Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840-1924) Baptismal Gifts to Mary Belle Pope

"The Murano glass pitcher and teacup belong to the cat - from them she takes her milk... She thinks the elephants are not big enough for her to be afraid of"

 - Isabella Stewart Gardner to Mary Belle Pope

Traditionally, baptismal gifts are symbolic and reflective of the child's spiritual journey. This group, given by Isabella Stewart Gardner to her goddaughter Mary Belle Pope, includes:

1) A copy of Pope's Baptism record

2) Bible inscribed and annotated by Gardner

3) A handwritten note from Gardner telling a story of relationships among the gifts

4) A blue and gold Murano glass pitcher

5) A playful ceramic cat with Madison Ave, NYC retailer's label

6) A pink Murano glass cup and saucer

7) A Japanese reticulated silver fish-form perfume container

8) Two carved wooden curiosities with red cushion and folded paper craft

9) Two carved elephants, possibly ivory and stone

10) A carved bear, possibly ivory

11) An orange ceramic cup

12) Two ivory elephants with removable tusks

13) An ivory carving of Quan Yin with lotus umbrella

14) A toy swan

15) A Meiji period carving of Kintaro Fighting the Giant Carp

16) An iridescent glass marble

17) A crystal egg

18) A far-east Indian 22k gold bindi box, shaped like a bird

19) A Japanese lacquer box containing the hand written calling card of Rakkaku Shisui (1867-1950) who worked at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston with Okakura Kakuzo

N.B. Mary Belle Pope was the daughter of Arthur E. Pope (1880 - 1974), who served as Director of the Fogg Art Museum and Professor of Fine Arts at Harvard from 1906-1949. Outside of his work at Harvard, Pope was an active trustee of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum for 42 years (1924-1966) and continued to serve as trustee emeritus from 1966 until his death.