The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-26
The RIncns Mmsemm.

Part OF the famous Blacas collection has been
unpacked at the British Museum, and its trea
suIes are found to be in perfect condition. We
have already given some account of the transfer
of this extraordinary museum from France to
England, but the Pau MdU Gazette has some
additional particulars which are interesting.
The Gazette says:-
''There died at Venice during the present year
the possessor of one OF the finest private mu-
seumS in Europe. His father, the Duke de
Blacas, who was so well known as one of the
Ministers of Louis XVIII, laid its foundations
during his visits to Rome and Naples as French
Ambassador, and he himself spared neither
trouble nor money IN increasing its treasures
The elder Duke died in 1885, and lies buried III
the Church of the Franciscaus at Gorlitz. There
also rest the remains OF his royal master, Charles
x, to whom when in exile he had offered the
whole of his fortune, and near whose tomb he
lett directions that his own should be made.
His son inherited the political convictions as
well as the title aud property of his father, and
took no part in public affairs, thereby obtain
ing full leisure for the pursuit of his favorite
studies. On his death the law of succession
rendered the sale of his collection necessary,
and as soon as the fact became known, con-
siderable excitement prevailed throughout the
world of art in Paris on the subject of the i'm
pending purchase. The competition lay between
France and England, the former being repre-
sented by committee OF saUdnS, the latter by
Mr.. Newton, of the British Museum who had
been sent to Paris with special instructions
| from the Treasury 1t is mistaken belief that
only portion OF the contents of the Blacas col
/
The truth is that we possess it in its entirety as
! ii existed at the Dukes death, with the eXcep-
! tion OF the bronze statuette OF Ajax, and one
duplicate gold coin of Marc Antony, both OF
which were bequeathed by the late Duke to the
| French naten."
Among the curiosities of the collection is the
celebrated silver toilet service OF Roman
| bride. This treasure, unique in its kind, was
! discovered in 1893 at Rome, in one of set OF
! vaulted chambers, covered with the ruins OF
buildings ofwhichltheyformedt the substructure,
near the convent of the Minims on the Esqui-
! line Hill. 1t consists OF number OF vessels,
vases, ornaments and trappings, nearly all OF
which were probably executed towards the close
! OF the fifth century of the Christian era.
! Among the most important OF these is an obong
| pyXis or casket, about twenty-five inches long,
| seventeen broad and eleven high, resembling
! in shape the sarcophagi of the period, and of
which both the lid and body are covered with
| figures embossed chased, and partially gilt.
The collection of gems in the Blacas museum
| consists of about seven hundred antique intag-
| lios and canoes, together with small but
| choice selection of oriental, renaissance, and
came from the celebrated StrOZzi collection,
| and were published during the last century by
| GoTi, 'Matfei, and Stoch. Others are from the
| Barth Schellershelm, and De la Turbie cabi-
nets, of which the last has been fully described
by Visconti. Among them are several intagios
| and canoes not to be surpassed for beauty,
| and bearing as much external evidence OF
their authenticity as such objects can pos
SiDly poN5eso' vi GuS resi- VI lhS OOIiSOtiOh
| it is sufficient 10 say that nearly all the
specimens it contains have some special interest
arising from their subjects, from the character
of their execution, from the qualityot the stone,
or from the fact OF their having belonged to
some historical parsonage. 1t Is we'll known
that there has hitherto been no branch OF
ancient art so inadequately represented at the
British Museum as that which deals with gems.
The Blacas collection is therefore of paramount
importance, especially on account of the mum
Der of fine canoes which 1t col ntalns.
The Roman coins add TO the British Museum
about twenty-five hundred specimens, many o
them unique, and almost all in the finest state
of preservation.