New-York tribune., 1905-02-15
". c. PRIME DEAD.
Vel Knozen as an 4rt Collector
Vas the Mauor's Guardian.

William Cowper Prime a well known art col
lector, who had been president and trustee
of the Metropolitan Museum OF Art for over twenty
years. once Editor of 'The New-York Journal
of Commerce" and for many years senior pro-
fessor of the history of Princeton University
died on Monday at his home. No. IS East 2sd-st
DR.. Prime born in Cambridge N Y, in 1926
ard was graduated from Princeton in 1888. Ad-
mitted to the bar in 1886, practised in this city
TIL 1861 Then he became part owner of The
Journal of Commerce. and kept his interest until
1884
Dr. Prime a collector of ceramics illustrative
or ancient art and in his different journeys to
Europe and by correspondence ne made a large col
lection This collection he presented to Princeton
University and it became the nucleus for the art
museum OF that institution To receive il a nre-
proof building was constructed by the university
Ills collection OF pottery extended beyond ceramics
in illustrating ancient art for it included illus
trations of modern well He possessed valu-
able productions of the Sevres factory. at Paris
Some pieces are said to have been at one time
USED in the furnishing of the Palace of the Tui-
ler1es He wrote Pottery and Porcelain Of All
Times and Nations"
When the opening of the Metropolitan Museum
Oh od Art on Sunday was decided on. DR.. Prime re-
wss Ss+ opposed ts &c Sunday opening He was mem,
per Oer OF the Grolier Club. Princeton in 1875 made
nI3 Dr. Prime h was not only interested in ceramics
e1t ber large Gpamaty mt Of by wGod
Of many artists, known and Unknown, of the ff-
teenth and sixteenth centuries Illustrative of the
arr OF those periods In his library about fifty
volumes OF scrapbooks averaging from four hun
dFeq fq f9 pr hye hundred ensraviEgs each
ana and articles on coins. ceramics and wood engrav3
NSbia and tent life 'iS in the Holy % Land Lar --SSp' e
He was an enthusiastic fisherman and the fire.
quenterS or the Franconia Mountains in the past
will recall him on Profile Lake and Echo Lake. He
Mas tae owner OF Lonesome Lake in the White
ba Was accustomed TO spend from May till October in
New-York then, and remaining here till the holi-
lowing April when he You'd return to N NeWDYork
His severe attack of rheumatism two years ago
spect We're his SPIRITS OF his eaI general TSi health @
paired In the last week of September he suf-
the Franconia Notch, and was brought to his
home in New-York. From this be rallied and re-
ceived his friends at his home About ten days
ago suffered another stroke, but his cheerfulness
continued. On Monday he became insensible. and
Dr. Primes wife died over, twenty-ay. years
Gls s Mrs fSmy ma4a Sf of oo1H 59T
nsphewstTo sons Of his eldest :S'y brother Dr.
broher veil % snoMn Sna Ppe S4a es
Wendell Prime. survive him.
o'clock, at DR. Primes home No IS East SSdst
The burial will be at Hartford, Conn. by the side
Mayor Mcclellan has cancelled all social engage
e Of of M next e w on S ona of Of the the
specially invited guests to the Amen Corner Dinner
this week
In referring 10 Mr.. Prime yesterday the Mayor
said:
He was my fathers literary executor and my
guardian. He like father to me. When my
father for President Mr.. Prime was his cam
paign manager, and for certain things that hap
pened in that campaign Mr.. Prime locked up
by Secretary Stanton in Fort Lafayette for three
months. The old gentleman owned perhaps the
It is understood that the collection will go to
in which Mr. Prime lived and died is the only one
in use dwelling in the block in 23d-st., between
Broadway and 4th-ave. Mr.. Prime of the
founders of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a
lifelong friend of General di Cesnola His relatives
Cesnola, for fear that the shock might hasten his
day"