Description
Edwin C. Koenig was a wealthy St.Louis boating enthusiast and promoter. He joined the St. Louis Yacht Club at the age of 15, the youngest member at the time, later rising to the position of Commodore of the Club. A promoter of river carnivals and regattas, he organized a 1909 parade of more than 600 boats on the Mississippi in honor of St. Louis’s 100th anniversary. He also set a number of boating records, had a racing speedboat built as early as 1909 and sponsored many St. Louis-to-New Orleans races. Later he operated pleasure excursions on the Mississippi. Koenig left over $325,000 to St. Louis universities and hospitals; a residence hall at Washington University in St. Louis is named for him.
Martin Kaiser exhibited in the St.Louis Artists Guild exhibitions.
Mat hand painted with title: “Steamer/ City of St. Louis/ Edwin Koenig (Owner)/ Landing Ste. Genevieve, Mo./ August 1934.”
Condition: Very good, the colors bright. Outer margins scored off with pencil, probably by artist, and with various adhesive and abrasions from matting, which is covered by mat. Original mat with artist’s title painted in lower center; mat somewhat toned and brittle overall.
Reference:
“A Historical Tour of the Hilltop Campus: Edwin C. Koenig Residence Hall.” Washington University in St. Louis. 2000-2003. http://www.wustl.edu/tour/hilltop/koenigreshall.html 9 (31 July 2003).
