The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-01
A LONG LOST Art MAGAZINE.
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1fheen ~ Presideut itss sren ~ fisn'ts
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1uf yhtf npa nef1fnr 1f no 4 mtrrev
f1nrN.ssf.r. . monthly wn sssine Nv 10
devoted ~ Nmarirtn nff ure i1fthrunina
publ, sfinn ~ vhirh urdsr ihn direction
NJ rlmeles 10 Ray saa announced fbfs-
vcafs a. Nlthr1ah srver1l fhHfiaaud
dollars SEE collertet ffpn artists and
patrons ~ ari ~ start he iourrsl ihr ffat
rumher IL a'iil y thing ~ fte future What
hns become NJ The lost mn saJtnr BE- = 1tna.
lion which has heen y subisct for talk among
Nrw iprk artists Tor some Time Inquiries
made ~ Mr. 10 nay and n " Nonnoh.
who have bcen rnnnected With Tho man
sgement NJ tho magazine, and other artists
whose relation hTs consisted aolely IN sub
scrihtng ~ it- capital s'ock failed ~ throw
much light upon the fate NJ the Journal
except that " IL apparently still Lost
sidore kontt. who got the gold medal
for sculpture ~ tho ~ Louis expedition.
said Yesterday whom asked what hn knew
about the fortunes NJ the American CON-
uOisseur,
u am Ia tho dark ~ much ~ anv one
els" NV connection with the magazine
consisted entirely In my subscribing $40
for 4 shares ~ the capital stock. went
into the thing In the same spirit, ! suppose
az did Saint-Gaudens, N~iebaus, Harvey,
r. w. Vonnoh. MacSeil and dozens ~ sculp-
tors and artists. | subscribed because The
enterprise was a worthy one or course |
had no idea n getting any return for The
money. am, however, interested In the
fate Of the journal. And when It was an
nounced for publication in November,
1908. then announced for a later date and
then delayed until the American CoruoiP-
seur apparently is now a thing for gotten,
one wonders exactly what has become OF Il"
Mr.. Konti's certificates are very pretty
pieces Of paper. The American Connois-
seur Company according to them. WAS
incorporated at Albany in 1902, with a
capital stock Of $50, 900; shares. $40 each.
Mr.. konu's shar res bear June IS. 1905, as the
date of issue and the signature of Charles
de Kay as president of the company. $. R..
Bonnell IL down as secretary. Mr.. konti
said that Mr.. de Kay said last night that he
was not the president of The American
~Connolsseur Compan, and never had
Sawyer of 1853 Fifth avenue, a formor life
insurance agent, was president, general
mana ger and director Of the company, and
Mr.. de Kay was treasurer. He had never
had any of the funds in his ha nds.
My connection with the American
Conn oisseur has been rather vague" he
said. In 1909 ! made an effort TO start
an art ma gaZine which should he to Amerl-
can art what such a ma ga2ine as tha Studio
is to English art. The need of such a maya
zine was more apparent than thu ca pltal
to start it. | had made some Roadway
under great difficulties with the project
when several gentlemen, among them this
Mr.. Sawyer, came to me and suggested
that since they had Interested a good deal
Of capital in a similar enterprise we coalesce,
They begged thar | allow the Use Of my
name as editor IN chief and they would
get the funds 10 start the magazine.
said, ] can't do anything until YOU furnish
the funds We finally got together on that
proposition. They we're TO furnish the
capital and | a agreed to turn out a national
art ma ga zine that would pay, the best In
the country. II was TO be beautifully
printed, with colored illustrations and was
to sell at SO a year IN monthly numbers
"Now, the people who went out 10 get
the capital to stnr' the thing a have
used my namea as president IN the beginning,
If so, It was done without authority, and
this is the first | know about II. r. W,
Nonuoh was president Of the company
al the first, think, and put considerable
money into II. This Mr., Sawyer was then
the leading spirit, however, along witt a
man named s. r, ,Bonnell.
Il am sorry TO hear that MIR, konti lost
dIlN lOllt w Nv Ilbl''NF " wv wv
how much was collected, perhaps several
thousands. knew nothing about any col
~lections having been made from artists or
| should have stopped 1t. That isn't right,
| myself tried to interest several men OF
affairs in the Journal, some successfully,
Thew are the ones who should have been
approached, and If any considerable money
was collected IL came from them, | don't
suppose anything wrong has been done,
] dare say the money has been consumed
IN the usual expenses Of management
MIR. William Sartain. the artist, who is now
down AZ secretary Of the company, and
myself have tried to see Mr.. sawyer re-
peatedly OF late and ask for some informa-
ton on the status of the enterprise, but wa
have never been able to find him, haven't
heard from him in months, and so far AZ ]
have heard the journal il still going to be
put out If the funds can he raised,
MIR, Vonnoh declined to say what his
connection with the magazine had been,
For information on the money raised he re-
ferred the SrS eporter to Mr.. de Kay.
81 severed my connection with the man
agement some time ago" he said. The
thing has simply been a tzale. We just put
thing might GO. We lost the money, and
there's no use squealing about 1t. ! sup
pose what was raised has been eaten up
by the expense of management.
V. Luclen Sawyer has an Office in the
Billings Court Building at Fifth avenue
and Thirty-fourth street, as the American
Connoisseur Company. Tn Copartner-
ship Directory says Of the company: In
formation unattainable. " which tallies with
the experience Of the treasurer,