The Antiquarian Heritage Collection

In December 2007 the Green Bay & De Pere Antiquarian Society purchased this significant collection of historical and artistic objects for $1.2 million dollars. The money was raised through a community-wide and beyond “Save our Cultural Heritage” campaign.

These nationally significant assets include the Matthew Brady Abraham Lincoln photograph signed by Lincoln, Presidential letters, Howard Pyle paintings, Middle Eastern oriental rugs, original art and historic artifacts.

Our partner, The Neville Public Museum exhibited the entire collection in 2008. The Museum will continue to hold the Collection in their care. The Green Bay & De Pere Antiquarian Society retains ownership.

We are pleased to present for your viewing: “THE ANTIQUARIAN HERITAGE COLLECTION”, which includes three categories: "HISTORIC WORKS", "ARTWORKS", and "ORIENTAL RUGS". Brief excerpts from each category comprising the Heritage Collection are listed below. You are encouraged to click on the links (e.g., "read and see more") to view our entire historic collection.

HISTORIC WORKS

1864 Signed photograph of Abraham Lincoln

Before and during Lincoln’s presidency, a man named Gustav Matile worked for John Hay, Lincoln’s personal assistant. Matile had frequent contact with Lincoln and often obtained the President’s signature on letters, documents, and photographs before and during the Civil War. The famous civil war photographer Matthew Brady took this photograph of Abraham Lincoln and his son Tad. It is one of only two such photographs in existence that are signed by Abraham Lincoln as “A. Lincoln and son.” After Lincoln’s assassination...

...click here to read and see more on Lincoln and other historic works and artifacts...

ARTWORK

Twenty-two Paintings by Howard Pyle 1853-1911 and Additional Historic Artwork

The paintings by Howard Pyle became a part of the Kellogg Library’s collection due to the close Friendship of Pyle and Alonzo Weston Kimball, a successful Green Bay business leader gifted the paintings to the community. Howard Pyle, a major Celebrated American artist of the early twentieth century, is known as the Father of American Illustration. His books and magazine illustrations were highly sought after in the late 19th century. The collection of Pyle paintings reflects all of the major types of subjects that Howard Pyle painted, including...

...click here to read and see more of Pyle's work and other artwork in our historic collection...

ORIENTAL RUGS

In addition to the Pyle collection, Alonzo Weston Kimball, a connoisseur of fine arts, gave the collection of textiles to the library. These one-of-a kind textiles were hand tied in the nineteenth century by Middle Eastern nomadic tribes. Included are very fine examples of weaving for Palaces and royalty families. This art form was a mainstay of the economies of ancient Persia, Caucasius, and Central Asia. The donor of these textiles intended to create a true collection, that is, a broad survey of examples of this specialized art form from a variety of nomadic tribes. The collection of these textiles together is much more valuable than...

...click here to read and see more of this beautiful Oriental Rug Collection...