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Simons, Amory Coffin (1869-1959)

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1869 - 1959

Biography

Amory Coffin Simons was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on April 5, 1869. He first studied art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and later in Paris under Jean Dampt, Denys Puech, and Auguste Rodin. Throughout his career, Simons specialized in animal sculptures, mainly those depicting horses, although he also portrayed other animals such as dogs. Simons worked in New York, where he was employed by the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) from 1924 to 1926 to sculpt famous horses based on skeleton samples. His pieces were featured in the “Horse Under Domestication” exhibition from 1922 to 1952 on Floor 4, Section 2a. In 1947, the miniature dog models Simons created were shown in the temporary “Exhibit of Miniature Dog Models” in the New York State Roosevelt Memorial Hall. By 1940, he had moved to Santa Barbara, where he taught at the School of Arts. Simons died there on July 24, 1959.

Found in 5 Collections and/or Records:

Arabian Stallion "Nimr" / On base "Amory C. Simons"

 Item
Identifier: Art Survey No. 174
Scope and Contents

Famous race horse in early 20th century, owned by H. Huntington, who donated Nimr's skeleton to A.M.N.H. Inscription: On base "Arabian Stallion 'Nimr' from skeleton 1/4 scale".

Dates: 1922
Found in: Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library / Arabian Stallion "Nimr" / On base "Amory C. Simons"

Lee Axworthy / On base "Amory Simons"

 Item
Identifier: Art Survey No. 175
Scope and Contents

Famous race horse in early 20th century, owned by the Diclarmans, who donated his skeleton to A.M.N.H. Trotting horse. Inscription: On base "Lee Axworthy" 1-58" 4 made from skeleton, made for American Museum of Natural History/ New York/ Scale 1/4.

Dates: 1925
Found in: Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library / Lee Axworthy / On base "Amory Simons"

Neohipparion / Base "Amory Simons New York 1921"

 Item
Identifier: Art Survey No. 719
Scope and Contents

Three-toed horse from South Dakota. Inscription: On base "Upper Miocene * South Dakota */ Armory C. Simons New York * 1924/ Three-toed Horse Neohipparion * 1/4 scale * AM MU NAT HIS.".

Dates: 1924
Found in: Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library / Neohipparion / Base "Amory Simons New York 1921"

Neohipparion / On base "Amory C. Simons"

 Item
Identifier: Art Survey No. 564
Scope and Contents

Inscription: On base "8 Upper miocene & South Dakota &/ Armory C. Simons & New York & 1924 &/ three toed horse - Neohipparion & from & skeleton & 1/4 scale & AM MU Nat. His.".

Dates: 1924
Found in: Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library / Neohipparion / On base "Amory C. Simons"

Amory C. Simons Dog Model Collection

 Collection
Identifier: Mem 59
Scope and Contents This collection comprises 13 scale miniature model dogs of various breeds and types made of plaster and hand-painted. They depict the six-fold classification of dogs: sporting, toy, hounds, non-sporting, terrier, and work dogs. Created by Amory Coffin Simons during World War II, from 1938 to 1947, these 13 model dogs are a representative sample of an extensive collection of 88 figures, out of which more than 65 were presented by the American Museum of Natural History in an "Exhibit of...
Dates: 1937-1948
Found in: Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library / Amory C. Simons Dog Model Collection
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History
Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library
200 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024-5192

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