The Contents from Merritt's Museum of Childhood

The Contents from Merritt's Museum of Childhood, Realized Total: $2,009,206, 1297/1302 lots sold, 100% sold. So how large does a personal collection of toys and Americana need to grow before it is large enough for a museum? From the late husband and wife collecting team of Robert J. and Mary Merritt, the answer caem in 1963 as their collections had grown out of their family's 16-room home, as well as the barn and outbuildings. Daughter and long-time manager of the Museum of Childhood, Anne Darrah recalls how the Museum of Childhood (called Merritt's Early Americana Museum when it first opened up and later Merritt's Historical Museum) was borne out of her mother's first museum, Mary Merritt's Doll Museum. Whil both Museums opened in 1963, the Museum of Childhood was opened a bit later as Robert and Mary noticed that the gentlemen and boys who had brought the ladies and girls to the Doll Museum were sitting outside or in the cars rather than accompanying them inside. *As such, Robert Merritt, a successful antiques dealer since 1938, who had a penchant for things American Indian himself, decided with Mary that a second museum was needed to attract the men and boys. While the greatest portion of the Museum contents, including toys, porcelains, early glass, and metalware, were acquired by the Merritts while traveling extensively throughout the United State and Europe during the 1940's and 1950's, they also pursued new collections to occupy places of prominence in the building after opening. *In writing about the Merritts' museums in 1967, collector Herschel Lee Schenck, Sr. said, "Most collectors ride their hobbies to the fullest, for their own enjoyment, but here were two museums, side by side for everyone to enjoy, and made possible by Bob and Mary Merritt, whose largest hobby [was] making others happy, and [ensuring] a common interest of antiques...shared by all". *The Merritts shared their love of the collections with the public, but also with their children. According to Anne Darrah, Mary Merritt told the story of falling in love with the business while attending her first auction where she purchased a piece of Gaudy Dutch for 25 cents and had someone offer her 75 cents on her way out the door. Moreover, Mary met Bob Merritt at an auction when she stepped on his toe. This joy and passion within the family for the business has been a tradition and is evident in the continued care and love the Museums have received over the decades. Anne Darrah started out reading and researching the antiques to help out at the Museum and, in later years, progressed into making presentations at local scools about the material in the Museum, as well as about the Indian tribes of Pennsylvania. "The Museum has been more than a business - it was a home where we welcomed many friends, both old and new, over the years", recollected Anne. "my daugher, Roseanne, joined me at the Museum after high school. We have enjoyed working together sharing opinions about how things should be done. While we had many well-known personalities visit the Museum over the years, it is the friends and regular customers that will be missed most of all." *As the era of the Museum of Childhood comes to an end, celebrate the wonderful Merritt family legacy. Their passion for antiques is to be honored and the tradition carred on as the pieces from the Museum find new collections to call home. Ronald and Debra Pook 15% bp.