Born Etta Lit Wedell to a Jewish family on September 6, 1886, in Philadelphia, the daughter of Rachel Lit and Philip M. Wedell.[1] Her mother founded the original store that became Lit Brothers in 1891.[1] Etta attended the Philadelphia Seminary for Women.[1] In 1904, she married theatre owner Jules Mastbaum.
While traveling in Europe in the 1920s, Etta and her husband were intrigued by sculptor Auguste Rodin. That led to a lifetime of collecting his works and eventually amassing the largest collection — after Rodin’s own — of Rodin’s sculptures, bas-reliefs, drawings, books, and letters.[1] The French government permitted them to remove the artworks from France, provided they be exhibited in a permanent structure open to the public.[1] The Mastbaums built the Jacques Gréber and Paul Cret designed Rodin Museum in Philadelphia.[1]
After the death of her husband in 1926, Etta donated the collection to the people of Philadelphia in his honor.[1] She also donated a bronze cast by Rodin, The Gates of Hell, to France — which resulted in her being decorated by the government of France.[1] She assumed control of her husband's company Stanley Company of America and served as an executive of her family's company Lit Brothers.[1]
She served as a second vice president of the Mastbaum Loan System, a not-for profit dedicated to providing financial assistance to the poor.[1] She was also an active donor to the American Red Cross and Emergency Aid of Philadelphia.[1]
Etta and Jules Mastbaum had three daughters: Louisette "Billie" Mastbaum Wolf Dickson, Margery "Peggy" Mastbaum Solomon, and Elizabeth Mastbaum.[1][2][3] Etta was a member of Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia. She died at age 67 in 1953, in Manhattan.[1]