Carole and Howard Tanenbaum: True to Their Eyes
A 55-year collection inspired by aesthetics and rarity comes to market
Carole and Howard Tanenbaum pose with the J. & E. Stevens North Pole Mechanical Bank offered as lot 497 in Miller & Miller’s March 19th auction.
One mantra has driven Carole and Howard Tanenbaum’s 55-year passion for collecting: all objects must be ‘true to the eyes’. The Tanenbaum’s esteemed collection is a careful curation of aesthetically-pleasing, thought-provoking objects, wherein affection and curiosity always take precedence over dollar value.
Carole and Howard met serendipitously while traveling Europe in 1963. A chance encounter on a bus traveling between Florence and Rome sparked a bond which led to their marriage three years later. Growing up in New York City, Carole was immersed in the art world from a young age. Her father, a master framer, was friends with the likes of 20th century American abstract painter Mark Rothko, American modern painter Milton Avery, and American abstract expressionist sculptor David Smith. Howard, who was born and raised in Toronto, developed a wonderful connection with his in-laws, a relationship which inspired him to dive into the world of collecting himself. In 1966, the newly married Tanenbaums chose Toronto as their home, where they’ve been living and collecting ever since.
The Tanenbaums collect objects from a wide range of categories, with no limit to their interests as long as the pieces are visually appealing and evoke an emotion.
“We collect strictly aesthetically,” said Carole. “It's a passion of ours. The idea of living with things that inspire you is something that we were very privileged to be able to do.”
As a result of this philosophy, the Tanenbaums have amassed an unparalleled collection of beautiful objects including rare photographs, African art, vintage costume jewelry, antique toys, rare mechanical banks, hand-crafted quilts, and more.
“The hunt is wonderful,” added Carole. “The adrenaline goes up. When you find a certain piece, it feels like you’ve found gold.”
The Tanenbaums seek to inspire others to find appreciation for these important objects of art, a motive which has led them to collaborate with renowned institutions to exhibit excerpts from their collection for the public to enjoy. In 2009, the Tanenbaums donated 48 rare quilts to the Textile Museum of Canada. In 2019, their collection of rare humanistic photographs was showcased at the Ryerson Image Centre in an exhibition called True to the Eyes: The Howard and Carole Tanenbaum Photography Collection. The event was presented alongside the publication of their photography book of the same title.
True to the Eyes: The Howard and Carole Tanenbaum Photography Collection presents more than 200 photographs from the eclectic and exceptional collection of Howard and Carole Tanenbaum.
Carole is also a renowned curator of vintage costume jewelry, a category she began collecting in the mid 1970s. In true Tanenbaum fashion, Carole collected voraciously in the beginning and quickly amassed an inventory of over 3500 pieces. In efforts to share her passion for preserving vintage jewelry with others, Carole approached Holt Renfrew with the idea of hosting a trunk show. Not only did Holt Renfrew love the idea, they furthered it by setting up a fixed counter in the store labeled ‘The Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection’.
“I started collecting jewelry without the idea of making it a business,” said Carole. “I wanted to inspire people to collect. But in a department store, it’s all about fashion, so I honed my business to relate to fashion and what was happening on the runways”.
Soon after, fashion stylists and movie wardrobe teams began to approach Carole, and the business has been thriving ever since. Notable figures such as actor Sarah Jessica Parker and former first lady Michelle Obama have donned pieces from the collection. Carole used her expertise in the field to write two books: Fabulous Fakes: A Passion for Vintage Costume Jewelry, and Schreiner: Masters of Twentieth-Century Costume Jewelry.
Fabulous Fakes: A Passion for Vintage Costume Jewelry by Carole Tanenbaum
Schreiner: Masters of Twentieth-Century Costume Jewelry by Carole Tanenbaum
It was in a different department store, FAO Schwarz in New York to be exact, where the Tanenbaum’s purchased their first mechanical bank in 1970 to commemorate the birth of their first child.
“FAO Schwarz had a vintage toy department at the time,” said Howard. “That first bank was the artillery mechanical bank. It was the first piece of a universal collection we began when our son was born.”
Although Howard and Carole have since passed down that particular bank to their grandson, more than 50 other examples from their bank collection are offered as part of Miller & Miller’s upcoming March 19th auction.
“Most of these mechanical banks, and the majority of the still banks, were purchased from dealers or auction houses in the United States, including Sotheby’s and Christie's,” said Howard. “We enjoyed the hunt, and finding those special banks that were in good condition was of primary importance to us.”
Howard Tanenbaum holds the J. & E. Stevens North Pole Mechanical Bank offered as lot 497 in the sale.
Cast iron banks, especially those with functioning mechanics, are valuable for the fact that they are not plentiful. The Tanenbaum’s collection features a selection of exceptionally rare examples including the ‘North Pole’ and ‘Magician’ banks by J.& E. Stevens, a famous American cast iron toy and hardware company formed in 1843.
The J. & E. Stevens North Pole Mechanical Bank is a very rare bank depicting reliefs of Peary's 1909 expedition to reach the North Pole.
This rare ‘Magician’ Mechanical Bank by J. & E. Stevens is offered as lot 496 in the March 19th sale.
In addition to the banks, the Tanenbaums are parting with more than 100 antique toys – many of which have truly stood the test of time.
“The Lehmann toys are made of tin, which normally didn’t last even a decade,” said Carole. “Many of our Lehmann’s are in good condition. They were expensive at the time they were made, and they continue to increase in value over time”.
This rare Lehmann Echo Motorbike is offered as lot 421 in the sale.
This Lehmann Halloh Motor Bike is another rare example offered in the sale.
“We felt that it’s time for others to enjoy the banks and toys,” said Howard. “We decided to sell now so we could enjoy seeing the sale, while we're still active, knowing that other people will value them and form part of their own collection”.
In addition to the Tanenbaum’s offering in the March 19th sale, a selection from Carole’s beloved quilt collection will be offered as part of Miller & Miller’s May 14th sale of Canadiana & Decorative Arts.
“Howie and I have always been interested in textiles,” said Carole. “We met Carol Telfer, one of the great quilt dealers, at a show. She nurtured us through our collection early on.”
Carole and Howard Tanenbaum with one of their favourite crazy quilts.
The Tanenbaums were especially attracted to the ‘crazy quilts’ of the Victorian and early 20th century periods. ‘Crazy’ patchworking abandoned the organized, repetitive patterns and motifs of traditional quilts, allowing the quilter to use small, irregular shaped pieces of fabric to construct an abstract design. These quilts often used unconventional fabrics such as velvet, satin, tulle and silk. They were often heavily embellished with embroidery, beads, and other small notions.
This exceptional Victorian crazy quilt in velvets and silks with a lace tatting centre panel will be offered as part of Miller & Miller’s May 14th auction. It features cartouches of fish, cats, frogs, spider webs, birds, children, and American flags.
This example to be offered in the May 14th sale is a political crazy quilt from Toronto, ON. It is a silk design featuring ribbons of political significance. The ribbons reference Toronto and Markham areas.
“We are drawn to the textures, the irregularities, and the hand in the crazy quilts, as opposed to a traditional quilt pattern,” added Carole. “You can see the concept of the artist who created it. The fact that they could create such an object of beauty from spare fabric pieces always intrigued us.”
This spectacular Victorian crazy quilt will be included in the May 14th auction at Miller & Miller. Comprised of squares in an abstract, diagonal design with detailed embroidery, this exceptionally ‘crazy’ quilt demonstrates outstanding workmanship and embellishment.
The Tanenbaums feel it is time to share the beauty and significance of their collection with others. Many of the pieces no longer exist in the common market, providing a unique opportunity for collectors to obtain truly rare and unique pieces to add to their collections.
“We really want to inspire people to collect, and share our passion with them so they can become excited about purchasing things that are no longer available,” said Carole. “That’s truly our main motive for selling”.
Story by Tess Malloy
Tess is a freelance writer and history enthusiast who enjoys unearthing interesting stories about remarkable people and objects. Tess has written for The Miller Times for four years.
Auction Details:
Canadiana & Decorative Arts
Featuring the Tanenbaum Quilt Collection
May 14, 2022
Music Machines, Toys & Advertising
Featuring the Tanenbaum Banks & Toys
March 19, 2022
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