A.S.W. Rosenbach, Philadelphia Gentleman

I have used some (what I think is) interesting information on tours at the Rosenbach for years, but until now I have never had a forum where I could share it with other docents. I just talked about it on my last tour with a couple who wanted to know about Dr. Rosenbach's social status.

E. Digby Baltzell, the Philadelphia sociologist, published a book in 1958, called Philadelphia Gentlemen: the making of a national upper class. In a chapter about the city between the wars, he describes three social hierarchies: the Episcopalian, the Quaker and the Jewish. These people all knew about each other, but there was almost no social crossover between the groups. Except, that is, for a very few people, and one of them was A.S.W. Rosenbach. He was not only a member of Philadelphia's Jewish elite but of the Philadelphia elite, who might be asked to gatherings of any of the local socialites.

Baltzell does not mention Philip Rosenbach. I have to assume that Abie's membership in the Philadelphia elite did not extend to other family members.