New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-05


leading authority cooperation There is, think,
no book which undertakes to do as much for tins
important subject Mr.. HolyOakes, or in the samo
way, or with the same opportunities Of personal
knowledge about the matter. The book has tho
following dedication:
WENDELL PHILLIPS
OF AMERICA:
A COUNTRY
WHERE WHAT IS WELCOME;
WHERE WHAT is TRUE EXlANDs:
TO HIM
WHOSE INTREPID VOICE.
CONFORMING DANGEROUS MAJoRIr1Es
ANlMATING FORLORN HOPES,
HAS EVER BEEN RAISED
on BEHALF HE SLAVE BLACK OR WHITE,
THIS E3SoS T EP PS FR RR or
IL ENGLAND
j INSCRIBED
WITH GRATITUDE AND REGARD
GEORGE JACOB HoLYoAKE.
Mr. Bohns china sale proves hardly so much of
an affair as was expected His collection has long
been celebrated and the present four DAYS auction
dispeTses only portion, though most important
portion of it, Ii was thought 10 be very strong in
English ware and all the English ware is now dis
posed OF, the Wcdgwood excepted. Strangers with
an interest in ceramics have long been in the habit
of visiting Mr.. Bohn's collection at 1wickenham,
and he, for his part, was wont to show it with
eagerness and pride Mr.. Sumner went down TO eX
il, caring something for pottery as he did for
most forms Of ant, and having some knowledge OF IT,
Nj. Bohn's preface 10 his catalogue explains, frank
~ enough, why he sells. Not from want of money,
as every body knows, the old man having amassed
large fortune by book publishing and book selling.
But be is now in bis SUN year. with children
living wide apart who do not inherit his enthu-
siasm for hne-art collecting and could not keep his
extensive gatherings together If they did, whereas
they can readily divide the money. Yet ii was not
with money-making views that he bought. and he
has constantly refused. he assures us, most tempt
ing Offers hut age and the other reasons adduced
have rcconclcd me 70 trust TO the results of Mcssrs
CATistie's efficient hammer, with phllOsOphic indf
ference to profit or loss Not wholly indifferent,
! fancy. The taste for money making does not
readily quit a man. however it may be with the
taste for china heard Of the old man Monday
the first day Of the sale, going about the book shops
with new book under his arm. for which he was
soliciting orders-as if he Young fellow just
beginning business instead of having relinquished
il with lrune of a quarter Of million, sterling
Il is the last book Of which nc still owns the copy
rights with all the rest OF bis vast stock be has
parted. Mr. Bohu's testimony II favor Of collecting
Is worth quoting:
The pursuit and study OF the fine arts IN their various
branches have been source or constant enjoyment to
me intervals business and often great solace
hnd relief at ,r1nt periods ana thls alone wOdld De
Ilcadahie ludhu'n'-toA Tor nv lhNts u!ehs Shou!1
they IA 10 be- conur really reproductive. II is said
That collectors usually hufe ioh- ilNc-, anu Cduuol
help feeling that the cheerful exercise OF the mlnd
ana body when belongs 80 the pursuit warrants the
assertion and hope IN due time 10 sly PTobaf"m est
And he justly prdc5 himself on having been
among the frs. IN this country TO popuarze the
cultivation Of ceramic kuoWied-c-a phrase for
which the uniuitiated would probably substitute
china mania In the nature Of things it is difficult
10 rouse mach enthusiasm IN Che human breast for
English porcelain and pottery, unless an exception
be made in favor of Wedgyo0d. 1t IS for the most
part poor in form and weak in color. The whole Of
Mr. 3 hn's was displayed together in one room at
Christe's, and il is astonishing how little art value
it all had. For decorative purposes half dozen old
Nankin blue and white jars would be worth the
whole of il. Yet OLD Chelsea and Bow and Derby
and Bristol and Worcester fetch prices that If they
had only gone to thc makers Of the things in their
day, would have made all OF them millionares None
of MI Bohns samples have yet yielded anything like
the sums given heretofore nor havcany specimens Of
English ware come near the Sevres prices of last
wear. when Lord Dudley gave ESQ guineas for two
lars III inches high. and Lord COyentrys set was
sold for OO0l Quueas. One of Lord Dudley's house
maids is lately reported have broken $1,000 worth
OF SO in the shape II belonging 10 his match
less set. Nh BONN, largest prices have been a Bris
tol tureen, go; three Worcester vases. inches
high G5j three others, green, q inches high f123;
pair tulip-shaped. deep blue and gold with medal
lions, ~ OF thC richest QudlltE ana eNlieIhcIS rare,
o. inches high. GI.J; three Bow vases, dark blue,
G11O; a Chelsea ever. Gi0J. Very few lots have
touched these lglHe>.
A far more important sale is that Of the contents
of Manley Hail "a famous place near Manchester,
lately owned by Mr.. SAN Mendel, and by him filed
with costly art treasures of every kind. Messrs.
Christie have Deen selling tins week the furniture,
engravinRs, decorative objects, and bnca-brac gen
orally. There We're remarkable complete sets OF
proof engrayines after Reynolds and Turner which
have sold in manv cases for more money than the
artists cot fol the original pictures
1t deserves mention, perhaps, that one man IN
this land OF conformity is bold enough to prove
himself non con fOrmSt in so solemn a matter as
that of costume This is Mr.. p A. Taylor, NJ. F. for
Leicester. who has declined an invitation to an Off
clal dinner given by the Speaker Of the House of
Commons because he will not put on the required
dress. The required dress is by means the usual
evening dress but "a combination OF cocked-hat
sword and the other queer elements of court livery
If YOU ask why a man should be expected to array
himself in this attire there is only ID
the custom. But that happens To be the answer
which in this country considered the best of all
possible answers:
in erring reasons spite
One truth II clear: whatever l. Is TlRt.
There is a belief that England is governed by King
Lords and Commons, but the tyTant custom rules
over all three The man who would cheerfully
walk up to the lannon's mouth # he could get there
would never dare go 20 dinner III u morning coat
or cOlored trOwsels There one speaker, as Mr.
Taylor in his letter refusing this invitation points
out, who departed from tbe old etiquette. But his
1uccassors resu,p1b aud abdps In this day Mr..