Update re Mary E. Tillinghast bio, Lentilhorns, Marches
As I have stated here previously, my work in progress for the biography and catalogue raisonne of Mary E. Tillinghast, artist and stained glass window designer moves at its own pace.I try to spend 10 or 20 hours a week at the research, travel, photography, and writing with regard to this, but it doesn't always happen.I have to earn a living also and have many other activities that I indulge in - my grandchildren, tennis tournaments, mounting photography exhibits, friends, volunteer work, travel, etc.However, right now is another gestating period that is more activated.
Last week, I spent several hours at an apt. in Greenwich Village, NY. - Edith Evans Asbury's, she died last December at age 96.She also had an interest in Mary (MET, I call her) because one of her windows is at Edith's undergraduate college, originally the Western Seminary for Women in Miami, Ohio.It's a beautiful window, by the way, I have been there.Anyway, Edith was asked to give the speech for re-dedicating the window in 1981 and she became hooked on Mary herself, eventually collecting a big file box about her.I envy her also because she was able to visit the last of the line (I think) of that branch, a niece of Mary's, in New Jersey.From her, she was able to get a copy of the Family Bible pages that provided me with information of births, marriages, and deaths that were helpful.Also, an inventory of her works, albeit quite limited, I found.
Edith also corresponded with an Anne Tillinghast in Ashville, NC, about an O'Henry bio she wanted to do.I copied those and other items from the box that will then be sent to the Radcliffe (Harvard) library as part of her estate files.I also found several other citations listing windows or artworks that Mary T. had done and about which I was not aware.
Overall, I now have four going on five fileboxes that I am almost finished in organizing; I have six or seven large file notebooks that contain other materials.So, I am finally beginning to write more and have about 200 pages now.Each window seemed to have a fascinating client and if there aren't existing windows to take photos of, then I write about the client more.We're up to about 150 windows in various cities on the East Coast and a few in the Midwest, with assorted houses and their portions that were decorated, stained glass window and oil painted portraits, and a few other works in other mediums.
I and a colleague at the NY Historical Society did an interview on MET for a documentary about the Univ. of Pittsburgh Observatory, where Mary T. has a window.It was done in the library of the Historical Society where MET also a window, so was a very fitting location.
I traveled to Chicago twice to run down a long-lost window and was successful in that.Also, a stained glass collector is going to create a museum in Evanston, Ill., which will feature mostly Mary's windows that he has purchased (three so far) and some Tiffanys and La Farges.I am helping him curate that.
Lots more but will but will stop here.If you have any questions or some contributions about Mary T. or her sisters families - the Lentilhorns and Marches - please let me know!
Also,
Kent Watkins
[email protected]
646 234 3545