Etta Wedell Mastbaum

Born Etta Lit Wedell to a Jewish family on September 6, 1886, in Philadelphia, the daughter of Rachel Lit and Philip M. Wedell.[1] Her mother founded the original store that became Lit Brothers in 1891.[1] Etta attended the Philadelphia Seminary for Women.[1] While traveling in Europe in the 1920s, she and her husband were intrigued by sculptor Auguste Rodin which led to a lifetime of collecting his works which eventually became the 2nd largest after Rodin's personal collection.[1] The French government permitted them to remove the works from France subject to the condition that they works are exhibited in a permanent structure open to the public.[1] The Mastbaums built the Jacques Gréber and Paul Cret designed Rodin Museum in Philadelphia.[1] After the death of her husband in 1926, Mastbaum donated the collection to the people of Philadelphia in her husband's honor.[1] She also donated a bronze cast of Rodin's Gates of Hell to France which resulted in her being decorated by the government of France.[1] She assumed control of her husband's company Stanley Company of America and served as an executive of her family's company Lit Brothers.[1]

Mastbaum served as a second vice president of the Mastbaum Loan System, a not-for profit dedicated to providing financial assistance to the poor.[1] She was also an active donor to the American Red Cross and Emergency Aid of Philadelphia.[1]

On January 19, 1904, Maustbaum married theatre owner Jules Mastbaum; they had three daughters: Louisette "Billie" Mastbaum Wolf Dickson, Margery "Peggy" Mastbaum Solomon, and Elizabeth Mastbaum.[1][2][3] Mastbaum died at the age of 67 on November 1, 1953 in Manhattan.[1] She was a member of Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia.[1]