Edward Merrin and the Edward Merrin Gallery
Edward Merrin, former director of the Edward Merrin Gallery on Manhattan's 5th Avenue, holds an impressive history in the acquisition of antiquities. A keen appreciation of ancient art has inspired the dramatic, almost cinematic energy that Merrin has exhibited in auction houses like Christie's and Sotheby's, and this energy has been documented in national publications like The New York Times for decades. As the heir to the Merrin Gallery (formerly the Edward H. Merrin Gallery), Edward Merrin's son Sam Merrin is also the beneficiary of the many resources of his father. Edward Merrin, pre-eminent art acquisition expert and auction-house savant, has acquired through his years in the industry a wealth of knowledge and experience.
When the U.S. Bankruptcy Court ordered a liquidation of the art assets held by Nelson Bunker Hunt and William Herbert Hunt in the early 1990's, Sotheby's stepped in to host the first sale of the brothers' significant collection. Edward Merrin brought the auction to a record-breaking fever pitch, offering the final bid for an Etruscan bronze horse at $517,000, according to The New York Observer. Ed Merrin also bought two bronze Roman heads, a male and female pair, for $525,000 and $280,000 respectively. Edward Merrin's bids at this auction helped drive the sale to an incredible total sale of $11.4 million: for the market at that time, a remarkable sum. Robin Symes, a regular buyer for Malibu's Getty Museum, also made waves at the Hunt Brothers sale in his purchase of “A Fragmentary Attic Red-Figure Calyx Krater” bearing the signature of Euphronios. Robin Symes bought the extraordinary piece, dating from about 510 BC, for a whopping $1.76 million. The sale was noteworthy for its incredibly high sale price (more than twice the original estimate) and also for the fact that Symes did not reveal for whom he purchased the vase.
Edward Merrin's passion for his work lies in the opportunity to handle ancient works of art, like the Cycladic head, without the obstruction of a glass case. The daily opportunity to see and handle beautiful pieces of ancient art, many thousands of years old, has kept Edward Merrin energetically able to approach art acquisition and auctions with vigor and dynamism.
Edward Merrin and the Poetry of Common Elements
Urns have been created by human societies since
practically the dawn of creation, and Edward Merrin's
1986 “The Eternal Urn” perpetuated the idea of the
importance of such a traditional craft. Compiled at the
Edward Merrin Gallery show, appropriately titled
“The Eternal Urn,” Edward Merrin chose urns for their
uniqueness of shape and surface, guided by the idea of
ancient beauty found in vessels historically created for
quotidian purposes. Edward Merrin guided the inclusion
choices of eighteen ancient urn containers: vessels
chosen for their beauty and ancient craftsmanship. The
urns, which originally heralded from such faraway places
as Egypt, Greece, Inca, Colima, and Hawaii, showcase the
variety of shapes and designs capable of being
encapsulated in urn form.
A year after “The Eternal Urn,” Edward Merrin compiled
another show featuring the beauty of utilitarian objects:
a 1987 show simply titled, “The Chair Show.” “The Chair
Show,” which was held at the Merrin Gallery, featured Ed
Merrin's personal collection of upholstered, embroidered,
chiseled and carved seats from across the centuries and
seas. From the porcupine quill-work seat of a French
18th-Century chair to a Venetian gondola chair, the
chairs chosen as representatives of Edward Merrin's
exquisite chair collection were those which best
exhibited the ability for true art to permeate even the
most functional of objects.
Edward Merrin and Tufts University
Edward Merrin, an alumnus of Tufts University, credits the Massachusetts’ institution of higher education with both his personal and professional success. The school’s unprecedented commitment to diverse programs, superior instruction, academic excellence, and research studies drew Edward Merrin and other exemplary scholars like himself from all over the world to its classrooms, where students have been prepared to succeed in the fast-paced and forever changing world for over 150 years. The illustrious college, located on Walnut Hill in a suburb of Boston, is one of the finest schools in the country and is globally recognized for its emphasis on public service and internationalism, as well as its exceptional study-abroad programs, which work in fluid conjunction with the University’s dedication to equipping its students to become leaders and pioneers in their chosen professions. In addition to paving the way for the highly distinguished art admirer and philanthropist, Edward Merrin, Tufts University is well-known for turning out graduates that will go on to occupy a number of prestigious roles and serve in a variety of public and private capacities. The school has produced such outstanding individuals as Nobel Prize winners and world-renowned researchers, entertainers, entrepreneurs, and countless other prominent individuals. The school has also funded numerous breakthrough scientific and technological research projects.
Founded in 1852, Tufts University was originally established on a 20-acre plot of land purchased and donated by Charles Tufts for the purposes of forming a nonsectarian college. His gift, estimated at approximately 20,000 dollars, led to the establishment of today’s front running New England private research university, and his generous donation was the first of many the University has received over its long history. In March 2005, the President Lawrence S. Bacow of Tufts University announced that benefactors, two of which were Edward Merrin and his wife Vivian, had bequeathed significant contributions to the Tufts’ School of Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering in the amount of 13 million dollars. The University allocated the donations equally between the two schools, and the funds were allotted to benefit professors and students alike through a variety of scholarship and professorship programs.
Tufts University received the first donation in 2005 from an anonymous philanthropist who is known for being socially conscientious, a frequent volunteer, and a major donor to charitable and educational institutions. The patron committed a total of 10 million dollars to the two schools, and the finances have considerably enhanced Tuft’s endowments. Four million dollars of the contribution went towards the successful establishment of two endowed professorships, while another 4 million went to an endowment for undergraduate student financial aid. The remainder of the donation was reserved for graduate students. Thus far, the anonymous donation has been used to enhance the university’s already high standing academic community by attracting superior undergraduate and graduate students and world-renowned faculty members.
Edward Merrin, who graduated from Tufts University in 1950, was the second individual to contribute to the school in the 2005 academic year, and he and his wife planned their commitment of 3 million dollars to be endowed to the School of Arts and Sciences in conjunction with Edward Merrin’s 55th graduation anniversary. Over the years, the Edward Merrin family has donated a considerable amount of their time, energy, and wealth to benefit the students and faculty at Tufts University, and Edward Merrin even served as a member of the Board of Trustees from 1980 to 1991. The Merrins’ generosity has ensured the creation of several sponsorships, and their latest contribution was set aside at Edward Merrin’s request to become a professorship endowment at the School of Arts and Sciences to be disposed at the discretion of the Dean. Tufts University was exceedingly appreciative of Edward Merrin’s generous gift, which was committed with few specifications, giving the school flexibility to award the position to any scholar they deemed worthy. At the announcement of the two contributions, President Bacow stated: “Tufts is deeply grateful to these donors for their extraordinary generosity and their exemplary leadership as benefactors for the future of our university.” The Merrins specifically awarded the gift in honor of their son Seth Merrin, who graduated from the school in 1982 and went on to became a successful entrepreneur as the co-founder and CEO of Liquidnet Holdings, an electronic large-order, buy-side securities trading infrastructure provider.