential oil, orange & lemon peel.
In 1909, Mrs. Collis Huntington (Arabella) gave permission to her social club: Union League Club of New York City to show 11 of her newly purchased paintings. The paintings displayed for this city-wide “Hudson-Fulton art celebration” exhibit included 2 Franz Hals, a Vermeer: “Lady with a Lute”, Lawrence, Reynolds, Romney Rembrandt, Troyon, Corot, Rousseau, & Lathrop painting of her late husband, Collis P. Huntington. The Hudson-Fulton celebration was a big deal, all across New York City. Art exhibit through out the city also at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Sept. 20,1909 – November 30, 1909)
So when Arabella Huntington died in 1924 what happened to this treasures of a great art collection?? Its truly complicated. The items at the Huntington Mansion No. 2 East 57th St. NYC many went to Yale University. It was stated in Collis P. Huntington will, that if Archer M. Huntington did not have “issue” (children) that the contents of the mansion went to Yale University. Wow….. & Archer Huntington never had children.
When Arabella Huntington died, Archer Huntington inherited all her pretty French antiques. Archer still was raising money for his Hispanic Society so he went to Andersen Galleries in NYC to sell his mothers antiques. Mr. H.E. Huntington bought many of the antiques back & placed them back in his home at the mansion on the San Marino Ranch, CA
About 20-30 Huntington Family paintings, went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC. Just look up donated by Collis P. Huntington. Arabella Huntington gets no credit for any of these paintings purchases.
In a Bulletin of the Associates of Fine Arts at [Yale] University, written in 1925-6 that “the Museum has been enriched by the gift of Mr. Archer M. Huntington, Honorary M. A. Yale 1897,” Giving his mother, Mrs. Arabella M. Huntington no credit for the purchases of this Rudolpe Kann Collection she made in Paris (1907) of paintings & antiques. I am surprised about this article.
Nancy Note:
A Will was made for Mrs. Henry E. Huntington (Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington) in August of 1923. A Trust was formed by Mrs. Arabella Huntington for Archer M. Huntington her son (her soul benefactor). Its soul purpose was that Archer would not get a lump of money at the same time when Arabella died. Henry E. Huntington & Arabella D. Huntington were nervous that Archer would die a poor man because he was so very generous with his money. Archer Huntington could have been quite upset about this will for sure. He still was very involved with Hispanic Society [Museum & Library] of America. Always needing money to purchase choice items and paintings for the Hispanic Society. I remember Archer was on some kind of allowance with his mother, which I am sure he was, but I have never seen the evidence/papers.
Letters to & from Archer Huntington are very long (sometimes 3 pages) in 1922. In 1923, letters are about 3 sentences long. Short & sweet. Still informative, chatty, even gossipy & humorous by the both of them. Was their relationship complicated, I think yes.
In 1923, Archer Huntington marries Miss Anna Hyatt in her New York City sculpture studio. Mrs. Arabella Huntington strangely was not in attendance at this wedding of her only son. Archer writes a short telegram that he got married & after the honeymoon on a yacht he would call his mother. Telegram To Arabella Huntington From: Archer M. Huntington “Mother, married today to Ana Hyatt, sculptress. Much Love, Hope to see you later, Will tel. address in a few days. Archer”.
Document:
New York Times Article November 24, 1907
Connoisseur Magazine Article Vol. 20 January-April 1908. 15-page article/ 20 illustrations about Mrs. Collis P. Huntington’s (Arabella) grand purchases. & her historic important purchase by Sir Joseph Duveen of the Monsieur Rudolphe Kann Collection of Paris, France
Document: HEH Coll. MS 12445 (HEH Correspondence) Huntington Library San Marino, CA
Letters to & from AMH & ADH Correspondence Hispanic Society of America NYC, NY
New York Social Register 1902 Mrs. Charles Alexander (“Hattie” or Harriett Crocker Alexander)
Book: H. E. Huntington a biography by Thorpe P. 334-335
Book: Duveen
Bulletin of the Associates in Fine Arts at Yale University abt 1925-6 (many pictures of Mrs. Arabella Huntington Parisian treasures including a inlaid wooden backgammon table with 9 medallions on the front surrounded by gold squares. “In marquetry of colored woods, made by cabinet maker who signs himself B. V. R. V. this table was once owned by Madame de Pompadour.
Inside the Huntington's Story 