Paid Notice: Charles F. Hummel, noted author and expert on the Dominy craftsmen of East Hampton, passed away on September 14th peacefully at his home in Delaware.
He made significant contributions to the Winterthur Museum and Library since 1955, advancing from curatorial assistant to senior deputy director. He is survived by his wife Marlene of 73 years, his children Mark, Jonathan, Laura and Jeffrey and eight grandchildren.
In the early 1960’s, at the request of Henry Francis Dupont, “Charlie”, as he was known to his friends, travelled to East Hampton to research and write his acclaimed book on the Dominy’s body of work “With Hammer in Hand”. Jeannette Edwards Rattray, then publisher of The East Hampton Star, helped to facilitate his living arrangements and research.
Charles Keller and I first connected with Charlie in 1998 over Dominy furniture identification. Over the next 25 years our mentorship with Charlie grew with regular visits to Winterthur. He generously shared his expertise with us leading to the creation of the Dominy database with the University of Wisconsin and Winterthur Museum, cataloging over 220 newly discovered Dominy items.
He often returned to East Hampton to lecture for the East Hampton Historical Society, to review the Dominy new discoveries and assisted on the return of the Dominy work shops to their original site.
Few knew of his talent as a singer in the Metropolitan Opera chorus where he met his wife Marlene. They never missed the opportunity to call us on our birthdays to sing “Happy Birthday”, in harmony.
Charlie was an exceptional teacher and communicator, he was patient and kind. We have all lost a national treasure and a great friend.
Thank you Charlie, we will miss you.
— Glenn Purcell & Charles Keller
