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These fossils, on display in the Department of Biological Sciences, are from the approximately 50 million-year-old Green River Formation in Wyoming.

Flashy hats and fossil fish

Story by Nicole Sweeney Etter | Photo by Matthew Bin Han Ong, Comm '12

Marquette University has been built through the generosity of donors. But alumni and other friends have given more than funds for programs, student scholarships, and bricks and mortar. Here are a few of the more unusual items that have been gifted to Marquette over the years.

Chunk of the Berlin Wall. The 227-pound piece of concrete was acquired with the help of U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl and displayed last fall in honor of the 20th anniversary of the wall coming down. It was presented in 1991 to Marquette by the Bradley Institute of Democracy and Public Values “to commemorate the triumphs of democracy over Leninism 1989-1991,” according to the wall’s plaque.

Silver ingots. Dr. Robert E. Flood, Med ’46, and his wife, Mary, collected blocks of silver stamped with bank logos commemorating the growth of various institutions. “Unfortunately for the donor, this was not a collection that appreciated,” says Dr. Annemarie Sawkins, associate curator of the Haggerty Museum of Art. “But he wanted Marquette to have it and said we could do whatever we wanted with [the ingots]. So because they were worth their weight in silver, they were sold about five years ago to the benefit of the art acquisition fund.”

Silver christening set that included an engraved silver hammer and an empty bottle of Champagne. Designed by the renowned Gorham Company of New York, the set was used by Alice Roosevelt Longworth during the launching ceremonies of Kaiser Wilhelm II’s yacht, The Meteor, in New York.

Ancient urns. These terracotta vessels are believed to be 1,200 to 2,000 years old and were excavated from the Mediterranean. Given by Marc and Lillian Rojtman, who also donated St. Joan of Arc Chapel, the vessels are used in the landscaping around the chapel.

The diaries and gloves of the Incomparable Hildegarde, otherwise known as Loretta Sell, an alumna of the School of Music. The gloves were a trademark of the once-world-famous pianist and cabaret singer. The diaries recently were acquired through the detective work of Monica Gallamore, a doctoral candidate who is writing her dissertation on Hildegarde.

Embroidered kimono. Japan gave the kimono to Wisconsin in honor of the state’s 150th anniversary in 1998. The kimono is now part of Marquette’s Tommy G. Thompson Collection.

Medieval choir books. Technically called antiphonals, the rare handwritten manuscripts were rescued from a Spanish monastery that was in danger of being threatened by antireligious mobs. The collection was given to Marquette in 1952 by Col. Howard Greene.

Fossil fish. Charles Noll, Bus Ad ’47, gave these to the Department of Biological Sciences in 2007. The fish are mounted in the department’s library.

Letter sweater once belonging to Rev. Thomas Stemper, S.J. Father Stemper, Arts ’26, played basketball at Marquette and later served as dean of men and director of alumni relations. (Father Stemper was also well known for his love and devotion to campus wildlife. See a photo and painting of him.)

The wardrobe of Gretchen Colnik, Jour ’28. “The late alumna was a distinctly dressed broadcaster and lecturer known for her large hats,” says Bill O’Brien, senior advancement knowledge officer. Colnik’s wardrobe was integrated into the Helfaer Theater’s costume collection.

An inscribed pair of silver skates. These were a gift from the estate of Hazel Bilty, a Milwaukee native and award-winning ice skater in the 1920s. The skates are on display at the Annex.