Appendix 39 



Therefore be it resolved that this expression of our esteem and of our sorrow be incorporated in the 

 minutes of the Scientific Staff of the Museum and that a transcription be sent to his wife and family with our 

 profound sympathy. 

 December 10, 1928. 



Resolution Adopted by the Bo.ard of Trustees 

 OF THE Metropolitan Museum of Art 



At a meeting of the Board of Trustees the following memorial resolution upon the late Bashford Dean 

 was adopted : 



In the sudden death of Bashford Dean, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has suffered an irreparable 

 loss. His loss was grievous to many other public institutions: to the American Museum of Natural History, 

 which crowned his work there by the opening of its Hall of Fishes at which he was to be the guest of honor 

 only the day before his death; to Columbia University, where he was professor of vertebrate zoology; to 

 the College of the City of New York, of which he was a graduate and where he was tutor in natural history 

 from 1886 to 1890; and in many other directions of public service. But to our Metropolitan Museum the 

 loss is irreparable in the fullest sense of that word. 



He volunteered to be honorary curator of arms and armor without salary in 19C6. His offer of service 

 was gladly accepted. Later on, in the year 1912, he was persuaded to become curator of this department on a 

 regular salary. He continued in this position until the close of the year 1927, when he resigned. But his 

 connection with the Museum was made even more intimate and honorable by his immediate election as one 

 of its trustees. 



He was, in fact, the founder of its now notable collection of arms and armor. True, the Museum had a 

 small collection of this kind before he entered its service, but under his management and inspiration it has 

 now become by far the most important collection of arms and armor in America and vies m importance with 

 the greatest collections of Europe. It was his ambition to make it fourth among the armor collections of the 

 world and he has gone far to realize that ambition. It was largely due to his influence that William H. Riggs 

 and Jean Jacques Reubell gave to the Museum the important collections that bear their names. There was 

 not a nook or corner of Europe or Asia which escaped his search for additions to his department. Farthest 

 Japan was as familiar to him as nearer France, Germany, and England. He seems to have known the location 

 of every potentially purchasable piece of armor in existence and he never forgot it. He was indefatigable in 

 pursuit. He never lost the trail. After years of effort he usually succeeded in obtaining the desired object, 

 sometimes by purchase and not infrequently by gift. His recommendations to purchase were invariably ap- 

 proved. If the Museum itself did not have the needed money, he would persuade some of his friends to 

 supply it. He was a generous donor himself, far beyond the amount of his salary. The Museum's collection 

 of armor is really his monument. 



Nor was his knowledge of arms and armor of merely historical interest. It was put to use during the 

 Great War when he was called upon by the War Department to design the protective helmet for the Ameri- 

 can army, for which service he, as well as the Museum, received the special thanks of the Secretary of War. 



He was a prolific writer about subjects on which he was an authority. His contributions to our Museum 

 Bulletin were notable. It is a satisfaction to know that one of his most important works, a bibHography of 

 arms and armor, was practically completed before his death and is among the publications soon to be issued 

 by the Museum. A bibliography in three volumes on books and papers dealing with fishes, which he 

 undertook with Dr. C. R. Eastman and Dr. E. W.Gudger of the American Museum of Natural History, was 

 published a few years ago. It was in recognition of this work that the National Academy of Science awarded 

 to him in 1923 the Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal, for outstanding work in zoology. 



He was Chevalier of the Legion of Honor and had many recognitions of service both at home and 

 abroad. He was eminently human. He had a rare capacity for friendship. His knowledge was always at the 

 service of every person he could aid, and these were many. 



