Fonds 08-009 - Gilbert and Stewart Bagnani fonds. 2008 additions

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Gilbert and Stewart Bagnani fonds. 2008 additions

General material designation

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    Title statements of responsibility

    Title notes

    • Source of title proper: Title based on the creator of the fonds.

    Level of description

    Fonds

    Reference code

    08-009

    Edition area

    Edition statement

    Edition statement of responsibility

    Class of material specific details area

    Statement of scale (cartographic)

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    Statement of scale (architectural)

    Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

    Dates of creation area

    Date(s)

    • 1877-1965 (Creation)
      Creator
      Bagnani, Gilbert and Stewart

    Physical description area

    Physical description

    1 m of textual records & other materials
    ca. 500 photographs & glass negatives
    2 floor plans
    3 maps

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    Archival description area

    Name of creator

    Biographical history

    Gilbert Forrest Bagnani was born April 26, 1900, in Rome, to General Ugo Bagnani, of Rome and later London as military attache at the Italian Embassy, and Florence Dewar, daughter of Dr. James Dewar of Cobourg, Ontario. Gilbert spoke both English and Italian and later learned to speak Greek, Latin, Arabic, French and German. He was educated at the Nobile Collegio del Nazzareno in Rome and at a preparatory school called Gibbs' in London. His schooling was interrupted by World War I. He served as a Second Lieutenant of artillery towards the end of the War. After the War he returned to the University of Rome where he received his doctorate. Instead of entering law as he had planned, he turned to the Italian School of Archaeology in Athens to study antiquities which were becoming a strong interest of his.

    In 1929 Gilbert married Mary Augusta Stewart Houston of Toronto, daughter of Stewart Houston (editor of "The Financial Post") and Augusta Robinson (daughter of John Beverley Robinson, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, and granddaughter of Sir John Beverley Robinson, Chief Justice and Attorney-General of Upper Canada). Stewart's father died while she was young and her mother took her to Europe for a more cosmopolitan education than she could receive in Canada. Gilbert and Stewart had an apartment in Rome and for seven seasons worked, in the Sahara Desert, with the Royal Archaeological Mission to Egypt.

    In 1937 they fled fascist Italy and purchased a 200 acre farm and house built around 1845 near Port Hope, Ontario and named it "Vogrie". They added a large, forty foot long, two storeys high addition in which they housed their library, oil paintings, drawings, tapestries and ceramics. In 1945 Gilbert was invited to teach ancient history at the University of Toronto and in 1958 he became a Professor. He retired from the University of Toronto in 1965. During the time that the Bagnanis were in Toronto, Gilbert was a founding member and president of the Oriental Club of Toronto, a supporter of the Art Gallery of Ontario and an active member of the Archaeological Institute of America, of which he was vice-president from 1951 to 1954. Stewart was head of Extension at the Art Gallery of Ontario from 1951 to 1963. In 1965 the Bagnanis returned to "Vogrie". In the same year, Gilbert was asked to accept a term-appointment at Trent University. He was honoured with a LL.D. by Trent in 1971 and he continued to teach as a Professor of Ancient History until 1975. During the period between 1965 and 1975 Stewart remained active, lecturing on art in various venues and developing the Mackenzie Gallery at Trent University. Gilbert and Stewart did not have children. On February 10, 1985 Gilbert Forrest Bagnani died. Stewart moved to their Toronto home. In May of 1996 Mary Stewart Houston Bagnani died. The "Vogrie" property was inherited by Trent University after the death of Gilbert in 1985. Antiquities, art works, furniture, books and documents were bequeathed to a number of institutions, including Trent University, after the deaths of Gilbert and Stewart Bagnani.

    Custodial history

    This fonds was in the custody of the Bagnani family until the death of Stewart Bagnani. Materials then went for auction at Ritchie & Company before being returned to the custody of Trent University.

    Scope and content

    Fonds consists of scrapbooks, archaeological photographs, and research papers generated primarily by Gilbert Bagnani. The fonds also includes earlier World War I military photographs generated by Ugo Bagnani. Some of the photographs show Mrs. Bagnani in court dress. Also included are Stewart Bagnani bridal photographs.

    Notes area

    Physical condition

    This fonds is in fair condition.

    Immediate source of acquisition

    Fonds acquired through the Bagnani trust committee in 2008.

    Arrangement

    Language of material

    • French
    • Italian

    Script of material

      Location of originals

      Availability of other formats

      Restrictions on access

      None

      Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

      Finding aids

      Associated materials

      Scrapbook compiled by Ugo Bagnani for the period between 1900 and 1908 is located at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

      Accruals

      This fonds along with 97-003 is an addition to 94-016.

      General note

      Box 1

      Glass negatives (IMPORTANT: instructions on the numerous small boxes of negatives located in Box 1 indicate that these are to be viewed "only in the dark" or "only in ruby light")

      Box 2

      Folder

      1. Photographs of Stewart and Gilbert Bagnani, including bridal photographs of Stewart and a photograph of Gilbert standing beside his youthful painted portrait.
      2. Miscellaneous photographs and negatives
      3. Miscellaneous photographs and negatives
      4. Miscellaneous photographs and negatives, including a photo of Augusta Robinson

      Box 3

      Folder

      1. Maps, plans, floor plan of "Vogrie", 1936
      2. Research notes and articles on Rome
      3. Miscellaneous articles and research notes by Gilbert Bagnani on various archaeological sites and themes
      4. Miscellaneous items including newspaper clippings, mostly undated

      Loose on Shelf

      1. Scrapbook compiled by Ugo Bagnani, 1877-1900
      2. Scrapbook compiled by Ugo Bagnani, 1908-1911
      3. Photograph album, World War I military theme plus inserted cards and letters, apparently compiled by Ugo Bagnani
      4. Oversized photographs, including Mrs. Bagnani in court dress (2); La Vera 1924; plans numbered II - XII Additional oversized materials added February 2012:

      Loose on Shelf (oversized materials)

      certificate issued to Gilbert Bagnani by Reale Società Romana De Storia Patria, 1932;
      certificate issued to Ugo Bagnani by "Ministro per gli Affair Esteri...", [1907];
      hand drawn hieroglyphs;
      photograph: St. Chamas, Pont Flavien, 1895
      The Illustrated London Times, issued dated March 13, 1920 (includes section re Roman archaeological excavations)
      The Sphinx, issue dated December 15, 1934 (includes article by Gilbert Bagnani)

      Loose in Box 3

      Artifacts:
      Toronto Athletic Games: four medals won as prizes by R.B. Robinson, 1843
      Oval-shaped silver powder box with initials "SH"

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