Art and Law- The Hyder Collection

Last month I had the pleasure of attending a lecture, The Hyder Collection A Historical Retrospective of the Law Through Antiques and Art, with Elton M. Hyder. Mr. Hyder is the President and CEO of the EMH Corporation & the C&E F.L. Partnership. His parents created the Hyder Collection, a collection of legally inspired art pieces. When I attended the University of Texas School of Law the Hyder collection was housed in the UT Tarlton Law Library. I have many fond memories of taking study breaks to examine the artwork. Everything in the collection from cartoon sketches of famous judges and patriotic WWII posters to African tribal art pieces had an interesting piece of history to it. The wide and varied artwork that made up the Hyder collection created a unique library study experience for me and for many students before me, which is why it is so sad to see it go. It is hard to imagine what the new Tarlton Law Library will be like without this extensive and prestigious collection that for so long defined its character.

Listening to Elton Hyder speak about his parents and their passion for collecting art was also very touching. Elton's father, Elton M. Hyder, Jr., became the youngest attorney to prosecute war crimes for the United States, when he was posted as the Associate Counsel for the United States prosecution team during the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal. It was this experience that started him on the path of collecting art that related to the practice of law. In 1981, when the Tarlton Law Library was remodeled, the Hyder Collection was first housed in the library. Later Elton Hyder's wife, Martha Hyder, added collections of kilim rugs, traditional African art, and bright Georgia O'Keeffe posters to add an atmosphere of warmth and hominess for students studying in the library.

Amongst the more interesting pieces were an exact replica of the arrest warrant issued by Queen Elizabeth for her sister Mary Queen of Scotts and the death mask of 20th-century British executioner Albert Pierrepoint. Albert Peirrpoint is believed to have executed an estimated 433 men and 17 women, including 200 Nazi war criminals after World War II.
I had the opportunity to view the collection one last time before it was put up for auction after Mr. Hyder's lecture. You can read more about the Hyder collection at: https://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/exhibits/hyder/index.html.

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