G. ROBITZER (American, 19th/20th Century) THE OWL CLUB.

G. ROBITZER (American, 19th/20th Century) THE OWL CLUB. Oil on canvas interior scene shows a man seated in a red leather armchair in a library setting. He holds a quill pen in one hand while the other hand grasps his crossed leg. His head is larger than life accentuated like a caricature. He is being addressed by a small thin oriental man holding his hat in one hand and a large ledger book titled “APPLICANT FOR ADMISSION” in his other hand. Beside the red leather chair is a red leather book titled “RECORDS OF THE OWL CLUB”; also there is a large brown owl between the chair and the book. In the background are bookcases laden with books and atop two of the bookcases are perched two owls. At a library table with bookcases below is seen a distinguished gentleman seated reading a book. NOTE: This scene may represent a depiction of Harry Elkins Widener (1885-1912). He was a 1907 graduate of Harvard College, where he was a member of the Owl Club. In April of 1912 he and his mother and father boarded the ill fated RMS Titanic at Cherbourg, France bound for New York City. After the ship struck an iceberg, his father placed his mother and her maid in a lifeboat; the women were eventually rescued by the steamship Carpathia. Henry Elkins Widener and his father both went down with the ship and their bodies were never recovered. His widowed mother built the Harry Elkins Widener library, the largest university library in the world, in his memory. She also bought a house in Watertown for Lieut. Col. William V. Cote of the English Military and Naval Veterans of Massachusetts and Rhode Island who was the steward of the Owl Club of Harvard University. One of the club’s most famous members was Edward M. Kennedy (‘54-’56). The club is currently housed at 30 Holyoke Street in Cambridge. It was founded in 1896 as a secret society under the Greek name for Pipe and Mug. In 1897, the club moved to a house at 97 Mt. Auburn Street, changed its name to Phi Delta Psi and abandoned its status as a secret society. The club moved into its current location in 1906 and changed its name to the Owl Club in 1916. PROVENANCE: From a fine Massachusetts home. CONDITION: Very good, some inpainting. 9-22115 (5,000-10,000)

Auction: Fine Art, Antiques & Asian - August 2011

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	3075	$10,350.00	G. ROBITZER (American, 19th/20th Century) THE OWL CLUB. Oil on canvas interior scene shows a man seated in a red leather armchair in a library setting. He holds a quill pen in one hand while the other hand grasps his crossed leg. His head is larger than life accentuated like a caricature. He is being addressed by a small thin oriental man holding his hat in one hand and a large ledger book titled “APPLICANT FOR ADMISSION” in his other hand. Beside the red leather chair is a red leather book titled “RECORDS OF THE OWL CLUB”; also there is a large brown owl between the chair and the book. In the background are bookcases laden with books and atop two of the bookcases are perched two owls. At a library table with bookcases below is seen a distinguished gentleman seated reading a book. NOTE: This scene may represent a depiction of Harry Elkins Widener (1885-1912). He was a 1907 graduate of Harvard College, where he was a member of the Owl Club. In April of 1912 he and his mother and father boarded the ill fated RMS Titanic at Cherbourg, France bound for New York City. After the ship struck an iceberg, his father placed his mother and her maid in a lifeboat; the women were eventually rescued by the steamship Carpathia. Henry Elkins Widener and his father both went down with the ship and their bodies were never recovered. His widowed mother built the Harry Elkins Widener library, the largest university library in the world, in his memory. She also bought a house in Watertown for Lieut. Col. William V. Cote of the English Military and Naval Veterans of Massachusetts and Rhode Island who was the steward of the Owl Club of Harvard University. One of the club’s most famous members was Edward M. Kennedy (‘54-’56). The club is currently housed at 30 Holyoke Street in Cambridge. It was founded in 1896 as a secret society under the Greek name for Pipe and Mug. In 1897, the club moved to a house at 97 Mt. Auburn Street, changed its name to Phi Delta Psi and abandoned its status as a secret society. The club moved into its current location in 1906 and changed its name to the Owl Club in 1916. PROVENANCE: From a fine Massachusetts home. CONDITION: Very good, some inpainting. 9-22115 (5,000-10,000) Auction: Fine Art, Antiques & Asian - August 2011 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

.red{fill:#B50938;} .white{fill:#FFFFFF;} .blue{fill:#005596;}