It was very nice to read Joan Benedetti's tribute to Jamnes Findlay, which I've appended to mine. I visited the Bienes collection and James Findlay four years ago while in Ft. Lauderdale for my 45th high school reunion. What an impressive exhibit he staged of WPA material (I believe it was related to theatre and puppetry). He showed me some of the highlights of the collection, including some amazing works from the Florida Book Artists' exhibitions which he acquired for the library. I was amazed to find that he acquired many of the rare WPA ephemera, Big Little Books, Pop-Up Books, ABC and XYZ books and other publications via E-BAY or other on-line venues, many quite cheaply. He did amazing things with I'm sure must have been a limited budget. It was sad that during my visit of about an hour I was the only visitor to the upstairs exhibition though many were in the library at the time. His exhibition design was exquisite, as were the beautiful little (and some not so little) exhbition catalogues he published and designed in conjunction with these exhibitions. I brought many back home with me, in multiples, though I think he did well in publicizing them on the Internet, as some of the Pop-up exhibition catalogues had sold well.

I was quite shocked and saddened to hear of his passing. He was most congenial and collegiate, and I'm happy that I got to see him in his element, surrounded by the beautiful collection he formed for the Broward County Library. He will be missed. What will happen to the Bienes collection now that he is no longer there? Hopefully Broward County will recognize the collection's uniqueness and his contribution. As one who lived in Broward County and visited the library decades ago during my high school years (in Hollywood) and came home for vacation during my college years (at Stetson University), I was proud to see such an excellent collection installed in a free and public library.

Thank you, Joan, for your lovely reminiscence.

Ray Smith

R.W. Smith Bookseller

(I will send this to the membership as well)

Message -----
From: Joan Benedetti
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2010 6:25 PM
Subject: Re: [ARLIS-L] James Findlay Passed Away

I was so very sorry to hear of Jim Findlay's very untimely passing. He has been a dear friend and colleague for many years. I first met him when I joined ARLIS/NA and the Southern California chapter in 1977. He was Chapter Chair in 1977-78. I wasn't surprised when he went to Florida, as I knew he was a collector of superb circa 1940s tropical furniture before it was fashionable. The Miami conference, which he co-chaired, was absolutely delightful. His contributions to the Bienes Museum of the Modern Book, however, were superlative. I ordered quite a few of the very attractive catalogs and bibliographies that he published over the last few years--for my personal collection. It was a privilege to know him and it is shocking and sad that he was taken away just before he planned to retire.

Joan