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ROSENBERG LIBRARY TO BEGIN
“TREASURE
OF THE MONTH” PROGRAM
In March 2006, the Galveston Daily News
officially began to run a special feature highlighting the
“Treasure of the Month” from the Rosenberg Library.
In this way,
the library was able to share some of its hidden treasures with
the people of Galveston
 for
whom these objects are preserved.
The selected “Treasure of the
Month” was initially on display on the third floor of Rosenberg
Library in the Hutchings Gallery.
The Rosenberg Library has been acquiring exotic artifacts
for the museum collection for more than a century.
From its beginnings in 1904, the
library has functioned as more than a book repository.
The library accepted its first
museum piece—an enlarged photograph of the ruins at the
Parthenon—shortly after the building opened in 1904.
Since then, thousands of rare and
interesting objects have been added.
For decades, generous Galvestonians
have donated valuable works of art and historical artifacts, and
as a result, Rosenberg Library holds an impressive and diverse
museum collection in addition to its book and archival
collections.
The museum collection at Rosenberg Library consists of
thousands of objects.
These range
from early Texas
relics—such as Santa Anna’s smoking cap and Sam Houston’s
dueling pistols—to European paintings from the 1700s.
There
are firearms and sabers used during the Civil War as well as
Victorian wedding dresses.
The collection
contains artifacts from around the world, including
Egypt,
Japan, Australia, and the Middle
East.
Today
the library focuses on collecting items that are relevant to
Galveston
and Texas
history.
Paintings by
Julius Stockfleth, Paul Schumann, Boyer Gonzales, and other
Galveston
artists comprise a significant portion of the collection.
The selected treasures for the
month of March 2006 were a silver coin from
Israel
from 142 B.C., an Italian dagger used by Mussolini’s fascist
militia, and French cameo glass designed by Emile Galle.
Photo Captions:
1.
Coin:
Silver shekel
from Israel.
Dates to the
time of Simon Maccabeus, High Priest in
Jerusalem, 142 B.C-135 B.C.
2.
Dagger:
Weapon issued
to members of the Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazional
in Italy.
The MVSN was the fascist militia
under Benito Mussolini’s dictatorship (1922-1943).
3.
Art Glass:
French Cameo glass designed by
Emile Galle, ca. 1889-1904.
Galle was a leader in the Art Nouveau movement
during the late 19th century.
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