Montgomery County History Center | Dave McFarland
It might not pay the bills.
Then again it might.
Your Montgomery County History Center does not receive much, if any, public money. It runs on donations, grants, and membership dues.
Grants are important, but they are interesting creatures in that they have demands and conditions, and often have to be matched by other funds.
Memberships are important to the history center in many ways. It shows interest and gets people involved. In short, it marks success. The money helps, too, and history is not much fun unless others are enjoying it.
Sadly, it seems that our membership is not growing like it once was. So, make sure you renew, and get a friend to join. Donations are our bread and butter, but it is for many others, too. Demand is high and supply limited.
The people at the History Center try to prove it to be a community resource. It is not just a museum. It is a place to come and visit. We have meeting rooms that can be rented for all sorts of events. Our little church has now hosted four weddings – not bad for a 147-year-old. Coming soon will be a new gift shop that we hope will be a true shopping experience.
The History Center has worked hard to become a destination and experience, and works even harder to grow and improve. That is why when things come along to make it better, it is so important.
Last time, I talked about a the plaque from the Murphy Company honoring of two of its employees who gave their all in World War I.
Earlier this year, we received a phone call from an auction house wanting some information. We get this kind of request quite often – a request for research for books, articles, and even research papers. We even got a request once for information and props for an off-Broadway play. This recent request was maybe just a little cut above. It was from the prestigious Christie’s of New York City.
It was about Arthur John Elsley, British painter, 1861-1952. The request was for information about one of his paintings, Here He Comes, featuring a little girl (Elsley’s only child), a St. Bernard, and two puppies, dated 1917. Elsley was a very sought-after artist in Victorian England and these were two of his favorite subjects.
What is the connection? Well, the original painting was actually done prior to 1917, was quite popular, and appeared in numerous places, including magazine covers. But that still does not answer the question of the local connection. As you may have surmised, Thomas D. Murphy took a liking to the work and purchased the rights to use it for a calendar here in Red Oak. This is only the beginning of the story.
The first painting was shipped to Red Oak only to be lost when a German U-Boat sank the ship on which it was traveling. Laura, from Christie’s, and I had an interesting conversation, pondering the question: Might it been the same ship that the alter pieces for the church in Imogene was on?
Murphy requested a copy be made, so Elsley, using reference photos, reproduced the painting. It was featured on a 1921 Murphy calendar advertising the Allen & Stults Soap Company. The painting was used again about 10 years later for another calendar series.
A lady from Oklahoma was so taken by the picture she cut out the print and hung it on her wall. Her husband surprised her in 1922 when he presented her with the original Elsley repainted copy. It is now listed in Christie’s current auction catalog. The Montgomery County History Center just received a copy and a thank you letter.
I would be lying if I said it was not fun to be a small part of this bit of research – or perhaps, a better term would be “story.” And to be referenced by Christie’s adds to our prestige in no small part. More people should come visit; they might be surprised. By the way, if you would like to buy a piece of local memorabilia, the auction estimate is $70,000 to $100,000.
David McFarland is director of the Montgomery County History Center. You can reach him at mchsociet@qwestoffice.net.