John Lupia submitted the following information
from his Encyclopedic Dictionary of Numismatic
Biographies for this week's installment of his series.
Thanks! As always, this is an excerpt with the full article and
bibliography available online. This week's subject is New
York attorney, stamp and Masonic numismatics collector Benno
Loewy. -Editor
Benno Loewy (1854-1919), was born in Berlin, Germany on
14 June, 1854, of Jewish parents, his father Adolph Loewy, a
Rabbi. He moved to America with his family in 1866 and settled in
New York City and lived at 296 Ninth Avenue. He attended Public
School No. 19. He graduated City College (now C.U.N.Y.) B.A.
1873, and continued earning a Law degree from Columbia
University, Law School, L.L.B., 1874. In 1875 he was admitted to
the Bar. He was a highly respected attorney who specialized as a
trial lawyer. He was active in arts and entertainment, an
aficionado of the theatre and writer, active in the Freemasons
and numismatics, and a bibliomaniac. According to his 1912
Passport Application description he was 5'-5" with brown
and white hair.
While a college student at City College he published, The
Truth About Love : A Proposed Sexual Morality Based upon the
Doctrine of Evolution, and Recent Discoveries in Medical
Science. (New York, 1872)
On 27 February 1883 he married American born of Austrian
parents, Isabelle "Belle" Kohler (1859-1944), at the
Hotel Brunswick, New York. As a young lawyer in the 1870's he
was a champion of equal rights for women and their right to vote,
which became realized after his demise.
He was a member of B'nai B'rith, the Free Sons of
Israel and various Jewish charities. He became the President of
the B'nai B'rith Lodge No. 19, also the Free Sons of
Israel Aryeh Lodge No. 6. From 1893 he became a Freemason at
National Lodge No. 209, and was an avid collector of Masonic
literature, medals, tokens, pennies, badges and insignia. He also
served as High Priest at the Crescent Chapter No. 220, and served
on the Adelphic Council. In 1905 was made the Grand Master being
a 33 degree Master of the Scottish Rites and represented the
Lodge of Hamburg, Germany in New York.
Benno Loewy was an avid collector of Masonic numismatic
material and frequently corresponded with the Chapman Brothers
beginning in Spring of 1903. He became a member of the ANS in
1903, and also the ANA in October 1905. With William Poillon, and
Dr. W. T. R. Marvin he was the editor on Masonic Medals and
Tokens for the American Journal of Numismatics. He also
donated Masonic Mark Pennies and Medals to the ANS collection in
1907.
In 1905 Loewy published a Bibliography on Masonic Medals and
Badges, and included Chapter or Mark Pennies.
In October 1913 he exhibited over 100 rare postage
stamps valued over $30,000 at the New York International Stamp
Exhibition held from October 27-November 1, 1913 at the
Engineering Societies Building, East 40th Street, New York City.
Loewy and Col. E. H. R. Green were steady clients of American
Philatelic Society Hall of Fame dealer, auctioneer, and
specialist on postmarks, Percy Gray Doane (1877-1945) .
He was killed on 19 August in New York City being hit by a
truck near his home at 22 West 88th Street. Rabbi Joseph
Silverman of Temple Emmanuel officiated at his funeral at
Loewy's home. He is buried in Salem Fields Cemetery,
Brooklyn, New York.
To read the complete article, see:
LOEWY, BENNO
(https://sites.google.com/a/numismaticmall.com/www/numismaticmall-com/loewy-benno)
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