The Roy T. Eddleman Collection

The Roy T. Eddleman Collection

From the estate of Roy T. Eddleman (1940-2022), sold to benefit the Eddleman Quantum Institute.

Roy Eddleman's intellectual curiosity and his interest in science and history were apparent from an early age, and in later life his achievements in that field were to enable him not only to establish and support numerous philanthropic causes in the name of science, but to make significant purchases in art collecting, most notably of scientific and historical subjects.

Born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill but left before graduating and moved to Los Angeles which was to become his adoptive home. His first job was selling laboratory equipment before he moved to Cal Biochem, but in 1970 at the age of 30 he founded his first company, Spectrum Inc. It was to become a world leader in the manufacture of hollow fibre and tubular mass transfer membranes for the bioprocessing of proteins, pharmaceuticals and diagnostic therapeutics. Either founding or heading up eight other related companies, he was to hold many patents for products or processes that he had created. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, his work directly contributed to the reduction of costs in the development of many drugs and expedited their application to help cure thousands of conditions and diseases.

His friends recall an exceptional and surprising host: his parties might begin at his Los Angeles home but end somewhere much further afield after he had flown his guests, on a whim, to New York or Hawaii. The LA parties were legendary, so much so that in later years his printed invitations had to stipulate 'attendance only by invitation' to discourage the curiosity of outsiders. His friends meant a great deal to him, and his generosity could be boundless.
His scientific and historical interest extended into all aspects of his life, determining the shape of his collection and being the inspiration for his prodigious philanthropy. While his collection of paintings of alchemical subjects reflects his interest in science, his collection of furniture and decorative arts reflect his love of history and the classics. He was a student of culture his entire life and used the scholarship he gained to assemble a collection that pays homage to the some of the greatest historical eras of art. His narrative of collecting is represented by a wide spectrum of artistic disciplines and craftmanship from the ancient world through 19th century Europe, which was exhibited at both his long-time residence on Amapola Lane and more recently at his home in Beverly Park. Georgian furniture, fine silver, Meissen porcelain and Italian bronzes, all illustrate his curiosity about the culture and elegance of the past eras. His collection is a deep appreciation for these historical pinnacles of artist achievement.

He supported the development of young scientists through the Roy Eddleman Institute and the Foundation for Educational Research and the Life Sciences Foundation. He also made generous donations to the University of California Santa Barbara, the University of California Irvine, and Cal Tech. His mantra was "Quantum science holds significant promises for humanity. To realise its fullest potential, we need to provide adequate support to young scientists who want to pursue careers in the field." To this end, all proceeds from the sale of Mr Eddleman's estate will go to fund the Eddleman Quantum Institute, a charitable organisation dedicated to science and education.