Alexander Brown Griswold (1907-1991)

He was born in Baltimore. He graduated from the Gilman School (1924) and Princeton University (1928) where he studied art and archaeology and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He continued his education at Cambridge University in England before joining the family bank, Alexander Brown & Sons, in 1930. He became a partner the following year and retired as a senior partner in 1964. During World War II, he was with the CIA and was dropped behind the Japanese lines in Thailand. This sparked a lifelong passion for Thai art and for many years after the war he divided his time between Baltimore and Thailand. His 300-piece collection of Thai and Southeastern art was the largest of its kind outside of Thailand. Before his death, he donated much of it to the Walters Art Gallery. He published several books including "Dated Buddha Images of Northern Siam (1957)". He was a visiting Professor at Cornell University holding a yearly seminar from his home. He had also been on the board of the Baltimore Museum of Art and had been assistant secretary to the board at Walters. In 1950, he sold off and developed the old family estate, Mondawmin. He died unmarried, without children.