Carl Howard Pforzheimer (1879–1957) was an American banker and curbstone broker based in New York City.
An avid collector of rare books, he built up the Carl H. Pforzheimer Collection of Shelley and His Circle, which is now held at New York Public Library.
[1] After he formed Carl H. Pforzheimer & Co. he focused on the oil and gas industry, The NY Times writes that the firm was "instrumental in the underwriting of the securities of a number of oil companies at a time when Wall Street had developed little interest in the petroleum industry.
The board corresponded to the Governing Committee of the Stock Exchange and had the "task of keeping the outside market in order."
Pforzheimer and two other retirees had composed the Complaint Committee, had recently had their charges against Secretary Franklin Leonard dismissed by the full board.
Specializing in Standard Oil and miscellaneous securities, firm members included Carl Pforzheimer and his brothers Walter and Arthur.
[1] In 1940, he published "The Carl H. Pforzheimer Library of English Literature 1475-1700" as a three-volume catalogue.
[1] In 1951, the New York Times called his library literature "considered one of the great rare book collections in private hands.
"[8] Roger Stoddard, curator of rare books at Harvard College Library later called his collection "the greatest collection in private hands", including the first complete Bible in English and 1535 Coverdale Bible, and various Shakespeare plays.
Excluding weekends, the old farmhouse was not occupied by the Pforzheimer families that winter as improvements were made, with Carl and Walter summering at Port Chester.
[15] In 1922, Carl and his brother Walter had a falling-out that “drew a fault line” between their two families.
As of 1936, Pforzheimer, his wife, his daughter, his son-in-law John Long, and two grandchildren were living in the manor.
[16] On July 14, 1936, lightning struck his Purchase mansion, causing around $100,000 in damages and injuring several firemen when a ceiling collapsed.