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Our Dark Materials: Rediscovering an Egyptian Collection

Matilda C. Gray Hewes

(1833-1887)

Matilda Hewes was David Hewe's first wife. Matilda and David visited Egypt after they were married in 1877 as part of a two and a half year grand tour. While there, the couple met the influential early Egyptologist Heinrich Brugsch, who helped them acquire Egyptian antiquities as souvenirs of their trip. After she died, at least some of Gray Hewes' Egyptian artifacts passed to David Hewes' second wife, Anna Hewes, who was Jane Stanford's sister. Anna Hewes bequeathed her Egyptian collection to Stanford University when she died.

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(1832-1892)
Anna Hewes, Jane Stanford's sister, may have influenced the latter's interest in Egyptian travel. Hewes visited the country with her husband David Hewes in 1890 during an eighteen-month long grand tour taken after their 1889 wedding. The couple made the acquaintance of Émile Brugsch, who helped them acquire Egyptian antiquities as souvenirs of their trip. Anna Hewes bequeathed an Egyptian collection to Stanford's University Museum upon her death in 1892. It included pieces acquired from her own 1890 trip and the trip David Hewes took with his first wife, Matilda Hewes, in 1877.
Contents of this reply:
1. Matilda C. Gray Hewes
  (1833-1887)
  Matilda Hewes was David Hewe's first wife. Matilda and David visited Egypt after they were married in 1877 as part of a two and a half year grand tour. While there, the couple met the influential early Egyptologist Heinrich Brugsch, who helped them acquire Egyptian antiquities as souvenirs of their trip. After she died, at least some of Gray Hewes' Egyptian artifacts passed to David Hewes' second wife, Anna Hewes, who was Jane Stanford's sister. Anna Hewes bequeathed her Egyptian collection to Stanford University when she died.
2. Jane Lathrop Stanford
  (1828-1905)
  Jane Stanford supported her son Leland Stanford Jr.'s interest in archaeology and antiquities during his life and continued collecting in his memory after his death at the age of fifteen. When her husband, Leland Stanford, was alive, they both acquired and donated items from Egypt and other places for the Leland Stanford Junior Memorial University Museum. Her work continued after her husband's death, taking her on two trips to Egypt to network with dealers and acquire antiquities in person. Stanford's personal secretary, Bertha Berner, joined her for both trips: the first in 1901, the second in the winter of 1903/1904. Stanford worked closely with Harry Peterson, the first curator of the university's museum.
3. David Hewes
  (1822-1915)
  David Hewes took two trips to Egypt: one with his first wife, Matilda Hewes, in 1877; and one with his second wife, Anna Hewes (Jane Stanford's sister), in 1890. He collected antiquities during both stays. In 1877, it was with the help of the Egyptologist Heinrich Brugsch. In 1890, it was the Egyptologist's brother, Émile Brugsch, who assisted Hewes in finding choice pieces for his collection. Émile Brugsch apparently first wrote to Jane Stanford in 1890 on David Hewes' advice and later assisted her in her own Egyptian collecting.
4. Émile Charles Adalbert Brugsch
  (1842-1930)
  The Egyptologist Émile Brugsch served as assistant curator of the Boulaq Museum in Luxor, Egypt, under Gaston Maspero. Brugsch later became Director of the museum, which eventually moved to Cairo to form the core collection of the current Egyptian Museum. Brugsch's older brother, Heinrich Brugsch, was the more prominent Egyptologist. Émile Brugsch had been a saloon keeper in America, among other pursuits; his photographic skill was perhaps more relevant to his new profession in Egypt. He is known for his role as middleman between foreign collectors and Cairo-based dealers and museums with antiquities to sell. It is this role that connects him to Stanford: Émile Brugsch liaised between Jane Stanford and N. D. Kyticas and selected the antiquities included in that sale. Stanford may have met Brugsch through their mutual acquaintance, Chauncey Murch. Brugsch also sold her some of his wife's Egyptian collection. Brugsch was granted the honorific "Bey" by the government of Ottoman Egypt, an association so strong it is treated as part of his name in some of Stanford's records.
(1822-1915)
David Hewes took two trips to Egypt: one with his first wife, Matilda Hewes, in 1877; and one with his second wife, Anna Hewes (Jane Stanford's sister), in 1890. He collected antiquities during both stays. In 1877, it was with the help of the Egyptologist Heinrich Brugsch. In 1890, it was the Egyptologist's brother, Émile Brugsch, who assisted Hewes in finding choice pieces for his collection. Émile Brugsch apparently first wrote to Jane Stanford in 1890 on David Hewes' advice and later assisted her in her own Egyptian collecting.
Contents of this reply:
1. Émile Charles Adalbert Brugsch
  (1842-1930)
  The Egyptologist Émile Brugsch served as assistant curator of the Boulaq Museum in Luxor, Egypt, under Gaston Maspero. Brugsch later became Director of the museum, which eventually moved to Cairo to form the core collection of the current Egyptian Museum. Brugsch's older brother, Heinrich Brugsch, was the more prominent Egyptologist. Émile Brugsch had been a saloon keeper in America, among other pursuits; his photographic skill was perhaps more relevant to his new profession in Egypt. He is known for his role as middleman between foreign collectors and Cairo-based dealers and museums with antiquities to sell. It is this role that connects him to Stanford: Émile Brugsch liaised between Jane Stanford and N. D. Kyticas and selected the antiquities included in that sale. Stanford may have met Brugsch through their mutual acquaintance, Chauncey Murch. Brugsch also sold her some of his wife's Egyptian collection. Brugsch was granted the honorific "Bey" by the government of Ottoman Egypt, an association so strong it is treated as part of his name in some of Stanford's records.
2. Anna Maria Lathrop Hewes
  (1832-1892)
  Anna Hewes, Jane Stanford's sister, may have influenced the latter's interest in Egyptian travel. Hewes visited the country with her husband David Hewes in 1890 during an eighteen-month long grand tour taken after their 1889 wedding. The couple made the acquaintance of Émile Brugsch, who helped them acquire Egyptian antiquities as souvenirs of their trip. Anna Hewes bequeathed an Egyptian collection to Stanford's University Museum upon her death in 1892. It included pieces acquired from her own 1890 trip and the trip David Hewes took with his first wife, Matilda Hewes, in 1877.
3. Heinrich Ferdinand Karl Brugsch
  (1827-1894)
  Heinrich Brugsch was a prominent early Egyptologist and linguist. He did pioneering work on the translation of hieroglyphic and Demotic languages and is considered a founder of the field of Egyptology. Through his influence, Heinrich Brugsch secured a curatorial appointment at the Boulaq Museum for his younger brother Émile Brugsch, despite the latter's lack of experience. Jane Stanford's future brother-in-law David Hewes met Heinrich Brugsch during his 1877 honeymoon in Egypt, when Brugsch advised Hewes and first wife Matilda Hewes on their collecting. Their souvenirs were eventually bequeathed to Stanford University by Hewes' second wife, Anna Hewes.
4. Matilda C. Gray Hewes
  (1833-1887)
  Matilda Hewes was David Hewe's first wife. Matilda and David visited Egypt after they were married in 1877 as part of a two and a half year grand tour. While there, the couple met the influential early Egyptologist Heinrich Brugsch, who helped them acquire Egyptian antiquities as souvenirs of their trip. After she died, at least some of Gray Hewes' Egyptian artifacts passed to David Hewes' second wife, Anna Hewes, who was Jane Stanford's sister. Anna Hewes bequeathed her Egyptian collection to Stanford University when she died.
(1827-1894)
Heinrich Brugsch was a prominent early Egyptologist and linguist. He did pioneering work on the translation of hieroglyphic and Demotic languages and is considered a founder of the field of Egyptology. Through his influence, Heinrich Brugsch secured a curatorial appointment at the Boulaq Museum for his younger brother Émile Brugsch, despite the latter's lack of experience. Jane Stanford's future brother-in-law David Hewes met Heinrich Brugsch during his 1877 honeymoon in Egypt, when Brugsch advised Hewes and first wife Matilda Hewes on their collecting. Their souvenirs were eventually bequeathed to Stanford University by Hewes' second wife, Anna Hewes.
Contents of this reply:
1. David Hewes
  (1822-1915)
  David Hewes took two trips to Egypt: one with his first wife, Matilda Hewes, in 1877; and one with his second wife, Anna Hewes (Jane Stanford's sister), in 1890. He collected antiquities during both stays. In 1877, it was with the help of the Egyptologist Heinrich Brugsch. In 1890, it was the Egyptologist's brother, Émile Brugsch, who assisted Hewes in finding choice pieces for his collection. Émile Brugsch apparently first wrote to Jane Stanford in 1890 on David Hewes' advice and later assisted her in her own Egyptian collecting.
2. Matilda C. Gray Hewes
  (1833-1887)
  Matilda Hewes was David Hewe's first wife. Matilda and David visited Egypt after they were married in 1877 as part of a two and a half year grand tour. While there, the couple met the influential early Egyptologist Heinrich Brugsch, who helped them acquire Egyptian antiquities as souvenirs of their trip. After she died, at least some of Gray Hewes' Egyptian artifacts passed to David Hewes' second wife, Anna Hewes, who was Jane Stanford's sister. Anna Hewes bequeathed her Egyptian collection to Stanford University when she died.
3. Émile Charles Adalbert Brugsch
  (1842-1930)
  The Egyptologist Émile Brugsch served as assistant curator of the Boulaq Museum in Luxor, Egypt, under Gaston Maspero. Brugsch later became Director of the museum, which eventually moved to Cairo to form the core collection of the current Egyptian Museum. Brugsch's older brother, Heinrich Brugsch, was the more prominent Egyptologist. Émile Brugsch had been a saloon keeper in America, among other pursuits; his photographic skill was perhaps more relevant to his new profession in Egypt. He is known for his role as middleman between foreign collectors and Cairo-based dealers and museums with antiquities to sell. It is this role that connects him to Stanford: Émile Brugsch liaised between Jane Stanford and N. D. Kyticas and selected the antiquities included in that sale. Stanford may have met Brugsch through their mutual acquaintance, Chauncey Murch. Brugsch also sold her some of his wife's Egyptian collection. Brugsch was granted the honorific "Bey" by the government of Ottoman Egypt, an association so strong it is treated as part of his name in some of Stanford's records.

(1833-1887)

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This page has replies:

(1832-1892)

(1822-1915)

(1827-1894)

Contents of this reply:

(1822-1915)

(1827-1894)