AFA Autumn 2021

Autumn 96 www.afamag.com | w ww.incollect.com I do not recall when I first met John and Judy Herdeg, but it was close to thirty years ago. Since then, we regularly connected at antiques shows and at events related to the museum and collector worlds. I hold both in high esteem, not simply because of their lovely personalities and devotion to one another, but because of their deep appreciation for American colonial architecture and its history and for the material they have collected through the decades. Learning of John’s unexpected passing in June was deeply saddening. His generous and thoughtful nature was experienced by fellow collectors, dealers, auctioneers, and his friends in the museum field, where among his many affiliations, he notably served as a chairman of the board of Winterthur and a trustee at Historic Deerfield in Massachusetts. He was held in equally high repute as a trust and estate attorney at the law firm he founded, forming bonds with many clients, who, as his obituary noted, “saw him as much a close personal friend and counselor as a legal advisor.” One of John’s characteristics was his insatiable curiosity about the art, furniture, and decorative arts he and Judy collected for nearly sixty years. I was fortunate to work with John on a number of articles he contributed to Antiques & Fine Art : “Reintroducing Helena” (Spring 2005); “Seven Holes: The Story of a Serendipitous Find” (8th Anniversary); “Son of Whom? A Collector’s Journey” (Summer 2010); and “The Rise, Fall, and Rebound of an Eighteenth-Century Irish Immigrant” (Autumn/Winter 2013). Each one conveyed his incredible enthusiasm for being a “historian detective,” passionate about uncovering forgotten histories and sharing his discoveries. While writing the Holiday 2003 issue Lifestyle that featured John and Judy’s 1750s Georgian brick home and the collections within, I first experienced their shared love of history. As they led me through each room, I was more and more entranced with their knowledge of the magnificent material they had collected, as well as their respect for the collections now in their care. The newly published book The Stories They Tell . . . from the Herdeg Collection, by John A. Herdeg and Judith C. Herdeg (New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2021), is the culmination of and tribute to their shared love of collecting, friendships, discoveries, and, yes, stories. I will miss seeing my friend in all the places I was used to seeing him with Judy but am thankful to have known and worked with this scholar and gentleman. The Herdegs have recently been honored as the joint recipients of the Henry Francis du Pont Award. The award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to “the knowledge, preservation, and enjoyment of American decorative arts.” The family suggests contributions in John’s memory be made to H. F. du Pont Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (c/o Philanthropic Office, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, 5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, DE 19735), New England Historic Genealogical Society-American Ancestors (Development Office, 99-101 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02116) or Historic Deerfield (80 Old Main Street, Deerfield, MA 01342). —Johanna McBrien John Andrew Herdeg (1937–2021) TRIBUTE Photograph by J. David Bohl