A. Reynolds Morse & Eleanor R. Morse

Albert Reynolds Morse ("Reynolds") (October 20, 1914 – August 15 2000) and Eleanor Reese Morse ("Eleanor") were a husband and wife team of American industrialists and philanthropists.

Reynolds was born in Denver, Colorado to Anna and Bradish P. Morse. His father ran the specialist mining and machinery concern, Morse Brothers Machinery Company. His mother was the daughter of pioneer Albert Eugene Reynolds.

Reynolds graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He then took an MBA at the Harvard Business School. For a decade after his MBA, Reynolds worked in industry before starting his own firm, Injection Molders Supply Company in 1949.

Eleanor was the daughter of Cleveland pharmaceuticals manufacturer George Reese.

The Morses married in 1943. They had one son, Brad.

Reynolds had many business, writing and collecting interests in addition to the collection of Salvador Dalí’s paintings which he and Eleanor built up and to running Injection Molders Supply Company. For instance, he published “Injection Molding News”; added to the rock collection of the Denver Natural History Museum where he was a trustee; and he collected George Elbert Burr manuscript materials which he donated to the Denver Public Library.

Reynolds also authored "George Elbert Burr: Etcher of the American West" and published an anthology of his own, which he called "Some Fifty Unprofessional Poems", as well as "Gold Links Tailings" in memory of his maternal grandfather. Reynolds collected and wrote about the works of M. P. Shiel. Reynolds' "The Works of M. P. Shiel" was published in 1948; he later turned this work into a four-tome set and added "The Quest for Redonda and The New King". In 1989 Reynolds donated his Shiel collection to Olin Library at Rollins College.

The Morses' diligent collecting and their friendship with Gala and Salvador Dalí produced a valuable art collection that is now housed in the Salvador Dalí Museum in St.Petersburg, Florida. The Salvador Dalí Museum is said to be the world's most comprehensive collection of Dalí's works. [Lubar, Robert S., "Dalí: the Salvador Dalí Museum Collection", Bullfinch Press, Little, Brown and Company Inc., Boston, 2000, page "v" Dedication]

The year of their marriage the Morses began their long friendship with Dalí and on 21 March 1943 acquired their first Dalí work, "Daddy Longlegs of the Evening - Hope!"; early in April 1943 they acquired "The Archaeological Reminiscence of Millet's "Angelus"". Over time, becoming patrons of Dalí, the Morses acquired works by Dalí which they found both captivating and intriguing. Their absorption by the artist's work led Reynolds to author numerous studies of Dalí and his "œuvre" and Eleanor to translate from French to English numerous books about Dalí and his "œuvre". In 1969, the Morses purchased "The Hallucinogenic Toreador", before it was completed.

From 1971 to 1980, the Morses' considerable Dalí collection was on show at Beachwood, Ohio, USA at the Salvador Dalí Museum, which was established there in a wing of their buiness premises. During that time the collection grew and required larger accommodation.

The Morses began the search for a new, permanent home for their collection. After seeing an article in the "Wall Street Journal", "U.S. Art World Dillydallies over Dalí", St Petersburg attorney James W. Martin persuaded local leaders to approach the Morses to choose St Petersburg. With the financial support of the City of St Petersburg and the State of Florida, the collection was housed in the Salvador Dalí Museum in St Petersburg, Florida, which opened in March 1980, and where the collection remains.

"Sharing their knowledge and understanding of Salvador Dalí and his art has been a lifelong mission for this dedicated couple." [ibid.]

Notes

External links

* [http://salvadordalimuseum.org/ Salvador Dalí Museum website]
* [http://artarchives.si.edu/guides/site-diaries/index.cfm/fuseaction/collections.Detailcollection/CollectionID/6503/CollectionGuideID/455/ Smithsonian "Archives of American Art"] referring to Mr Morse's Journals, 1956-1973, in which (amongst other topics) the subject of lending art works, the carelessness of the museums, and insurance issues are discussed.
* [http://library.rollins.edu/ Olin Library, Florida] The A. Reynolds Morse collection is located in the Shiel Room of the Olin Library, 1000 Holt Avenue, Rollins College, Winter Park FL 32789, 407-646-2521.