For many years the last great private U. S. art collection has hung on the walls of Lynnewood Hall, a chill, pedimented mansion in Elkins Park, Philadelphia suburb. The collection was begun by Peter Arrell Brown Widener, onetime butcher's boy, who made his pile in Civil War meat contracts and later streetcar franchises. His second and only surviving son, Joseph Early Widener, winnowed P. A. B.'s 700 pictures, made many a swap, bought only the best, until 100 canvases, all good and many masterpieces, glowed like jewels in Lynnewood Hall. The Widener collection was valued as high as $50,000,000.
Last week Joe...
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