Believe It or Not!
Dartmouth's RipleyCollection is, well,slightly unbelievable
IF the College Museum serves as Dartmouth's attic, which it does in the sense of an educational repository, it should be no surprise to find there examples of the wonderful, the exotic, the bizarre. But visitors to Wilson Hall, the Romanesque relic standing in somewhat uneasy juxtaposition to Hopkins Center, may be permitted some disbelief at discovering a full-size sedan chair from Japan, an elephant robe from India measuring 9 by 18 feet (not counting ear flaps), a copper altar plaque from Tibet, or a ladder reputedly fashioned by a beaver for reasons best known to himself (or his surrogate carpenter). These artifacts, and several dozen others, came to the Museum by way of the late Robert L. Ripley, author of the well known newspaper column. The majority of the pieces in the Museum are likely to be smaller in size and more anthropological in nature. But Ripley liked the spectacular.
"Believe It or Not" was born as a column in 1918 quite by accident. At the time, Ripley was working as a cartoonist for The New York Globe and one day drew up a list of sports oddities, inventing the title on the spur of the moment. The response was so favorable that he began doing the column once a week and finally every day, astonishing his readers with exotic and unique facts and happenings.
In the years before World War II Ripley travelled extensively, and during his sojourns around the world he collected a number of interesting and unusual items, many being the "one of a kind" type. By 1933, "Believe It or Not" had branched out into a radio broadcast and in 1939 the "spectacular" radio shows - "On The Scene With Bob Ripley" - were introduced. That year also saw the first "odditorium" open on Broadway. It was here that his collections were exhibited. In 1949, a television show was produced, but on May 27 of that year Robert Ripley died of a heart attack. His column, however, still survives along with 23 Believe It orNot books which are still in print. A museum of his personal collection still exists in California.
Dartmouth's unlikely connection with Ripley had its beginning in 1939. In March of that year Doug Storer '21, an employee of Believe It or Not, Inc., suggested to Ripley that he might consider donating part of his collection to the Dartmouth College Museum. Ripley was awarded an honorary M.A. at Commencement that June, and while in Hanover he visited the Museum and discussed with the curator, W. W. Bowen, the possibility of opening a "Ripley Room." As far as is known, this was the only time Ripley visited Dartmouth, and the Museum. The idea was well received and in July of 1940 a van arrived with the first group of artifacts. The exhibition was installed in a special second-floor room, set up in such a way that visitors could not enter but observed the collection through a large glass panel.
Unfortunately, some of the items sent up by Ripley were found to be unsuitable for display, not being within the scope of an anthropology museum. The freak golf balls, dressed fleas, oddly addressed luggage labels, and a 354-foot chain carved from a single piece of wood were placed in storage until they could be returned.
Most of the present collection is Oriental in nature. Some pieces are quite large, such as a six-foot "red kutani" vase, purported to be "the largest vase ever fired in Japan," and a five-foot carved wooden statue known as a "silent watchman." Probably made in China during the 17th century, it once stood with several others at the entrance to a Buddhist temple.
In 1944, the materials in storage were returned and in exchange Ripley sent 11 more Oriental pieces. Included in this group was a Chinese libation cup, ornately carved from rhinocerous horn. According to legend, it sweats white if the drink is poisoned, an obvious asset in some circles. Along with this came a 100-year-old egg. Known as a Pi-dan, it is considered a delicacy in China.
Of the many fine pieces contained in the Ripley collection perhaps the largest and most ornate is the elephant robe. Woven of gold thread on silk by a weaver in Benares, India, it was made for use during a procession or when a maharaja travelled in state, displaying his possessions. Ripley was said to have spent three days in trying to persuade the weaver to part with it.
One item not likely to be collected by the average tourist is the Japanese sedan chair. The pole with which it is carried is over 15 feet in length, while the cabin measures four feet long, four feet high and three feet wide. It was once owned by the Tokugawa family which ruled Japan from 1603 through most of the 19th century. Made of lacquered wood with bronze fittings, the chair probably dates from the 1850s.
Typical of what one might expect from Ripley is a model of a Japanese shrine carved out of ivory and set inside a coconut. Another, a remarkable piece of workmanship, is a life-sizes steel eagle with each feather separate. The head is movable and the wings can be spread out or folded back, giving it a lifelike appearance.
From China came an executioner's sword, a 300-year-old tapestry, and a five-foot square Buddhist shrine. The shrine was used only on Buddha's birthday.
There is one piece from Burma, a tall figure carved out of teak-wood. It is supposed to represent "Rakshara the Giant," a character from the Ramayana, a Hindu epic poem. The original label that accompanied this contains a photograph of Ripley while he was visiting the island of Java, which also has a large Hindu population. He is shown standing between two native actors dressed in costumes which depict certain "giants" from this poem.
Perhaps the most extraordinary item is the "Mysterious Canton Ball" from China. It consists of a series of 18 separate, concentric spheres, each moving freely inside the other, all carved out of a single piece of ivory. The original ivory ball, weighing about 10 pounds, was first drilled with a number of conical holes reaching to the center. Then, at finely spaced intervals, the shells were carefully cut from each other with a special "L" shaped tool equipped with stops on the handle to measure the correct distance to each sphere. Later, each shell was carved with an openwork design in the form of legendary figures and other filligree. All the time, water dripped on the ivory and tools to keep them cool and wash away residue. The technique for making these was handed down from generation to generation and kept a carefully guarded secret.
Other parts of the world are also represented in the collection. From Africa we have a so-called witch doctor's fetish and from northern Zaire (Congo) a set of oddly shaped weapons. From the Tlingit Indians of the American Northwest is a rare woolen Chilkat blanket, and from Turkey a eunuch's robe of purple velvet.
Several examples of strange natural history specimens were also given by Ripley. These include several walrus skulls, one having crossed tusks, another with unusually large tusks, and a third having three tusks. Along with these is the long, spirally twisted tusk of a narwhal. Praised for its ivory, it resembles the horn of the legendary unicorn and when found during medieval times was thought to be such.
Unfortunately the pedigree for each object - age, origin, and the circumstances of its acquisition by Ripley - is often scanty or even non-existent. Too little - or too much - data has led to confusion as in connection with a wooden cigar-store Indian also donated by Ripley. It arrived with a makeshift wooden sign attached to the base which read, "The first wooden Indian carved in America - 1691." During the 19505, the figure was loaned to a Hanover tobacco shop for a window display. The supposed history behind the carving was picked up and sensationalized by a national wire service, whereupon various letters criticizing the claim were received. Further study and comparison of the piece indicated that this particular wooden Indian is definitely not the first of its kind in this country, and in fact was probably made in New York City during the latter half of the 19th century. When, and for what reason, the sign came to be attached is unknown. Since it does not resemble labels used by Ripley it may well have been on the carving when it was acquired by him.
The Ripley collection is certainly an interesting and exotic accumulation. The fact that he did not collect with an anthropology museum in mind did not preclude him from acquiring many fine and valuable pieces. Although most often acquired for their interest as curiosities, they are nevertheless a valuable asset to the Museum's collections. Even though the Ripley room has long since disappeared and the artifacts distributed among other displays, one still finds evidence of the Ripley phenomena. Old labels and posters advertising Ripley's "curioddites" still turn up around the Museum. Like many of the specimens he collected, Robert Ripley was "one of a kind" and remains a remarkable part of the American culture.
At left, "Rakshara the Giant" from Burma;above, the life-like, articulated steel eagle.
At left, "Rakshara the Giant" from Burma;above, the life-like, articulated steel eagle.
The disputed wooden Indian and (below) theauthor posing with Ripley's red kutani vase.
The disputed wooden Indian and (below) theauthor posing with Ripley's red kutani vase.
Gregory Schwarz is Assistant Curator ofAnthropology, with a special interest inantique weaponry.
