The Mrs. Leslie Fenton Netsuke Collection was a gift to Hartnell College in 1985. Born in Salinas, Marcella Zabala (1903-1987) married Charles S. Howard in 1930. Together they dazzled the world of horseracing with their legendary horse, Seabiscuit. After the death of Howard, Marcella married Leslie Fenton, an actor and noted movie producer who was instrumental in assembling this collection. Although they lived in Santa Barbara, Mrs. Fenton never forgot her connection with Salinas and offered to lend part of this collection for an exhibition at Hartnell Gallery in 1979. A second exhibition followed the next year, both sponsored by the Japanese American Citizens League. The enthusiastic response of the community was a deciding factor in Mrs. Fenton’s decision to ultimately make this the permanent home of her netsuke collection. The fact that she was the great granddaughter of William Hartnell was also an important consideration.
