A series of fortunate events: signed photo of Billy Bishop portrait surfaces

News Article / July 16, 2013 / Project number: RCAF-20130716-01

Within two hours of learning that a signed photo of a portrait of First World War flying ace Air Commodore Billy Bishop had surfaced at an antiques dealer’s in St. Catharines, Ont., the board that manages the national historic site dedicated to Bishop’s memory raised the $1,350 to buy the print.

The antiques dealer bought the photo through an online auction in the United States from the owner of a rare book store. Given his expertise in this area, the dealer appraised the photo at approximately $1500, which the museum agreed was an acceptable price.

“It was just fantastic,” says Virginia Eichhorn, director of the Billy Bishop Home and Museum, in Owen Sound, Ont. “As soon as I called the first board member and mentioned that our curator of collections, Mindy Gill, had located the print through a casual Google search, and that it was available for sale, she immediately offered to donate a couple of hundred dollars to help buy it. I was so amazed I made the same offer and within two hours we had raised the full amount, which was absolutely incredible.”

The black and white photo is of a 1937 colour painting of A/C Billy Bishop seen wearing his honorary air marshal uniform.

The original painting, “HONORARY AIR MARSHAL WILLIAM AVERY BISHOP, VC, DSO AND BAR, MC, DFC”, painted by French artist Alphonse Jongers in 1937, is part of the Beaverbrook collection of war art at theCanadianWarMuseuminOttawa. The painting measures 36 inches high (92 centimetres) by 30 inches (76 centimetres) wide.

A/C Bishop’s son, Arthur, donated the painting to the Canadian War Museum in 1968. Likely, his father commissioned it from Mr. Jongers, who was based in Montreal at the time, however, no one is quite sure of the story behind the photo.

The inscription reads, “To Louise, my first copy of my photograph as an A.M”. and is signed “Billy”. Certain markings can be seen, such as Mr. Jongers’ signature in the top right corner and the original pencil signature of photographer Notman & Sons with "copy” just above the inscription.

Louise, A/C Bishop’s only sister, was instrumental in setting up the Billy Bishop museum in Owen Sound, which made the artefact that much more special to acquire says Ms. Eichhorn.

“Louise was a key, key player in establishing the museum; in fact, she donated many of the artefacts that got the museum going so we knew we absolutely had to acquire this photo.”

In piecing together part of the mystery, Royal Canadian Air Force historian Major Mathias Joost, says that “the honorary rank [of Air Marshal] that was bestowed upon Bishop in August 1938 [the year after the painting was actually done], represented a promotion in the honorary ranks, [A/C Bishop] having first been appointed an honorary group captain in April 1931.

“Bishop’s actual rank for his military service was air commodore and he is listed as such in the RCAF officers list. The air marshal rank had nothing to do with his return to military service.”

The rest of the story is still a mystery.

The Billy Bishop museum plans to frame the print and hang it next to pictures of Louise Bishop.

The members of the board who purchased the photo are Dr. John Totten (retired RCAF), Dave Alexander, Gloria Habart, Jim Henderson, Tom Denholm and John Brennan (retired RCAF).