Lessing J. Rosenwald

Lessing Julius Rosenwald (February 10 1891–June 24, 1979)citation
last=Gaige | first=Jeremy | author-link=Jeremy Gaige
year=1987 | title=Chess Personalia, A Biobibliography
publisher=McFarland
isbn=0-7864-2353-6
page=361] was an American businessman and collector of rare books and art.

Biography

Born in Chicago, Lessing J. Rosenwald was the son of Julius Rosenwald, a clothier who became part-owner and was president of Sears, Roebuck and Company from 1908–1923, and chairman from 1923–1932. Lessing went to work for Sears in 1911 as a shipping clerk, and in 1920, was given the important responsibility of opening a catalog supply center for the growing mail-order company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He resided for many years in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Succeeding his father, he was Chairman of Sears from 1932 until 1939, when he dedicated himself full-time to collecting rare books and art. In 1943, he pledged to donate his collections to the Library of Congress and the National Gallery of Art, both located in Washington, DC, after his death. Rosenwald was also a chess enthusiast, and donated money to support American chess. He sponsored the U.S. Chess Championship in the 1950s. Rosenwald died in Jenkintown.

Notes

Further reading

*"The New York Times", June 26, 1979, p. C17, c. 1–2

External links

* [http://www.abingtonartcenter.org/aboutrosen.html Abington Art Center]
* [http://www.loc.gov/rr/rarebook/coll/211.html Library of Congress, The Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection]
* [http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/ggfound/ggfound-43145.0.html National Gallery of Art, founding donor, Lessing J. Rosenwald]