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Morris Mestel Collection on Saint Apollonia

Call Number

MC.177

Date

1841-1951, inclusive

Creator

Mestel, Morris, ca. 1876-1961 (Role: Collector)

Extent

2 Linear Feet (7 boxes)

Language of Materials

Materials are primarily in English.

Abstract

The collection is comprised of the files of Dr. Morris Mestel on Saint Apollonia, the patron saint of dentistry. The files contain numerous reproductions of artworks, as well as memorabilia and other materials depicting the saint and the profession of dentistry in general. The reproductions were at one point displayed in several locations, including the New York University College of Dentistry, and some photo documentation of one exhibition exists in the files. Mestel also published a book on Saint Apollonia.

Biographical Note

Morris Mestel was born around 1876 in Austria and immigrated to the United States around 1893. He graduated from the New York College of Dentistry (later the New York University College of Dentistry) in 1901, after which he went into private practice in the East Village in New York City, where he stayed until at least 1919. In the course of his practice, Mestel became interested in improving the root canal procedure; this eventually became his specialization, and he may have taught the subject at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. He also served as President of the Eastern Dental Society.

Outside of his dental practice, Mestel was known for his interest in and collection of images featuring Saint Apollonia, the patron saint of dentistry, having "'taken a fancy'" to the Saint in 1910 ("Rx for Relaxation," 15). The Saint Apollonia Collection was displayed several times in the 1930s and 1940s, at venues in Baltimore, Boston, and New York City, including the New York University College of Dentistry in 1946. About his hobby, Mestel said:

'I believe…that being a collector of Apolloniana is an ideal hobby for me, combining as it does my major intellectual and professional interests. […] A hobby must satisfy, stimulate and yet relax one. If it doesn't, it isn't a hobby—it's another chore.' ("Rx for Relaxation," 15)

In addition to the exhibitions, Mestel published several works on Saint Apollonia, including the book Saint Apollonia in Art: Illustrations of St. Apollonia in all Forms of Art in 1910, and an article in The Apollonian in 1938.

Morris Mestel died in 1961 at the age of 86.

Sources "Around the Table." Dental Items of Interest 41 (1919): 494-496. "Rx for Relaxation: Dentist Morris Mestel—Art Collector." TIC February 1948, 14-16. "Morris Mestel is Dead." The New York Times, July 24, 1961. U.S. Census. Year: 1920. Census Place: Manhattan, Assembly District 9, New York, New York; Roll: T625_1202; Page 11A; Enumeration District: 702; Image: 631. [Ancestry Database, Ancestry.com]

Historical Note

According to one account by Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, Saint Apollonia lived in Alexandria, Egypt, in the third century AD in the reign of the Roman Emperor Decius. Decius was well known for his persecution of Christians, and Apollonia was tortured and executed for refusing to repeat "impious expressions" during this time. Around AD 250, according to Dionysius:

They seized that noble virgin, Apollonia, and beating her jaws they broke out all her teeth, and kindling a fire before the city, threatened to burn her alive unless she would repeat their impious expressions. She refused and suddenly sprang into the fire and was consumed. (See Box 2, Folder 6)

Saint Apollonia has often been called upon to relieve toothache and dental pain before the days of professional dentistry. When dentistry became a profession, Apollonia was adopted as its patron saint. She is often depicted as a beautiful young woman holding a pair of pincers gripping a tooth.

Arrangement Note

This collection is arranged in two series. The first series is comprised of the research files of Morris Mestel, in the order he arranged them, by region of origin, school, and type of art. The first folder in this series has a detailed index of the files. The second series is an appendix of loose manuscripts, images of Saint Apollonia, and images depicting dentists generally, which were not organized in the same volume structure as the first series.

Series

  1. Saint Apollonia Images and Memorabilia
  2. Loose Materials and Dental Genre Art

Scope and Contents Note

Scope and Contents

This collection contains reproductions of artworks (dating mostly from the 15th and 16th centuries), as well as memorabilia, manuscripts, clippings, prayer cards, images of reliquaries, exhibit text, and other materials depicting Saint Apollonia. Most of the reproductions of artworks are small prints made by museums, photostats from museum reference collections, copies from art books, and souvenir postcards. Most of the manuscripts are likewise photostats, though a few may be original. The collection also contains some original sketches, photographs, and watercolors which were possibly created by Mestel. There is a small amount of material of the same type also dedicated to the depiction of dentists in art generally, as well as photographs of many of the reproductions on display (these images are located in Box 3, Folder 8).

Folder titles have been retained as found; where additional clarification is necessary that information will appear in brackets.

All dates refer to the date of the reproduction.

Access Restrictions

Open for use with no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
New York University Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 998-2641
Fax: (212) 995-4225
E-mail: university-archives@nyu.edu

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form: Identification of item, date (if known); Mestel St. Apollonia Manuscript Colection; MC 177; box number; folder number; New York University Archives, New York University Libraries.

Related Materials at the New York University Archives

Records of the New York University College of Dentistry (RG 25)

Irma Tuck Weiss Papers (MC 211)

Collection processed by

Hester Goodwin.

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 17:52:20 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Description is written in: English, Latin script.

Repository

New York University Archives
New York University Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012