In 2016, PMH was honored to receive the Ernest A. Batchelder Tile Collection and Archives from Trustee Emeritus, Robert Winter, PhD. The donation includes over 200 Batchelder tiles, made between the years 1910 and the early 1930s, including tiles in the Arts and Crafts style (from landscape reliefs to figural corbels) as well as colorfully glazed tiles of later years in the Mayan, Spanish Revival, and Art Deco styles. Since Dr. Winter's initial donation, other individuals and institutions have added to this collection in honor of the beloved architectural historian.
Dr. Winter curated the exhibition Batchelder: Tilemaker, which was on view at Pasadena Museum of History from September 21, 2016 through February 12, 2017. This was the first local exhibition dedicated solely to the life and work of this extraordinary artist and educator, who had established his first tile factory in the backyard of his home on the banks of Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco.
Dr. Winter is dearly missed by everyone who was lucky enough to know him.
In the future, we plan to include a section for remembrances of “Bungalow Bob." If you would like to submit a tribute, please email info@pasadenahistory.org. Tributes will be added to the site periodically.
