The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-22
VINO roy PICTCRES9

In n few days Mr.. John Taylor Johnston's
valuable collection ut intlnrs viii he scattered
to the four winds " heaven As none but the
wealthy can CRAFTY taste for Mciasoniers,
Gcr0 ncs, Trovous. Bluguercaus, and Schreyets,
20 cost Of from Sio1QtO $1,000 piece. 1t Is very
suggo stive to 1ud, even IN these hard lines, no
lack OF uycrs for so large a collection as the
j lhnstor Gallery when forced Of 1t public 1uc-
ticn. The pifited bidding which was a uotat 10
feature In the proceedings OF the last two nights
1t Chickerng Hall, became very herce over GER
tain gems. On che 6rst nights sale, MIR. James
Gordon Bennett carried OIL the prize, Aleis
sonier's "soldiers at Cards" 1t was sold al
midnight. being the last picture on the list.
MIR. Bennett mad a competitor one Of the
best ju ges Of pictures In this city--a man Of
great We lth but a very close buyer. Mr. Rem
nett. through his agent, ran his advcfsatics. one
and ALL II the field, and came in victorious on
the home stretch, on a On bid Of $ll.5OO, thus
closing the Proceedings Of the evening. Jonn
w. Garrett, President IF tue Baltimore and Ohio
Railway, not satisfied with diver ing a consider
~ lo portion Of our legitimate grain tru de to
u altimore, has likewise captured some very val
liable pictures, signed Hunt, Church, Williams,
ZEN. GGr0me, Fiere am otherwise, which he
proposes to transfer from NV York to the
Monumental City. At the first and second
amounted to an aggregate value of slj6lO. Mr..
Garrett was personally present at the sales, and
directed the bidding made on his behalf. We
do not learn that his great competitor for the
trafIc Of the Vest" MIR. william II Vanderbilt,
put In an Appearance on this occasion. MIR. Gar
rett. like Mr. Bennett, went IN against the field
II has been mater Of comment that John W.
Garrett deputed Nice-Prcsdent King ia settle
the railway war. but came on here In person to
attend the sile II the Johnston Gallery. Mr.
John jacob Aston was the purchaser. for $500
Of Nullers Roll Clli Of the List Victims OF
the Reign OF Terror" one Of the highest priced
pictures sold at the first evenings sale. while
MIR. George Peabody Wetmore, the owner of the
magnificent Wctmore Chateau, at Newport.
bought G6-ome's well-Known picture, 1.-THE
Call to Prayer" Cairo. Among other we lthy
purchasers we notice the names Of Alexander
Brown, d. Stewart, lie Grand u. Cannon. II. X.
l. roy. Jpnn II. Sherwood. and WIN. f. Dodge.
Some ten years ago an auction sale of piint-
ings equal In value aud excel nee to those Of
tne Johnston Gallery would have met with very
different and much less favorable results.
Though times then were apparently more pros
rerous money more plenty, and pcpple general
w II her then now. there was lacking that nj "a
pprcc ton for lne works Of art, stdtuar,, ard
paintings winch has DEVELOPED itself 50 rapidly
among our wealthy classes during the last de-
cade. As we nave already had occasion to point
iout IA these columns. New York. the great COM
merci counting house Of the New World, the
centre of wealth and commerce In these Unite
states Is destined In very near future TO take
r lux side by side with London ami Paris as r.
CARDS everything which makes life attractive
aud agree Die IN those capitals.
Our wealthy citizens vie with each other in
seeking the sum 4 cxcellerce In all that per
tuns to The comforts aud eegancios of Hfe -
nne houses, furnished and equipped In admiri-
tile taste. and reg rdless of cost; handsome
equipages, w-il-assnr'ed private libraries, and
choice galleries Of pictures Nor arr the pIDltc
iihr ries. the A-tCr and the Lenox soon to be
opene ,. he theatres. and other places OF amuse-
ineht at all bent d similar INSTITUTE ms abroad
Our Central rk Is lar ahead Of ali london
Iaiks, more attractive and ettor kept, while 1;
compares favoraulv. taken "a whole, with the
chief parks ana iuhic gardens Of Europe. Tn
buyers 81 pct Ircs form but a small pOr.ion Of
tntf large class NhiCl represents the aCcumu-
IA ed we ltn OF this rentfe, and which Is rauiuly
transforming New Y Jrk INTO IN Imperial city.