Our Loss, Their Gain--British Laud L.A. Collector’s Gift

Following an announcement earlier this week of plans to donate his collection of decorative art objects to his native Britain, Los Angeles real estate developer Arthur Gilbert, 83, said by phone from London that he is thrilled by the enthusiasm with which the British have received his gift.

Gilbert, a member of the board of trustees at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, reached an agreement with the museum in April to remove the Gilbert Collections--which include gold boxes, silver, gold, micro-mosaics and objets d’art worth a reported $115 million--June 9 because the county museum could not provide additional space for the collection’s expansion.

Several days following the museum’s announcement, Gilbert, who could not be reached for immediate comment, took out a half-page display ad in the Los Angeles Times, saying thatLACMA had reneged on a written agreement and expressing displeasure that he had not had his say in Times’ coverage of his split with the museum.

“Basically, I don’t really now bear any malice to LACMA,” said Gilbert, who boasts some 1,000 items in his ever-growing collection. “I mean, they were very foolish. I had several American institutions approach me, but I had already, as of last year, got into negotiations with [Britain]. You should see the publicity [in London]; it’s unbelievable--I appreciate that, you know.

“If you were a collector who had spent 30 years of your life and most of your money doing it, you’d think when you give it to somebody, they’d appreciate it,” Gilbert added. “I must say, the public in Los Angeles really appreciated it--unfortunately, our museum . . . is not partial to decorative arts.”

Earlier this week, LACMA board President William A. Mingst said that LACMA was “delighted to know that Arthur is continuing to share his wonderful collection with the world.”

Gilbert, who has lived in Los Angeles for 47 years, said he was reluctant to see his collection leave the city. “I used to go up to our museum two and three times a month, on a Sunday, and talk to the people and get their calling cards. . . . In a way, it was sad, but you can’t have everything in the world.”

The donation was made to the National Heritage Department of the British government. Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine, who announced the gift Monday, told London’s Independent newspaper that Gilbert’s artworks represent “one of the most important collections of gold and silver in the world.”

Gilbert’s collection will be housed at London’s lavish Somerset House, built in 1776 and considered one of the finest examples of Classical architecture in Britain. Largely closed to the public and primarily occupied by the Inland Revenue and the Lord Chancellor’s private registry, the building has been under consideration for public use for at least five years. Earlier this spring, another art collection, the Courtauld Institute Galleries, was moved into part of the building, and one plan might be to move the government offices out to create an artistic and cultural center.

Costs of refurbishing Somerset House’s Terrace building, where Gilbert’s donated collection will be displayed, will be paid for with funds earned by the British National Lottery, which is managed by the National Heritage Department. Readying the space, Gilbert said, could take 2 1/2 to three years.