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John L. Russell (interview 1). – [before 1998]. – 1 audio cassette (6 min.).
Russell recounts an anecdote about two sisters, Gabrielle and Thérèse d'Ardiges de la tour Fondue, whom he met through Anne d'Halewyn in Montreal in the early 1960s.
This recording was given to Anne Mackintosh by Russell in 1998.
Sound quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy are available.
John L. Russell (interviews 2 and 3). – [before 1998]. – 1 audio cassette (34 min.).
In interview 2 (side A, 31 min.), John Russell speaks about opening his first shop in 1945 in Montreal, his subsequent move to 1504 Sherbrooke Street, and his early clientele. He describes an incident involving the theft of silver from the Molson family, and recounts his acquisition of a large collection from the Monk family, explaining the origins of the collection.
In interview 3 (side B, 3 min.), Russell begins to discuss the opening of his Montreal shop, as on side A. Music from a previous recording can be heard over the interview. Russell stops speaking after several minutes.
This recording was given to Anne Mackintosh by Russell in 1998.
Sound quality is good.
Transcripts and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interviews 4 and 5). – [before 1998]. – 1 audio cassette (19 min.).
In interview 4 (side A, 9 min.), Russell speaks about Homewood, the house built by Solomon Jones on the St. Lawrence River. Prior to the sale of the house, Russell was asked to evaluate its contents; he describes finding part of Solomon Jones's original maple trundle bed.
In interview 5 (side B, 10 min.), Russell recalls how he started in the antiques business and recounts an anecdote about his first find.
This recording was given to Anne Mackintosh by Russell in 1998.
Sound quality is fair, with considerable background noise at times.
Transcripts and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interview 6). – Fall 1998. – 1 audio cassette (1 hr., 14 min.).
Interview conducted by Douglas Mackintosh in Kingston, Ontario. Russell speaks about his relationship with Lieutenant Colonel Le Grand Reed and his wife; working at the Eaton's College Street store in Toronto; and briefly joining the Irish Regiment of Canada. He speaks at length about his experiences as a navigator in the Air Force during the second World War, enlisting and training in Canada, then travelling to Britain where he flew in the Royal Air Force No. 199 Squadron. He describes an encounter with opera singer Nicholas Massue on the ship Queen Elizabeth.
Sound quality is good, with occasional disruptions.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
Lieutenant Colonel Le Grand Reed's name and rank were verified using Library and Archives Canada's online database of Canadian soldiers of the First World War.
John L. Russell (interview 7). – Fall 1998. – 1 audio cassette (1 hr., 9 min.).
Interview conducted by Douglas Mackintosh in Kingston, Ontario. Russell continues to recall his experiences in the Royal Air Force, including his plane crash, ongoing problems with his eyesight, his squadron's missions, and his RAF crew. He talks about friends in London, including Joan Williamson, Sheila Birks, and Teddy Sieff.
Following the interview is a recording (24 min.) apparently unrelated to John Russell. It documents part of a meeting of board members of not-for-profit organizations receiving legal advice. Topics include policy files, negligence, insurance, liability, and endowments.
Sound quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available. The interview begins on side B and continues on side A.
John L. Russell (interview 8). – Feb. 1999. – 1 audio cassette (49 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Russell talks about working with Ward-Price auctioneers in the early 1940s, bringing in a collection of early Worcester porcelain and later consigning his own furniture with Ward-Price. He talks about his relationship with the Reed family; opening his first store in Montreal; buying the Beaver Hall Antiques building in Gananoque; and encountering a fortune teller at a lunch that included actress Helen Hayes.
Sound quality is good with some disruptions.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interview 9). – Feb. 1999. – 1 audio cassette (55 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Russell describes his home in Gananoque, where Beaver Hall Antiques was first located. He talks about a New Year's Eve party in Gananoque and his friendships with Delle Baxter, George and Isabel Shannon, Whitney Shannon, Ruth Gilmour, and Barbara Franklin. He describes the 1952 Montreal Repertory Theatre fire next door to his apartment building, during which his mother brought residents to shelter in Russell's shop. Russell discusses the heirs and executors of the Allan estate, and details of its sale. He describes Lady Allan's apartment and its contents, mentioning several Cornelius Krieghoff paintings that were bequeathed to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Sounds quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interview 10). – Feb. 1999. – 1 audio cassette (1 hr., 4 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Gerald Brenner is present. Russell continues to describe the sale of the Allan estate, the involvement of Elspeth Dawes, and some items that he acquired from the estate. He discusses his clientele and his reputation, and relates an anecdote involving an early Quebec grandfather clock from the Masson family, who once owned the seigneurie of Terrebonne. Russell talks about his childhood in Cochrane; his father's alcoholism; the separation of his family; and the difficulties that his mother faced. He briefly discusses working at the Eaton's College Street store and the Eaton's Annex in Toronto. He describes the O'Meara estate and its executors Mark Farrell and Laffie Lafleur. Russell was asked to evaluate the estate, which included 18th- and 19th-century British and Canadian paintings of shipping scenes as well as a large quantity of furniture and other items.
Sound quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
Russell's description of the O'Meara estate continues in interview 11.
John L. Russell (interview 11). – Feb. 1999. – 1 audio cassette (57 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Gerald Brenner is present. Russell continues to discuss the O'Meara estate. He describes many items, including engravings of Quebec, ca. 1761, by Richard Short (mistakenly identified by Russell as Thomas Short), which document the damage to Quebec during the Seven Years' War. Some items from the collection were sold to the Royal Ontario Museum. Russell speaks about the Neilson estate, its heirs and executors, and John Neilson, who published the Quebec Gazette from ca. 1789-1848. Russell relates the early history of the newspaper, Neilson's relationship with the Jesuits, and his involvement in politics. He begins to describe a silver cup which was presented to Neilson in 1831.
Sound quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
Russell's discussion of the Neilson estate continues in interview 12.
John L. Russell (interview 12). – Feb. 1999. – 1 audio cassette (16 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Russell continues to discuss the Neilson estate. He describes John Neilson's silver cup in detail; outlines some of the Neilson family history; and describes a few estate pieces, including early Canadian silver crowns, possibly of Jesuit origin.
Sound quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interview 13). – Summer 2000. – 1 transcript (5 pages).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque. Russell makes some remarks about the Allan estate and Elspeth Dawes. Mackintosh and Russell discuss the purpose of their interviews. Russell briefly lists a number of his clients. He continues the story of the Neilson estate, explaining how Ian Satow came to inherit the estate.
Transcript only; no cassette is available.
John L. Russell (interview 14). – Aug. 1999. – 1 audio cassette (50 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque. Russell describes items from the Jones estate, including the original keys to Homewood which were donated to Parks Canada; Dorothy Rutherfurd, heir to the Rutherfurd estate, which included correspondence from George Washington; the Hosmer family's estate and their relationship to Anne Mackintosh's family; and the Coffin estate, which included a portrait by Henry Hoppner Meyer and a large collection of silver. Russell indicates that he sold the silver to Henry Birks and that it is now held by the National Gallery of Canada.
Sound quality is fair.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
The transcript of this interview is discussed and revised by Russell during interview 19, particularly in reference to the Hosmer and Coffin families.
John L. Russell (interview 15). – Sept. 1999. – 1 audio cassette (60 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque. Russell and Mackintosh discuss a bed that came from the Bacon/Murray family and jade bowls from the Benson family. Russell recounts the genealogy of the Baby family and describes some of their early Canadian silver, including pieces by Robert Cruickshank and Paul Lambert. He mentions his relationship with Henry Birks and with René Villeneuve, Associate Curator of Early Canadian Art at the National Gallery of Canada. Russell describes a chair with needlepoint by Madeleine de Verchères, which he purchased from a member of the Baby family and restored with the help of two sisters who worked in Shirley Brickenden's shop, Brickpoint. He describes a harp, given to Martha Washington by an American general, which he purchased from the Rutherfurd estate.
Sound quality is poor.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
The transcript of this interview is reviewed and corrected by Russell during interview 19 in reference to the Baby family, and again during interview 20 in reference to the Benson family.
John L. Russell (interview 16). – Sept. 1999. – 1 audio cassette (60 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque. Gerald Brenner is present. Russell and Mackintosh begin by looking at photographs of John Neilson's cup and a 1925 issue of the Montreal Daily Star. Russell recounts some of the history of the Mackay family, in particular the story of Ellin Mackay and Irving Berlin. He describes some items from the family of a former governess of the Mackays, the O'Haras, including Mackay family silver, gifts from the Japanese emperor, and a fountain pen made to order by Irving Berlin for his mother. Russell outlines some of the Bacon/Murray family history relating to his friend Virginia Bacon from Washington. He talks about items he purchased from various sources: the Elliotts, who collected slag glass and pottery toilet sets; silhouettes and other items from the Washer family; a shop called Hudson Antiques; Judith Trenholme's porcelains; a George II teapot and collages from the Cream family; and letters, newspapers, and furnishings from the Jones estate at Homewood.
Sound quality is poor.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interview 17). – Oct.-Nov. 1999. – 1 audio cassette (47 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh. The first part of the recording was made in Gananoque in October, 1999. Russell discusses his friend Marjorie Hare in Norfolk. He describes forming an organization to preserve historic buildings on the Montreal waterfront; supporters included Louis Carrier, Edgar Collard, Eric McLean, Aline Jobin, Jean Palardy, James Aird Nesbitt, and Marie-Paule Nolin. Russell recalls an outing with Eric McLean to see the former residence of Louis-Joseph Papineau. He talks about buying his house in Gananoque and subsequently dropping out of the Montreal restoration project. The remainder of the recording was made in Kingston later in 1999, and concerns the Merkley estate. Russell outlines the family's genealogy and describes trunks filled with quilts made by the Merkley sisters.
Sound quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available. The interview begins on side B and continues on side A.
Russell's discussion of the Merkley estate continues in interview 18.
John L. Russell (interview 18). – Nov. 1999. – 1 audio cassette (33 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Kingston. Russell continues to discuss the Merkley estate; he recalls loaning Merkley quilts to Pierre Desjardins at Université de Montréal for an exhibition. Russell talks about Mrs. Chapdelaine, who sold him a painting of the Mohawk leader Joseph Brant by William Berczy. He outlines the background of the Hénault family, who were seigneurs of Île Dupas, and recalls purchasing Hénault family portraits attributed to Jean-Baptiste Roy-Audy and selling one to the Royal Ontario Museum and another to the Art Gallery of Ontario. Russell and Mackintosh discuss a portrait of Wolfe that hangs in Russell's house; Russell believes the National Portrait Gallery holds a copy of the portrait, and that his is the original.
Sound quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interview 19). – 7 Dec. 1999. – 1 audio cassette (1 hr., 15 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Kingston. Russell and Mackintosh briefly discuss the Coffin/Carrière family, including some relatives of Anne Mackintosh. Russell talks about Elwood Hosmer, a director of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, and his sister Olive Hosmer. He describes some of the items in the Hosmer/Pillow estate, including paintings by Canaletto and Eugène Boudin, 18th-century porcelain, and a collection of ivory from Rome. He recalls bringing George Spendlove of the Royal Ontario Museum to view Lucile Pillow's collection of paintings by James Wilson Morrice. Russell and Mackintosh review the transcripts of interviews 14 and 15; Russell makes corrections and provides additional information about the Hosmer, Carrière/Coffin, and Baby estates.
Sound quality is relatively poor.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available. Music plays at the start of side B before the interview resumes, and again at the end of side B.
John L. Russell (interview 20). – July 2000. – 1 audio cassette (51 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque. Russell describes a house that belonged to the Hearne family. He reviews the transcript of interview 15, making notes and additions about the Benson family. He recalls visiting the Benson family's island house, which contained sporting and hunting gear, Japanese porcelain, and Venetian glassware; and he describes some items that Dorothy Benson inherited, including Portneuf pottery and a silver ragout spoon made by Paul Revere. He mentions the Oppie family, a portrait from the Mackenzie family, and the Hearne estate. Music plays at the end of the tape.
Sound quality is very poor; parts of the interview are inaudible.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available. Interview begins on side B and continues on side A.
Two pages of notes by Anne Mackintosh are appended to the transcript, documenting the last part of the interview (not audible on the tape). The notes refer to the Mackenzie family, Dr. Schwartz, the Scott estate, and the Monk estate.
John L. Russell (interview 21). – Aug. 2000. – 1 audio cassette (1 hr., 10 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque. Russell discusses the Scott estate, to which he was referred by Judy Skeade. He mentions Cornelius Kreighoff paintings that were donated to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, a silver teapot made by Hester Bateman, and a Cauldon dinner service. Russell talks about members of the Monk family and their large collection of early Canadian silver; a portrait by John Singleton Copley that went to the Atlanta museum; two Adam style looking glasses made at the Ursuline convent, now at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts; letters from the Duke of Kent; an album made by Jacques Viger, now at the Quebec archives; and diaries written by prisoners of the Papineau Rebellion. Russell talks briefly about his friend Charlie Goodfellow, who furnished his van as a house, and Goodfellow's companion Marie Wilson. Gerald Brenner arrives; Russell and Mackintosh enlist his help in remembering details about the Henderson family.
Sound quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interview 22). – Aug. 2000. – 1 audio cassette (1 hr., 19 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque. Gerald Brenner is present. Russell talks briefly about Ivy Milroy, a neighbour and client of his Montreal shop. The remainder of the interview relates to Marie Bourbeau, who was a music librarian for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and worked part-time in Russell's shop. He describes a few items that belonged to her, and relates some of her family history and the stories she used to tell. He also describes her confusion later in life, and his role as a close friend and neighbour.
Sound quality is poor, and an echo is present for the first 15 minutes.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interview 23). – Sept. 2000. – 1 audio cassette (54 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque. Russell recalls how Bernard Scott, who had worked in Russell's shop, introduced him to Gerald Brenner. He explains how Scott came to own a wallpaper business (Waterhouse Wallhangings) in Boston after working with Brenner at Katzenbach and Warren. He talks about how Gerald Brenner came to work in his shop; meeting Brenner's family on several occasions; and their early trips to Cuernavaca. Russell discusses the last years of his mother's life and her nurse, Cecile Boulanger. He recalls some details of a trip to Vienna.
Sound quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interview 24). – 24 Nov. 2000. – 1 audio cassette (54 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Kingston. Gerald Brenner is present. Russell refers to lists and invoices throughout. He mentions the Bensons' island house and discusses the relationships between the Papineau, des Baillets, Stewart, and Monk families. He recalls the des Baillets family's collection of Chinese items, and tells the story of an early Canadian portrait of Marie-Melanie Quesnel that he purchased from the Monk family and sold through Sotheby's. Russell and Mackintosh examine a collection of stamps designed by Jean Paul Lemieux. He describes a collection of letters from the Jones estate.
Sound quality is fair.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available. Interview begins on side B and continues on side A.
John L. Russell (interviews 25a and 25b). – Feb.-June 2001. – 1 audio cassette (55 min.).
Interview 25a (side A, 20 min.) was conducted by Mary Allodi in Cuernavaca (Mexico) in February, 2001. Russell speaks about a friend who left Cuba before the revolution and later retrieved some of her family's belongings at auction in Montreal. He describes her friend Dr. Gardello, an expert in Italian silver who bought a silver écuelle from Stephen Ensko in New York, which Russell sold to the Detroit Institute of Arts. Russell suggests the écuelle was made by Francois-Paul Malcher, but in a subsequent interview (27a) the silversmith is identified as Jean-Baptiste Piquette.
Interview 25b (side B, 35 min.) was conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque on June 12th, 2001. It is the continuation of a session begun on a subsequent tape: interview 27b. Russell reads from Irish Families in Ancient Quebec Records, an 1872 address by John O'Farrell to the Society of St. Patrick concerning Irish soldiers who served with the army of Montcalm. Russell summarizes O'Farrell's account of Irish settlers in Quebec changing their names to become more French. He explains the family connection between Nicholas Massue and Marie Bourbeau, referring to Cyprien Tanguay's Dictionnaire Généalogique.
Sound quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interview 26). – 1 May 2001. – 2 pages.
Notes taken by Anne Mackintosh during an interview with John Russell in Kingston. The notes relate to Mrs. Henry Joseph and the Gratz family.
Notes only; no cassette is available.
John L. Russell (interviews 27a and 27b). – May-June 2001. – 1 audio cassette (1 hr., 24 min).
Interview 27a (side A, 37 min.) was conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque on May 31st, 2001. Gerald Brenner is present. The interview begins with a discussion of Marguerite Pillow. Russell talks about Marie Bourbeau; Nicholas Massue losing family portraits, silver, and papers in the sinking of the Andrea Doria (July 25-26, 1956); and Howard Colbeck, who worked at Ohmans in Montreal. Russell revisits the story of the silver écuelle (told to Mary Allodi in interview 25a), which was made by Jean-Baptiste Piquette, and also mentions a Baby family spoon made by Francois-Paul Malcher.
Interview 27b (side B, 47 min.) was conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque on June 12th, 2001. Russell discusses the Gratz/Joseph estate, which included portraits by Gilbert Stuart, rare books, and letters written by Napoleon and Washington Irving – much of which was destroyed. He shows Mackintosh a porcelain bust of Jacques Necker and talks about Necker's daughter, Madame de Staël. Russell recounts Nicholas Massue's experiences during the sinking of the Andrea Doria. He talks about Irish families in Quebec changing their names to become more French. This session continues with interview 25b.
Sound quality is very poor. The last part of interview 27a is badly distorted and not transcribed.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available. Included in the transcript is a page of notes explaining Pauline Carrière's connection to the Coffin family.
John L. Russell (interview 28). – June 2001. – 1 audio cassette (1 hr., 21 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Gananoque. Gerald Brenner is present. The discussion touches on the Gratz/Joseph family; the Massue family; the details of various invoices, notes, and receipts; Peter Winkworth's family and his collection of Canadian prints; the silver cup from the Neilson estate; the Trenholme family; and the Monk family.
Sound quality is relatively poor.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
John L. Russell (interview 29). – 11 Apr. 2002. – 3 pages.
Reconstruction from notes of an interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Kingston. The notes relate to a party that Bob Brady gave for David Hockney in Mexico, and Russell's friend Brian Brattengeier.
Notes only; no cassette is available.
John L. Russell (interview 30). – Nov. 2002. – 1 transcript (3 pages).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Kingston. Russell talks about his friendship with the actress Helen Hayes, whom he met through Queenie Luxembourg.
Transcript only; no cassette is available.
John L. Russell (interview 31). – 28 Nov. 2002. – 1 audio cassette (34 min.).
Interview conducted by Anne Mackintosh in Kingston. Gerald Brenner is present. Russell speaks about Gerald Brenner; opening his first shop in Montreal; and a few recollections from the second World War. Gerald Brenner and John Russell reminisce about their first trip to Europe together in 1958.
Sound quality is good.
Transcript and cassette reference copy available.
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