A Toledo city-owned collection of almost 3,000 19th-century engravings in danger of becoming homeless is expected to get a new home that will keep the art on public view.
An ordinance on next week’s Toledo City Council agenda would allow the city to gift the collection to Schedel Arboretum & Gardens, a 17-acre garden estate in Elmore that houses art, antiques, and plant collections from all over the world.
For the past 18 years, the Blair Museum of Lithophanes has been housed in a 1,500-square-foot building at the Toledo Botanical Garden, which is now owned by Metroparks Toledo. The Metroparks organization last year expressed its desire to use the building for a different purpose that would engage more visitors.
“We have not landed on any one particular idea or use for the building yet, but something that is opened year-round and adds to the visitor experience,” said Metroparks spokesman Scott Carpenter. “I’m happy to hear the collection has found a nice home.”
Lithophane is a European decorative art form dating to the early and mid-19th century in which images are carved into wax on thin porcelain. When the porcelain is backlit, the lights and darks in the carving are seen in detail and give it a three-dimensional look.
Local collector Laurel Blair amassed the collection and founded the museum in 1965, first opening it to the public in his Old West End home.
In 1993, shortly before his death, he forged an agreement with the city to take over ownership. The Blair Museum of Lithophanes opened at its current venue within the Artists’ Village at the gardens in 2002. It is overseen by a non-profit board, Friends of the Blair Museum, made up of volunteers who serve as docents and offer educational tours of the collection.
The ordinance before City Council next week keeps the original agreement between Blair and Toledo intact, said Gretchen DeBacker, legislative director for the city. That agreement authorized the city to have all or part of the collection on display at all times, and forbade the city from selling the collection.
“This collection is an item that is held by us in trust, and so for us to be able to sell the collection we would have to go to court and ask a judge to disband the trust. That's not something we are willing to do, to sell the collection,” she said. “We want to hold to the grantor’s original intentions here, which is to have the collection available for public view and public consumption, and we think this new location is going to do that.”
The ordinance also includes a request to authorize $5,000 in general fund expenditures to assist with relocation efforts. The city will continue to pay the estimated $5,000 in annual insurance costs until the collection is moved to Schedel, at which time the Friends of the Blair Museum will also be disbanded, Ms. DeBacker said.
Museum curator Julia LaBay Darrah did not return calls seeking comment.
She told The Blade in an interview last fall that there was not a recorded value for the collection, which includes pieces not only made in the traditional plaque shape, but for lamp shades, fireplace and table screens, lanterns, nightlights, and food and tea warmers. Lithophanes also were sometimes etched into the bottom of steins.
Ms. DeBacker said the collection was insured for $1 million.
Rod Noble, executive director of Schedel, declined comment until after City Council takes action on the measure. The gardens are overseen by the Joseph J. and Marie P. Schedel Foundation, the nonprofit arm that took over operations after the death of the estate’s founders, Joseph and Marie Schedel, who spent 50 years creating the sanctuary.
The gardens opened to the public in 1991.
First Published June 26, 2020, 10:25 p.m.
