Fine Books & Manuscripts

BENNETT, Harry Herbert (1892–1979). –– BACON, Irving R., artist (American, 1875–1962). Solid bronze statue. Henry Ford Commercial Art Department, ca. 1933. 12 x 6 x 6”. Full figural statue of Bennett as the Atlantic Fleet boxing champion in his division in 1912 at Havana Harbor, commissioned with Irving Bacon while still working at Ford. Bacon was the in-house artist at Ford and was known for his depictions of western scenes including one of Buffalo Bill now in Cody, Wyoming. Harry Bennett’s colorful career started while he was enlisted in the navy as a coal passer. While in the navy, his ship suffered an explosion and he and a friend walked 180 miles along the African coast to safety. These stories were later enlarged by the lions and tigers that Bennett kept in the basement of his castle. Bennett first met Henry Ford in New York City after Bennett was detained for brawling near the docks which impressed Ford who later enlisted his talents to keep order in his new Rouge manufacturing complex. Bennett would become Ford’s “eyes and ears” at the new Rouge plant and head of “Ford Service” which has been said to have been the largest private police force in the world. His close relationship with Ford grew when he kept the unions out in 1932 and again in 1937 at the memorable “Battle of the Overpass”, later becoming chief negotiator when Ford agreed to sign with the United Automobile Workers. The year Edsel Ford died, Henry Ford put Bennett on the board of directors of Ford Motor Company and by 1944 Bennett was general supervisor of all personal, labor relations, and public relations, as well as aiding Henry Ford in formulating general company policy. This statue of Bennett along with a matching one of Harry Kipke (as seen during a 20 January 1974 interview for an article in the Detroit Free Press Magazine), were commissioned for his home where Bennett built his famous Castle in Ann Arbor, Michigan that he and Ford entertained visitors at. These statues were used as recruiting propaganda for former University of Michigan football players and athletes for Bennett’s Security Corps at the Rouge Plant. A truly remarkable piece of Detroit history.