Bringing home the mummies

Letter from Samuel W. Brown to Cuyler Reynolds, 1909
Letter from Samuel W. Brown to Cuyler Reynolds, 1909

The Albany Institute of History and Art collection includes this fabulous 1909 letter, on the letterhead of Cairo’s Eden Palace Hotel (with electric light and a lift!). The letter is from Samuel W. Brown, a noted businessman in the coffee, spice and mustard trade (Bacon, Stickney was his company) who was also on the board of trustees of the Institute. It was written to Cuyler Reynolds, the curator of the Institute, and it betrays a certain frustration with Reynolds’s expectations for Brown’s trip to Egypt to procure artifacts to bring back to Albany:

“Mr. Cuyler Reynolds

My Dear Mr. Reynolds

I received your letter with enclosures as stated I called at the U.S. Consulate several times but did not find Mr. Berry; later on learned that he was not connected with the Consulate but was a “Judge” of the Tribunal Court here. I called at his hotel then but did not see him there. He called on me at my hotel last evening. He did not hesitate to inform me that he could do little to assist me as he was not acquainted with the Director of the Museum. I am at a loss to understand why you should expect to get any of the Museum Curios for nothing. The Museum is a Government affair and everything going out of the Museum must be paid for at a fixed price whether for a museum or private collection. These people are not in the Museum business for their health, and I fully learned of that fact when I was in Cairo four years ago.

I called on the Director the following day and And made my wants Known to him and have secured two Mummy’s [sic] which I am having packed for shipment. I have written to Mr. Ten Eyck the details of the transaction and I hope that they will be in Albany before I reach home.

We are having a delightful time Bright warm weather.

Sincerely Yours

Samuel W. Brown”

Whatever his frustrations, Brown was successful and brought back the mummies that reside in the Institute to this day. Except for when they’re taken out for medical experiments.

Later this year they’ll be the subject of a new exhibition at the Albany Institute.

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