“Number One” died last week, leaving “Number Two” behind. Erhard Hennemann and his son, Craig, were best friends and like two peas in a pod; thus, affectionately nicknamed Number One and Two by antiques show promoters Vivien Cord and Ed McClure, who received the early morning call they were expecting.
Erhard died on September 8 at the age of 83. As Craig expressed it, “his body just wore out.” Earlier in the day Craig came to visit Cord’s Labor Day show in Katonah, N.Y., where he and his dad were a fixture for many years, known for fine and unusual porcelains, English Royal and Mao Zedong memorabilia, fine glassware and artwork. Craig visited with his many dealer friends who had been asking for him and Erhard. After he left the show, he went to visit with his dad, and shortly thereafter, Number One passed on.
Erhard was born on January 24, 1926, in Salzwedel, Germany. In 1929, he moved to New York City with his family. In school, his classmates assigned the following quote with his picture in the yearbook, “tho modest on his unembarrass’d brow, nature has written ‘Gentleman,'” and this quote fit him all his life.
Erhard was a veteran of the US Army and later was employed as an x-ray technologist at the Kingston Hospital from 1952 to 1966 and at the Mid-Hudson Medical Center from 1966 until his retirement in December 2007.
In 1949, Erhard married Edith Jessen, who passed away in 1996, leaving father and son very lonely but bringing them so close that one was seldom seen without the other. The Hennemanns participated in Cord Shows and those of several other promoters for more than 30 years. Not many knew that Erhard loved dancing, especially ballroom. He participated in the chorus of musical theaters and sang in Camelot, The Mikado and Hello, Dolly with the County Players and Die Fledermaus at the Bardovon, where Erhard and his wife were featured dancers.
Memorial services will be conducted on Thursday, September 24, at 7 pm at the Robert H. Auchmoody Funeral Home, 1028 Main Street, Fishkill, N.Y. Internment will be private at the discretion of the family.
Erhard will not be forgotten. In later years, he walked with a cane on his left while Craig walked with a cane to his right, as they leaned upon each other in life. Now Craig will have to lean on his friends, who number many, and will certainly be there to support him. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations may be made to the Animal Rescue Foundation, 54 Simmons Lane, Beacon NY 12508 or a charity of one’s choice in Erhard’s memory.
†Submitted by Vivien Cord (Cord Shows Ltd)
