Owlbert Q. Feathers’ Journey

The Provenance of The Owl, aka Owlbert Q. Feathers

The Owl was donated to the Burlingame Public Library by the Peninsula Museum of Art in 2021, but it was in rough shape after spending many years outdoors. In 2022, the Burlingame Library Foundation proudly facilitated a complicated conservation of the damaged bronze and the fabrication of the pedestal, but where was it before landing in the Main Library?

In 1979 Eriskine Bufano, son of sculptor Beniamino “Benny” Bufano (1898 – 1970) offered to loan the Owl to the San Mateo County Arts Council for display in front of the Manor House in Twin Pines Park in Belmont. After a year, the Director of the Arts Council wrote to Erskine Bufano that as much as they loved the Owl, they could no longer afford the insurance. He responded saying they could keep it on long-term loan.

For 30 years there was no further communication regarding the Owl from Erskine Bufano and he died in 2010. When the Peninsula Museum of Art (then the occupant of the Manor House) moved to Burlingame in 2013, the Owl migrated with them.

In 2021 the Peninsula Museum of Art was narrowing their collections and selected the Burlingame Public Library as The Owl’s new home. The Foundation board members were so happy to be able to be involved in bringing the sculpture to patrons.

Between October 2022 and January 2023, The Owl went to San Francisco’s Richmond District for a full cleaning and conservation “spa makeover” at ECdR Conservation. The incredible sculpture you see in the Burlingame Main Library, with its fine oak plinth and shiny belly, is only possible because of donors to the Burlingame Library Foundation. The community is so grateful.

Please stop by the Main Library soon and say hello to Owlbert (and grab a few books, of course!)

We are thrilled to be able to permanently bring this fine artwork into the Library for all to enjoy, and are deeply thankful to donors like you who made this project a reality.