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      You are here: Home / Agriculture / Prize-Winning Ayrshire Paintings Restored

      Prize-Winning Ayrshire Paintings Restored

      November 11, 2014 By Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

      Henry Higginson with hunting dogs
      Henry Higginson with hunting dogs (Credit: Olive Alexander)

      The photo above is of Henry Higginson, but not certain if taken in Massachusetts or England. He was the original owner of “Sheldon Farm” and the property went all the way to the Westport line. My grandfather purchased it from his widow.~Olive Alexander

      Have you ever heard of Sheldon Farm? This property in Essex, NY goes by another name today so perhaps this older name doesn’t ring a bell?

      Here’s a short history of the farm:

      Early last Century, Henry Lee Higginson, founder of the Boston Symphony, assembled a dairy and timber farm known as Sheldon Farm.

      Higginson hired Superintendent Harry W. Albee [… and] Albee and Higginson bred and showed purebred Ayrshires that won championship at fairs in Milwaukee, Chicago, Toronto, Springfield, and Buffalo, which made Sheldon Farm renowned as an outstanding Ayrshire breeding farm.

      In 1930, the Higginson family sold the farm to Albee, who raised Hereford beef cattle for over 25 years. In 1959, his widow sold the property to the Heurich family of Washington, DC, who renamed this beautiful property Split Rock Farm. (AdirondackDreams.com)

      Prize-Winning Ayrshire Paintings

      As you learned above, Sheldon Farm was known for its well-bred Ayrshire cattle. Beautiful paintings of two of these prize-winning Ayrshires, Nancy and Toreador, were recently restored by Emily Phillips of Phillips Art Conservation.

      In this first photo, which was taken during treatment, you can see the discoloration in the left side of the painting and the restoration work that Emily Phillips has done on the right side of the painting. What a remarkable difference!

      Painting of the Alexander family's prize winning bull Toreador. (During treatment by Phillips Art Conservation LLC)
      Painting of prize winning bull Toreador. (During treatment by Phillips Art Conservation LLC)

      Take a look at the finely done complete restoration of two paintings below.

      (Click an image to see full size and read captions.)

      Painting of the Alexander family's prize winning bull Torrado. (After treatment by Phillips Art Conservation LLC)
      Painting of prize winning bull Toreador. (After treatment by Phillips Art Conservation LLC)
      Painting of the Alexander family's prize winning cow Nancy. (After treatment by Phillips Art Conservation LLC)
      Painting of prize winning cow Nancy. (After treatment by Phillips Art Conservation LLC)

      And one last tidbit to leave you with:

      There is one interesting fact about Toreador – he always led the final parade at the Eastern States Exposition, after drinking a pint of scotch! ~Olive Alexander

      Related articles
      • Barbara Irish Smith Shares Memories of Her Childhood in Essex (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
      • Artist Edward Cornell and The Art Farm (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
      • Gastro Tourism in Essex, New York (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
      • Got Dinner Plans in 2015? Meet Reber Meat (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
      • DaCy Dinner with Chef Kevin McCarthy (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

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      Filed Under: Agriculture, Arts, Heritage Tagged With: Ayrshires, Cattle, Emily Phillips, Gastro-tourism, Harry W. Albee, Henry Lee Higginson, Nancy, Olive Alexander, painting, Phillips Art Conservation Studio LLC, Sheldon Farm, Split Rock Farm, Toreador

      About Editorial Staff

      Posts published under the Editorial Staff byline are drawn from press releases and other notices, and/or they may be first-time submissions from someone/some organization without a byline of their own; if latter, then the author will be acknowledged in the post. To submit your news for publication on the Essex blog please use the Submit a Story form or contact the editors via email (blue button above), Facebook or Twitter.

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