Petry's Paintings

by Ward Byron

1994

Editor's Note: The following letter from Ward Byron was in response to Past-Commodore Bill Weinert's request for some background on the framed additions to the Club's Squadron Room. These paintings are the work of Victor Petry, a personage here in Douglaston as well as in New York's theater and ail world. Mr. Byron also notes that the yachting prints are the work of a British artist, Thomas G. Dutton, and were lithographed around 1875. It is quite possible, he says, that through a mix-up of names the Foina is really the Livonia, they yacht defeated by the Sappho in the America's Cup races of 1871.

Mr. Byron lived on Ridge Road, Douglas Manor, from 1943-1985. Now eighty-eight years old, Mr. Byron lives in Riverdale.

The Petry family came to Douglaston in 1915 and lived at 29 Cedar Lane. Vic and his younger brother, Alex, had a sloop named Mutt and might have become enthusiastic yachtsmen had not music and art raised their ugly heads. Most of their friends were deep-water people. There was Arthur Knapp, who became national Star champion, and the Teller boys, who lived across the Bay, and the Johns brothers whose father was Commodore of the Bayside Yacht Club. Then there was Carl Weigant, Victor's pal and neighbor. Carl was one of Douglaston's most expert yachtsmen and was a classmate of mine at Flushing High School. He wrote for Yachting magazine and was involved with transatlantic sailing competition. Sometime around 1932 he studied ancient marine documents on shipwrecks involving sunken treasure. After much research and calculations, Carl was convinced of the location of a sunken treasure ship. He put everything he owned into raising money to support a personal treasure hunt. He begged and borrowed and finally secured the funds and set off, mortgaged to the hilt, and in debt to a few close friends. Needless to say, the venture was a complete loss and the treasure (if his calculations were correct) remains in the locker of a certain David Jones.

The story has a sad ending, as Carl, despondent over the failure, and no doubt feeling guilt for the losses he had caused his friends, hung himself in the attic of his home just across the street from Petry's house. Perhaps the loss of a dear friend contributed to Victor's losing interest in sailing, but it was sure to lose out sooner or later to art and music.

Victor Petry Sr., was a distinguished architect and interior decorator. He was associated with the famous Broadway theatre producer and director David Belasco, and designed many of Belasco's shows of the early 1920's. Petry also did the famous Pickfair, home of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford in Beverly Hills. You can imagine my thrill when in later years I spent many days at Pickfair working with Buddy Rogers, who was Mary Pickford's second husband. Another of Petry's clients was Sarnuel B. Riddle, owner of the famous Man O'War.

You can see with such genes bouncing around the Petry home the lure of the sea didn't stand a chance against the call of the arts. AD four children became accomplished musicians. Vic and Alex doubled in both music and painting. Alex was my age. I hired him at NBC in 1931 as a music librarian where he remained until he retired. He then follow Vic's lead and turned to painting seascapes- proving that you can take the boy out of Douglaston, but you can't take .... You know the rest. Music was in the air in those days. Another Douglaston artist was like a brother to the Petry clan. Those of you who follow jazz of the Big Band era will know of Bob Haggart who was an original member and arranger with the Bob Crosby orchestra. If you don't remember him, I'm sure you will remember his compositions- What's New, South Rampart Street Parade, and Big Noise From Winnetka. Haggart was like a third brother in the Petry family. We held orchestra rehearsals in their living room, and Bob who was somewhat younger than the rest of us, asked to "sit in. " He still plays concerts, but like Vic and Alex, he turned to painting and had an exhibit last year here in New York. I believe that a bit of Old Vic rubbed off on young Bob.

Victor is the only remaining member of his immediate family, and at ninety-two is now living in Calimesa, California. He started his art studies at Pratt Institute, and later became a student of the American master, Frederick J. Waugh.

So the next time you attend a function in the third floor ballroom, remember that although George Washington never slept there, Victor Petry played there many, many times.