Research Uncovers Provenance of Texas Longhorn Display at Ca' d'Zan Mansion

During a 2024 summer internship at The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, graduate student Sofia Paschero investigated the origins of mounted Texas longhorn cattle horns displayed in the Tap Room of Ca' d'Zan, the historic Sarasota mansion. Working under curator Marissa Hershon, Paschero discovered archival evidence linking the horns to a gift from Texas publisher and museum founder Amon Carter to circus magnate John Ringling in 1926. The research involved examining telegrams and correspondence in the Amon Carter Collection at Texas Christian University's archives, which revealed the humorous yet respectful relationship between the two men. This documentation allows The Ringling to establish provenance for the decorative piece, which will now be incorporated into educational tours. Paschero, a PhD history student at TCU with previous museum experience in Texas, conducted this curatorial detective work as part of her internship focused on objects from the Ringlings' residency period. The findings demonstrate how ongoing research continues to reveal new details about the historic estate and its collections.