Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-24

~. name of the unknown prospective
N a SlO00.0O0 art collection To
,,S ..1oS Sslnhia. which. according to \. b.
..,i, secretary Of the Chamber OF Com.
hss, Is conditioned on the erection of
A., museum by the city at an early
1 - still remains secret.
tyot for anything said Mr. Kelly,
y IN dlyulge the name or any particu-
n w connected with this matter. The man
4 !, nsrsonal friend OF mine; he is averse
] !. sysrythlng in the way of publicity and
/ .,r.r,lslnE. but when the art museum is
..,sred the full particulars will be given"
wben asked II the collection in ques-
,.,n was really worth Sl.OO0.00o. Mr..
+ v.i,v replied that he considered 1t worth
iAat amount or more.
NJ Kellys attention being called to
A, denlaIs Of such an offer by three of
dasdelphia's most noted art collectors,
. Y aid that there are a dozen men in
els clty owners of collections of that
ulue" .,e,u,
The Widencr collection Is universally
.oceded the most valuable in Philadel-
M the Rembrandt Mill" alone being
aimed at 100000, and while it has been
rrsstently rumored that Joseph f..
TAener who was left these art treas
mrs BY his father. p. A. b. Widener.
,opld eventually present them to the city,
M secretary. when told of the mysterious
|sssr said: Mr.. Wdener did not make
Ins offer"
4 similar denial came from John G..
Jhnson who owns an exceedingly valu-
,6e collection and is an art connoisseur
IN national reputnt'o on. Through his Sec
rtary he said that he has never author
Rd any one to say what he would do
Win his collection and has never discussed
he subject in any way.
Albert c. Barnes. of Merton, a noted
rllector Of examples of the modern
shOols Of art, Is authority for the state
n.nt that the only collections in Philadel-
yAh worth more than S1,OO0.OOO outside
lb own were those of John G. Johnson.
lossph E. Widener and John II. McFad-
i,n Mr.. McFadden's home is closed
Another notable collection Is that of
EdWard T. Stotesbury, but Mrs. Stotes-
hurry said that II Mr.. Stotesbury made
nch an offer she had never heard of it.
TIRED OF HOT AIR"
One Of the foremost art authorities in
'hlladepha said he was tired of hearing
Asse not air" stories about collectors
Onatlng their collections to the city. HAS
ny one" he asked, ever heard any one of
he six or seven in this city who own coll
etops Of the value of s1,OO0,OOO or up
ard say they would give their collec.
nns 70 the city? If they did I would be
Id TO know of 1t. II Mr. Kelly" he con-
ausd, knows of such n donor and such
collection he owes il to the people of
illadelphia TO name the man. The
amber Of Commerce is asked to hurry
an Art Museum TO house an art col
ruon which some man somewhere,
iown only 20 Mr.. Kelly. values at more
an 100000. A man could own one
eture by Rembrandt or Murillo or that
links are by those old masters and he
~ place value of 100000 on such a
CURE. 1t would only take two such pic
res to make a S1.OOO.000 collection. It's
70 Mr. Kelly to come out natfooted and
who his man Is IL he wants action on
new Museum of Art. What Phila-
y best and highest authenticated works
lpnia wants is nothing less than the
art for her public museums"