Alma de Bretteville Spreckels Scrapbook, 1922 - 1925

Item — Box: 1

Staff Only

Alma Spreckels Scrapbook

Scope and Contents

The scrapbook includes mostly newspaper clippings from all over the world, as well as event invitations and correspondence, that document the life and influence of Alma de Bretteville Spreckels around the time of her co-founding of the Legion of Honor in 1924.

Many of the clippings surround the founding of the Legion of Honor, including its approval, construction, and the curation of the collection. The clippings also cover events in the art world as a whole as well as in her circle of influence, including: life events of French sculptor Auguste Rodin, the close relationship between Alma and Queen Marie of Romania who gifted Alma a replica of her crown, as well as Alma's transfer of the first Springer Spaniel to the U.S.

Some clippings are in French and Italian, as Alma's influence reached around the globe and especially in Europe.

The bulk of the clippings date from 1922-1924.

Dates

Creation: 1922 - 1925

Conditions Governing Access

These scrapbooks are closed to use for preservation concerns. They are fragile due to their age and the nature of how they were compiled. They are at risk of being ripped or damaged if handled incorrectly. The collection is still in process.

Biographical / Historical

Born on March 24, 1881 in the Outer Sunset district of San Francisco, California, Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, known as "Big Alma," was a philanthropist, socialite, mother, art enthusiast, and major influence in San Francisco and around the world. In 1924, she opened the San Francisco art museum the Legion of Honor along with her husband, sugar magnate Adolph B. Spreckels.

As a teenager, she served as the model for the statue at the top of the Dewey Monument that still stands today in Union Square in San Francisco. This caught the eye of Adolph B. Spreckels whose father Claus Spreckels founded the Spreckels Sugar Company in 1881. Spreckels was one of the wealthiest and most eligible bachelor's in San Francisco and married Alma in 1908. Together they had three children, Alma Emma, Adolph Bernard Jr., and Dorothy Constance. Alma died at age 87 on August 7, 1968.

Alma not only served as the matriarch of the Spreckels family, but she was also a social influence in San Francisco, California and around the world. She played host to kings and queens and other world powers. She was a political influence as well and in 1923 was appointed a Special Envoy of the U.S. Department of Labor to investigate women's industrial working conditions in Europe.

Alma was introduced to the art of the French sculptor and painter Auguste Rodin by her friend entertainer, Loie Fuller. Through this relationship, Alma was inspired to become a patron of the arts. Which led her to found the Legion of Honor along with her husband in 1924.

The Legion of Honor, originally called the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, was founded in 1924 by Adolph B. and Alma de Bretteville Spreckels. The museum building was created after a temporary structure that was built for the Panama Pacific International Exposition in 1915, which itself was modeled after the Palais de la Légion d'Honneur (also known as the Hôtel de Salm) in Paris. Construction on the museum broke ground in 1921 and opened to the public on Armistice Day November 11, 1924 in dedication to the memory of the over 3,000 Californians who perished in World War I.

The original collection was mostly curated by Alma herself from her personal collection of European, mainly French, art that she purchased on her trips to Europe. Some clippings of which are included in the scrapbook.

Extent

1 Linear Feet (1 12x14in flat file box)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Abstract

A scrapbook of mainly clippings from all over the world that document the life and influence of Alma de Bretteville Spreckels around the time of her co-founding of the Legion of Honor in 1924.

Existence and Location of Copies

A digitized version of the scrapbook is linked to this resource. It is available for free download onthe Internet Archive. The scrapbook was digitized by California Revealed.