Another piece in the Fitz Henry Lane name puzzle.(Collectors' notes)

In the past couple of years it was discovered that the American painter long known as Fitz Hugh Lane, who had been baptized Nathaniel Rogers Lane, had officially changed his name to Fitz Henry Lane in 1832. (1) But, as with many other aspects of his life and work, confusion lingers, particularly as to why and when "Henry" became "Hugh." A new puzzle piece has been added by Margaret Stocker, formerly curator of the art and library collection at India House, a private luncheon club in New York City, and now a trustee of the India House Foundation. She writes:

In my research to provide provenances for the oil paintings purchased in 1914 at the founding of India House in Lower Manhattan, I found a newspaper advertisement of 1913 that may be the source for "Henry" becoming "Hugh." The 1935 catalogue of the collection of paintings at India House includes an "Oil painting by F. H. Lane, of Boston, of the medium clipper ship Northern Light" (2) (illustrated here), the acquisition of which is documented in a letter dated December 10, 1914, to Willard Dickerman Straight (1880-1918), an investment banker and diplomat who was also a cofounder of India House, addressed to him in care of his employer, J. P. Morgan and Company in New York City. Written by Arthur Williams Jr. of Arthur Williams Jr. and Company, importers and retailers of East India, Turkish, and Persian carpets and rugs in Boston, the letter reads: "When I was in New York recently I took great interest in going down to see the India House on Hanover Square. I write today in regard to a great collection of American clipper ship pictures which I have. These I would like to sell to the India House. Some are painted by Fitz Hugh Lane, who was about the best American painter, and some by [George Stanfield] Walters, the English painter.... For two years I have advertised in the Boston Transcript every day for old ship pictures but obtained only a very few, good enough for my collection, so you can see really how scarce the old pictures by good artists, in good condition are now a days." (3) Straight took Williams up on his offer, remitting a check for seven thousand dollars with a letter dated February 25, 1915, and a list of thirty-one oil paintings (including Northern Light), two watercolors, and one print. (4)

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Williams's letter led me to search out additional information about him in Boston ...