Book cover

Object Details

• Provenance

  ?-1923

  Likely Rudolf Meyer Riefstahl (1880-1936), method of acquisition unknown [1]

  1923

  Sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, Charles Vignier, "Liquidation de Biens Meyer-Riefstahl: Ayant fait l'objet d'une mesure de séquestre de guerre, première vente," April 23-24, 1923, lot 209 [2]

  From at least 1927-1942

  Henri Vever (1854-1942), method of acquisition unknown [3]

  1942-1947

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947), bequest of Henri Vever [4]

  1947-1986

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003), bequest of Jeanne Louise Monthiers and Henri Vever [5]

  From 1986

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased from Francois Mautin [6]

  Notes:

  [1] See Hôtel Drouot, Charles Vignier, "Liquidation de Biens Meyer Riefstahl: Ayant fait l'objet d'une mesure de séquestre de guerre, première vente," [auction catalogue] (Paris: Hôtel Drouot, April 23-24, 1923) lot 209. In the inventory prepared in 1986 reportedly based on an appraisal prepared by M. A. Densmore, this book cover came from the Meyer Riefstahl Collection as part of a group of "four bindings with geometric designs in gold and blind." See object file for copy of appraisal. Rudolf Meyer Riefstahl was a German-American art historian specializing in medieval Islamic art. At the beginning of World War I, Meyer Riefstahl relocated from Paris, France, to New York City, where he eventually became a professor at the Institute of Fine Arts.

  Meyer Riefstahl left his art collection in Paris and the French government sequestered the collection as an "Enemy Alien Asset." The collection was sold in two auctions, the first in 1923 and the second in 1925.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] An accomplished French jeweler and collector, Henri Vever (1854-1942) amassed a large and impressive collection of works of art during his lifetime. His holdings in Japanese prints and Islamic arts of the books, especially from Iran and India, were among the most important assembled in the early twentieth century.

  It is unclear if Vever acquired this book cover from the Meyer Riefstahl sequestration sale (see notes 1 and 2) or if he purchased them from an intermediary. Regardless, it is likely that Vever owned the book cover by 1927. That year ,Vever loaned one of the other Meyer Riefstahl book covers (S1986.9) to the Gemeente Museum in the Hague, see Gemeente Museum, "Catalogus: Tentoonstelling van Islamische Kunst" [exhibition catalogue] (s-Gravenhage, 15 May--3 July 1927), no. 42.

  [4] Upon Henri Vever's death on September 25, 1942, his wife, Jeanne Louise Monthiers inherited the book cover. See exhibits F and G of Agreement of Purchase and Sale of the Henri Vever Collection, January 9, 1986, copy in object file.

  [5] Upon the death of Jeanne Louise Monthiers, as stipulated in the will of Henri Vever, the family's assets were divided evenly between his two grandchildren. His only grandson, Francois Mautin inherited the collection known as "The Henri Vever Collection of Oriental Art and Manuscripts Including Persian and Indian Art and Manuscripts." This book cover is part of that collection. See exhibits F and G as cited in note 4.

  [6] The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased the entirety of the collection from Francois Mautin on January 9, 1986. See purchase agreement, copy in object file.

  Research completed on February 21, 2022.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Previous custodian or owner

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003)

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947)

  Henri Vever (1854-1942)

  Rudolf Meyer Riefstahl (1880-1936)

• Origin

  Egypt or Syria

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Book

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1500s, 1300s

• Name

  Mautin, Francois Albert, Riefstahl, Rudolf Meyer, Monthiers, Jeanne Louise, Vever, Henri

• Place

  Egypt

• Topic

  Art, Mamluk period (1250 - 1517), Henri Vever collection, Arts of the Islamic World, Leatherwork

• Culture

  Muslims, Syrians

• Object Type

  Books