Audio Clip of Lecture to Brown Alumni by John Nicholas Brown II (1975)
This is a 10 second clip taken from a much longer recording of John Nicholas Brown speaking to Brown Alumni at Newport about the founding of Brown University. Here it is used as an illustration for his biography.
Digital copy created by the John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage
Article of Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection Transfer by The Providence Sunday Journal (1982)
This is an article from the Sunday Journal in 1982 of Mrs. Brown’s military collection being transferred to the John Hay Library. The Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection is the foremost American collection of material devoted to the history and iconography of soldiers and soldiering, and is one of the world's largest collections devoted to the study of military and naval uniforms. It was formed over a period of forty years by the late Mrs. John Nicholas Brown (1906-1985) of Providence and is still growing. It contains approximately 14,000 printed books, 18,000 albums, sketchbooks, scrapbooks and portfolios, (containing thousands of prints and drawings), and over 15,000 individual prints, drawings and water-colors as well as a collection of 6,000 miniature lead soldiers. Formerly in the Brown family residence (the Nightingale-Brown House, 1791), the entire collection (which was probably the largest private military collection in the world), was presented to Brown University and transferred to Special Collections located in the John Hay Library in 1982.
Digital copy of item held at the John Hay Library, Brown University
Photograph of Original Music Room (Early 20th Century)
The music room was not part of the original house construction, and was divided into two rooms by presumably, John Carter Brown who removed a portion of the wall with a framed archway, separating the space into two rooms. In the 1920s, John Nicholas Brown II removed the archway and added a mantle. His changes to the music room transformed the room into a more open space. In the 19th century, the room was used as a drawing room. Unlike the parlor, which was more formal in nature, this was a room where the host could bring guests, either before or after dinner, to entertain and converse casually. When John and his new wife Anne took up residence in 1930, the drawing room became a music room, reflecting the couple’s mutual interest. Although they had very different personalities, John and Anne appreciated each other’s artistic passions, and invited famous musicians to play at their home or performed as a family quintet for guests. John played the cello, Anne played the violin, and their children played the violin and piano. John and Anne were also active in musical philanthropy. John Nicholas Brown II founded the St. Dunstan’s College of Sacred Music in 1929, and Anne started the the Newport Music Festival in 1969.
Photograph of New Mantle by John Nicholas Brown II (Approx. 1920s)
In the 1920s, John Nicholas Brown II removed the archway from the music room and added a mantle. His changes to the music room transformed the room into a more open space. In the 19th century, the room was used as a drawing room. Unlike the parlor, which was more formal in nature, this was a room where the host could bring guests, either before or after dinner, to entertain and converse casually. When John and his new wife Anne took up residence in 1930, the drawing room became a music room, reflecting the couple’s mutual interest.
Photograph of Sylvia Brown and James (1970)
This is a picture of Sylvia and James performing in the music room.
Photograph of Music Room Performance (1962)
This is a photo of John Carter and his children performing in the music room.
Letter to Carpet Maker by John Nicholas Brown II (December 5, 1968)
This is a scan of a letter to carpet maker, Jacques Muiden, from John Nicholas Brown. The needlepoint rug was handmade by Portuguese carpet maker, Jacques Yesel Muiden who worked with John Nicholas Brown in the spring of 1968 in designing a needlepoint rug for the room. Its design was to complement the wallpaper in the room as well. From Brown and Muiden’s letter correspondences, it was recorded that the Browns tremendously liked the rug and noted that “the colors are soft and go in very well with the wallpaper.” The rug was purchased for $925, made in Lisbon, Portugal and of 100% wool. It was delivered in March 1969. Mr. Brown was particular in the way that he wanted the rug to fit in with the room architecturally. He specifically noted that he felt strongly against having a wide and significant border using the same pattern as in the center oval of the rug; instead, he hoped that Jacques would derive from the sample wallpaper he provided such as small bunches of roses, so the central oval would create a more visual impact.
World's Richest Baby Joins the Navy by Milton Lehman (August 23rd, 1947)
A society/tabloid article documenting John Nicholas Brown II's new post in the Navy. Here used as an illustration of John Nicholas Brown's "10 million dollar baby" nickname.
Photograph of Scagliola table purchased by Anne S.K. Brown (June 25, 1934)
In 1934, Anne S.K. Brown bought these scagliola side tables as a defining feature of the music room. The tables were versatile, and could hold guests’ drinks, lamps, or other decorations. An Italian architectural technique popularized by the Medici family, Scagliola substituted cheaper material for expensive marble inlays. As this practice became more widespread and popular, scagliola furniture and art became more refined and valued at higher prices. The Browns bought this furniture at the height of its popularity and may well have paid as much for it as for real marble. Conservators repaired the inlay on these original tables during the reconstruction of the house.
Appraisal of Canterbury by Anne Brown (November 30th, 1945)
This is the appraisal receipt of the Canterbury from a firm in NY. In 1934, Mrs. Brown discovered this music rack, called a Canterbury, for $30 at the Boat Yard Shop in Bristol, RI. Made of mahogany, and dated to England, 1810, the rack is described as a rectangular Canterbury with “fretted ends, fitted with four open partitions with inversely arched cross rails.” In 1945, Mrs. Brown had the Canterbury appraised for $250 in New York. The history of the Canterbury dates back to the eighteenth century, when Thomas Sheraton was the first to record the term “Canterbury” in his Cabinet Dictionary. He referred to it as two different pieces of furniture with one being a small music stand with divisions for holding loose sheet music. When sheet music became popular, due to new printing technologies, the Canterbury became an accessory to the piano, which was appearing in middle and upper class homes. It took on many styles of interior design, ranging from Georgian simplicity to Victorian exuberance and even to Chinese styles. The Browns used this Canterbury as a music stand, similar those in English homes during the 19th century.