Rosenthal, Samuel R. 1899-1994

Lawyer, philanthropist and book collector.

Samuel R. Rosenthal was a long-time senior partner of the law firm of Sonnenschein, Nath and Rosenthal, specializing in probate and estate law. Rosenthal was born in Manistique, Michigan, served in the Army in World War I, and earned an A.B. in 1921 from the University of Michigan and a law degree in 1924 from Harvard. He went to work at the Sonnenschein firm in 1926 and became a partner in 1937. He and his wife Marie-Louise were active philanthropists and book collectors. Mr. Rosenthal served as trustee of the Newberry Library from 1965 to the time of his death. One of Mr. Rosenthal's many collecting interests was the work of Giovanni Mardersteig and his Officina Bodoni press. Rosenthal's collection was notable for including not only books of the press but also many ephemeral and privately printed pieces, some produced in editions as small as ten copies.