The news that Hortense Bader-Wood, a retired Pennsylvania schoolteacher, died at 99 would seem to have no local resonance. Except that she was the daughter of a famous jeweler and Titanic survivor, Henry Blank, and grew up in a house in Glen Ridge. That house, at the corner of Ridgewood Ave. and Washington St., also happens to be the former home of RE/MAX agent Sam Joseph, whose connection with the Blank house is so strong that he had the "cress arrow" mark associated with Blank's jewelry company tattooed on his left calf.
Joseph also threw a 95th birthday party for Hortense four years ago, inviting about 50 Blank relatives and friend. During Hortense's visit, she stayed in the bedroom where she was born.
Joseph owns of a number of Blank family treasures, including the platinum and pearl "minute repeater" watch that Blank was wearing the night the Titanic went down (pictured here, showing Blank's monogram). Blank and Lady Astor, both on lifeboat 7, used the clock's chiming feature to keep track of the time, according to Joseph.
Over the years, Joseph bought several Blank treasures from Hortense. "Whenever she needed money, I took a suitcase full of cash down to Haverford, Pennsylvania," he said.
A first-class passenger, Blank was playing cards in a smoking room when the boat hit the iceberg.
From the Encyclopedia Titanica:
When the news of the disaster reached the Blank home in Glen Ridge, the entire household was thrown into a quandary. It was not until Henry was reunited with his wife at the Hotel Seville in New York City, did she and her family believe that their husband and father had been saved.Henry Blank returned to his firm, and prospered further in later years. He never liked to discuss the Titanic disaster, and his only relic from the disaster was a White Star Line playing card that he saved from his card game in the smoking room. The card is still preserved by his descendants today.
That is not in the Sam Joseph collection. Yet.
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Comments (23)
Years ago I noticed that the sun room from this house was always bathed in a creepy green light when it got dark. I figured vampires lived there or something.
I'm happy for Sam. It's really cool that he's got suitcases of cash. The tattoo thing is pretty awesome too.
Great story. I always knew about the history of the house, but nothing of who lives there now. great restoration on the house too
East coast blowhard with too much cash seeks to buy his own footnote in history.
It is obvious that 90% of the people that post comments on BNet are underachievers who disguise their jealousy of the people that have worked hard and made something of themselves with disparaging comments.
Worked hard and made something of themselves....like Richard Nixon? Like O.J. Simpson, or like another 30 or so similiar crooks that I could mention.
Ahhh, now I understand!
Like Paris Hilton, like selections on a juke box they are that great in numbers... The ones with all the tax shelters and German cars.
"Blank and Lady Astor, both on lifeboat 7, used the clock's chiming feature to keep track of the time, according to Joseph."
How charming, the "brave" Mr. Blank made it into liveboat 7 and left other, second and third class women and children passengers go down with the ship.
There's somewhat of a difference between resonance and relevance.
That Mr. Joseph imagines he has a "strong connection" to events and people part of the Titanic's sinking reminds me that I have a similar bond with General Rommel since a relative's main duty in WWII was guarding German POW's taken in North Africa way down on a Texas turkey processing farm. Somehow, however, I've refrained from tattooing the Afrika Korps's emblem on my arm.
That Joseph claims he took "suitcases full of cash" to Hortense Bader-Wood in order to relieve her of family heirlooms whenever she was short of money, however, sounds sort of tacky. And who know selling houses apparently paid so well? (Who even knew that someone other than drug dealers specializes in bags full of greenbacks, for that matter?
He lives in South Orange now in this fabulous house. And he's got all his little trees wrapped up tight again this winter.
Sam, please drop off suitcases full of cash for me.
I'll be glad to give you an address for quick baggage checks...
In case u havent figured it out, this interview was done very tongue-in-cheek.
Hortense and her family are very close to me. Her recent death was a great loss. We were planning her 100th birthday for this february. I was very fortunate to know this fine lady and live in the house that she was born in.
I cherish her memory and the memory of living in her birthplace. I am sure that there will be many insensitive remarks made about this article. It is the nature of this medium it brings out the cowards that sit in the dark looking at a screen and do not have the personal courage to do anything except be critical, so have at it, I grew up in the intolerant South and have developed very thick skin.
In case u havent figured it out, this interview was done very tongue-in-cheek.
Hortense and her family are very close to me. Her recent death was a great loss. We were planning her 100th birthday for this february. I was very fortunate to know this fine lady and live in the house that she was born in.
I cherish her memory and the memory of living in her birthplace. I am sure that there will be many insensitive remarks made about this article. It is the nature of this medium it brings out the cowards that sit in the dark looking at a screen and do not have the personal courage to do anything except be critical, so have at it, I grew up in the intolerant South and have developed very thick skin.
In case u havent figured it out, this interview was done very tongue-in-cheek.
Hortense and her family are very close to me. Her recent death was a great loss. We were planning her 100th birthday for this february. I was very fortunate to know this fine lady and live in the house that she was born in.
I cherish her memory and the memory of living in her birthplace. I am sure that there will be many insensitive remarks made about this article. It is the nature of this medium it brings out the cowards that sit in the dark looking at a screen and do not have the personal courage to do anything except be critical, so have at it. I grew up in the intolerant South and have developed very thick skin.
Sam Joseph, while the "interview" may have been conducted with tongues in cheeks, the actual post simply wasn't written well enough to convey that. (A frequent problem here of late, one might suggest.) No matter where you grew up, nor your willingness to term others who didn't share you sense of humor as "cowards."
But then, most of us posting here grew up in the wild, snarky north, and we laugh at your claim of having a thick skin. Sure you do, pal.
I actually found the article to be very interesting. This house is one of my favorite in GR. I think its cool to know some of the history.
Why so cynical on the interest in the Blank family? Clearly it was more than a hobby if a party was thrown in her honor and she stayed overnight. I honestly read "suitcases full of cash" as somewhat tounge in cheek.
Just go into Encylopedia Titanica and you'll be in there all day! It's very addictive. I can imagine to have a real connection to someone would make it more so. I love Sam's current house - there's not a time that I pass by that I don't wish it was all mine, and then I think about heating it! I saw the show too. I want to the suitcase of money AND the caviar champagne basket prepared for the Edison son's Llewellyn Park house!
Sure must have been tough for a white man in the South. Kudos to you on developing such a thick skin. I can't even begin to imagine the oppression and prejudice you faced.
My father is descended from the house cook of Catholina Lambert. Mr. Lambert was fond of my ancestors cooking so much that he considered him a dear and close friend and when Mr. Lambert expired, he left my great great uncle his cherished colostomy bag which has passed down through the generations and taken it's place on my mantle. It's quite the conversation piece!
I'd be happy to make time available for an interview BNet.
Mrs. Astor was in lifeboat number 4 - not 7.
I re-read this post and I keep coming up Blank. I simply can't get past the flotSAM and jetSAM of Mr. Joseph's weird little hobby.
The real estate market is a real bitch. Methinks Mr. Joseph's suitcases full of cash are going to be missing in action for the next few years.
Samiam....Hope to see you moving back to GR someday! More gaslamps here then in SO.
I just cannot understand why a group of people would be so judgmental about someone they do not even know. I do know Sam Joseph, in fact I have known him for most of my life. I cannot fathom what sort of person could be so mean spirited to such a kind and compassionate man. Sam has not only done many kind things for the town of Glen Ridge, he is the first one to remember a birthday or an anniversary. The fact that you would insult him deeply troubles me. You all think you are so clever with your banter, but what you really are is a bunch of cowards hiding behind your fake names. I?m not hiding, my name is Nicholas Turiano, I am thirteen years old and I live in Glen Ridge. So do your homework before you worry about your great great uncles? colostomy bags.
Nic,
What you and many other people fail to properly appreciate is that this site is an amusment park for the mind.
No one here actually holds any ill will towards Saul. I'm sure he's a very wonderful fellow. I used to see him on the NJT train in the evening and he always had a pleasant demeanor.
I still wonder what that heck was up with that creepy green light. I think it was in use before Stan occupied the residence.
Cheerio!
Nicholas,
To further amplify MellonBrush' remarks above:
"this site is an amusment park for the mind . . ." for losers who have nothing better to do with their free time.
Hey mother_of_i, you just posted here, too!!!!