Henry A. Greene
Encyclopedia
Henry Augustus Greene was a collector of ancient Greek coins and citizen of Providence, Rhode Island, USA. He had ties with the Rhode Island School of Design Museum
to whom he donated a variety of objects, and where his coin collection now resides.
as $3,500, an amount that placed the family in the upper middle class (this amount may be an underestimate, as 1860 was the first time this information was requested in the census and many people reported their personal estate as less than they actually were for taxation purposes).
As the son of a middle class textile merchant Greene was able to receive a private education, attending the Mowry and Goff School. By the age of 18 Greene was working as a “clerk in office”. He ultimately made real estate
his occupation, a profession that was in its early stages in the late nineteenth century. He was head of the Henry A. Greene Real Estate and Mortgage Firm for 60 years until his retirement in August 1945.
On 21 December 1907 Greene married Myra Irving Slack with whom he lived until his death on 9 July 1950, aged 88 years and 11 months. He was survived by his wife and two nieces, and was buried in Swan Point Cemetery, Providence.
(RISD Museum). From 1907 until the end of his life he donated an eclectic set of objects to the Museum, ranging from his great aunt’s sampler from 1798 to a pair of Cheyenne Moccasins to archaeological material from the Ancient Near East
. He also donated several books dealing with Greek coins and the study of numismatics
to the museum.
He corresponded with dealers and scholars regarding the acquisition of artefacts, and in one instance acted as a negotiator between and a dealer and the RISD Museum regarding a statuette from the 2nd century BCE.
ian cones from the reign of Gudea
in the 3rd Millennium BCE, a Sumerian cuneiform
tablet from the 3rd dynasty of Ur
, and an Akkadian cylinder seal. Greene’s correspondence with the museum also refers to donations of another “cuneiform tablet” and “a rare Babylonian seal cylinder of hematite”. The ancient Near Eastern artefacts were donated by Greene separately and intermittently between the years 1908 and 1944. The eclectic and sporadic nature of the donations indicates that the relationship to the museum, and public display of objects he acquired, was of greater importance to Greene than building a coherent collection of ancient Near Eastern material.
has been a popular category of artefacts for collectors since the Age of Enlightenment
, and continues to be so today. Greene devoted his most of his collecting energies towards ancient Greek coins and by the end of his life his collection numbered 361 specimens.
The collection was intricately tied to the RISD Museum, exhibited there on loan from 1909 until 1940. The Providence Sunday Journal announced the exhibition of these coins on 7 February 1909, stating that “it is a collection not excelled in some respects outside the great museums, and it may be doubted that there is in a private collection in this country a finer or more representative display of the most important coinages struck in European Greece than this of Mr. Greene’s”. The collection merited interest from several scholars, who wrote to Greene to request permission to study the coins. He also received several requests to have plaster casts made of specific coins, including one from the American Numismatic Society
.
Greene considered selling the collection to the Museum in 1917, but decided to retain ownership of the coins in order to continue to add to and improve the collection. The coins remained on loan until Greene negotiated its sale to the Museum in January 1940. Since then the RISD Museum has continued to acquire more coins for their collection. Although Greene’s original set of coins may form the core of the museum’s collection, it is not referred to as the Henry A. Greene collection.
Rhode Island School of Design Museum
Rhode Island School of Design Museum is a prominent art museum in Providence, Rhode Island affiliated with the well-known Rhode Island School of Design...
to whom he donated a variety of objects, and where his coin collection now resides.
Biography
Henry A. Greene was born the son of Charles Warren Greene and Anna Larned Greene on 5 August 1861 in Providence, RI. Charles W. Greene was a textile merchant and in the U.S Federal Census of 1860 reported his personal estate, or personal propertyPersonal property
Personal property, roughly speaking, is private property that is moveable, as opposed to real property or real estate. In the common law systems personal property may also be called chattels or personalty. In the civil law systems personal property is often called movable property or movables - any...
as $3,500, an amount that placed the family in the upper middle class (this amount may be an underestimate, as 1860 was the first time this information was requested in the census and many people reported their personal estate as less than they actually were for taxation purposes).
As the son of a middle class textile merchant Greene was able to receive a private education, attending the Mowry and Goff School. By the age of 18 Greene was working as a “clerk in office”. He ultimately made real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
his occupation, a profession that was in its early stages in the late nineteenth century. He was head of the Henry A. Greene Real Estate and Mortgage Firm for 60 years until his retirement in August 1945.
On 21 December 1907 Greene married Myra Irving Slack with whom he lived until his death on 9 July 1950, aged 88 years and 11 months. He was survived by his wife and two nieces, and was buried in Swan Point Cemetery, Providence.
Collecting Practices
Greene’s collecting practices were defined by his relationship with the Rhode Island School of Design MuseumRhode Island School of Design Museum
Rhode Island School of Design Museum is a prominent art museum in Providence, Rhode Island affiliated with the well-known Rhode Island School of Design...
(RISD Museum). From 1907 until the end of his life he donated an eclectic set of objects to the Museum, ranging from his great aunt’s sampler from 1798 to a pair of Cheyenne Moccasins to archaeological material from the Ancient Near East
Ancient Near East
The ancient Near East was the home of early civilizations within a region roughly corresponding to the modern Middle East: Mesopotamia , ancient Egypt, ancient Iran The ancient Near East was the home of early civilizations within a region roughly corresponding to the modern Middle East: Mesopotamia...
. He also donated several books dealing with Greek coins and the study of numismatics
Numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. While numismatists are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and the...
to the museum.
He corresponded with dealers and scholars regarding the acquisition of artefacts, and in one instance acted as a negotiator between and a dealer and the RISD Museum regarding a statuette from the 2nd century BCE.
Ancient Near Eastern artefacts
The ancient Near Eastern artefacts donated by Greene include two SumerSumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
ian cones from the reign of Gudea
Gudea
Gudea was a ruler of the state of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia who ruled ca. 2144 - 2124 BC. He probably did not come from the city, but had married Ninalla, daughter of the ruler Urbaba of Lagash, thus gaining entrance to the royal house of Lagash...
in the 3rd Millennium BCE, a Sumerian cuneiform
Cuneiform
Cuneiform can refer to:*Cuneiform script, an ancient writing system originating in Mesopotamia in the 4th millennium BC*Cuneiform , three bones in the human foot*Cuneiform Records, a music record label...
tablet from the 3rd dynasty of Ur
Ur
Ur was an important city-state in ancient Sumer located at the site of modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate...
, and an Akkadian cylinder seal. Greene’s correspondence with the museum also refers to donations of another “cuneiform tablet” and “a rare Babylonian seal cylinder of hematite”. The ancient Near Eastern artefacts were donated by Greene separately and intermittently between the years 1908 and 1944. The eclectic and sporadic nature of the donations indicates that the relationship to the museum, and public display of objects he acquired, was of greater importance to Greene than building a coherent collection of ancient Near Eastern material.
Ancient Greek Coin Collection
In contrast to the ancient Near Eastern and American objects that Greene donated to the RISD Museum, his collection of Greek coins was carefully built up over the years. Ancient Greek coinageAncient Greek coinage
The history of Ancient Greek coinage can be divided into three periods, the Archaic, the Classical, and the Hellenistic. The Archaic period extends from the introduction of coinage to the Greek world in about 600 BCE until the Persian Wars in about 480 BCE...
has been a popular category of artefacts for collectors since the Age of Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
, and continues to be so today. Greene devoted his most of his collecting energies towards ancient Greek coins and by the end of his life his collection numbered 361 specimens.
The collection was intricately tied to the RISD Museum, exhibited there on loan from 1909 until 1940. The Providence Sunday Journal announced the exhibition of these coins on 7 February 1909, stating that “it is a collection not excelled in some respects outside the great museums, and it may be doubted that there is in a private collection in this country a finer or more representative display of the most important coinages struck in European Greece than this of Mr. Greene’s”. The collection merited interest from several scholars, who wrote to Greene to request permission to study the coins. He also received several requests to have plaster casts made of specific coins, including one from the American Numismatic Society
American Numismatic Society
The American Numismatic Society is a New York City-based organization dedicated to the study of coins and medals.-Introduction:...
.
Greene considered selling the collection to the Museum in 1917, but decided to retain ownership of the coins in order to continue to add to and improve the collection. The coins remained on loan until Greene negotiated its sale to the Museum in January 1940. Since then the RISD Museum has continued to acquire more coins for their collection. Although Greene’s original set of coins may form the core of the museum’s collection, it is not referred to as the Henry A. Greene collection.