Charles Augustus de Kay
Birth dateJuly 25, 1848[1]
Death dateMay 23, 1935 (aged 86)[1]
Birth placeWashington, D.C., US
Death placeNew York City, US[1]
SpouseEdwardlyn Coffey[1]
Alma materYale[1]
EmployerThe New York Times

Charles Augustus de Kay (July 25, 1848 – May 23, 1935) was a linguist, poet, critic, and fencer. He was a son of George Coleman De Kay, a naval officer.[2]

He graduated from Yale College in 1868.[3]

He was best known for founding the National Sculpture Society, the Authors' Club, the National Arts Club and the Fencers Club.[1][3] He was inducted into the United States Fencing Hall of Fame in 2008. He was an art and literary critic for The New York Times for 18 years. He was a co-founder of the Circle of Friends of the Medallion.[4]

He also wrote under the pseudonyms "Henry Eckford"[4] and "Louis Barnaval".[5]

In June 1894, he was nominated by Grover Cleveland to be Consul General at Berlin[3] and took over the post shortly thereafter.[6] In keeping with his lifelong love of fencing, he had the honor of opening the fencing club in Berlin while serving as Consul General.[7]

He was buried in Saint George's Church Cemetery, Hempstead, New York.

Writing

  • The Bohemian (New York, 1878)[8]
  • Hesperus (1880)
  • Vision of Nimrod (1881)
  • Vision of Esther (1882)
  • Love Poems of Louis Barnaval (1883).
  • Bird Gods, with an accompaniment of decorations by George Wharton Edwards. New York : A.S. Barnes (1898).[9]
  • Life and Works of Barye[10]
  • Life and Works of Louis Comfort Tiffany[10]

According to Appletons' Cyclopædia (1900), his best-known story is "Manmatha".[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Brief Biography of Charles deKay" Archived July 17, 2011 at the Wayback Machine, United States Fencing Hall of Fame website. Retrieved on December 02, 2010.
  2. ^ 1900.
  3. ^ "NEW CONSUL GENERAL AT BERLIN.; Charles de Kay of This City Appointed by the President -- Other Nominations.". The New York Times. 1894-06-27. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  4. ^ Homren, Wayne (editor). "Numismatic Writer Charles De Kay", The E-Sylum, volume 5, number 43, October 27, 2002, Article 4. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  5. ^ Barnaval, Louis, in Who's Who in America, 1901-1902 edition; p. 58; via archive.org
  6. ^ "CHARLES DE KAY THEIR GUEST; DINNER GIVEN TO THE CONSUL GENERAL TO BERLIN. Members of The Fencers' Club, The Authors' Club, The Sculpture Society, and Other Personal Friends Bid the New Official Farewell -- Repast Served in True German Style in Liederkranz Hall -- German Con- sul and Others Make Speeches.". The New York Times. 1894-08-31. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  7. ^ "BERLIN HAS A FENCING CLUB.; Charles de Kay and Lord Granville Do the Honors at the Opening.". The New York Times. 1896-01-26. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  8. ^ "A NEW STORY.; THE BOHEMIAN, A Tragedy of Modern Life. By CHARLES DE KAY. New-York; CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS.". The New York Times. 1879-01-06. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  9. ^ De Kay 1898: OCLC 1065202268 (see also: OCLC 1087093329 etc.); digital copy at Internet Archive; digital copy at University of Michigan.
  10. ^ "CHARLES DE'KAY, 8.6, POET, CRITIC, DEAD; Prominent in Literary, Art and Social Circles Many Years-Former Envoy to Berlin. A LINGUIST AND A FENCER Editor and Writer With The Times 1876-94 Member of a Distinguished Family.". The New York Times. 1935-05-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-07.