Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in America

Garbisch, Bernice Chrysler print view role Collector dates 1906-1979 city New York City state NY other cities Palm Beach, FL; Paris, France; Detroit, MI; sex F historical notes Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch spent the nearly five decades of their married lives collecting art and objets d'art. Most famous for their collection of American naive paintings which was begun long before the genre became popular, they also bought fine examples of American furniture, glass, iron and brass work, Chinese and European porcelain, and French furniture and paintings of the Impressionist through modern periods. They did most of their buying in the 1940s and 1950s, though Bernice, daughter of the auto magnate Walter P. Chrysler, grew up in a home full of European art, and acquired some French Impressionist paintings long before they were fashionable. In the 1950's, they began making room for more acquisitions by donating works to museums, twenty-three museums in all. Edgar had been born in 1899, Bernice in 1907; they died within hours of each other at Dorchester County (Maryland) Hospital in December 1979. (3/14/2008: http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/pbio?1167) decades of activity 1930-1940 1940-1950 1950-1960 1960-1970 1970-1980 updated 02/14/2025 10:12:25 bibliographic search Search Frick Art Reference Library Catalog Search Photoarchive Search Worldcat Search Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF) Search Virtual International Authority File (VIAF) Search Wikidata Entry Archives/Repository Collection Title Collection Details Archives of American Art Victor Building, Suite 2200 Downtown Gallery records, 1824-1974, bulk 1926-1969 see details... see also: Garbisch, Edgar William «  back