New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-09


give"
Now, these people would, many OF them, have be-
haved very differently they had been diherenty ap
preached ii all even half OF all mat was done 10
secure the public goodwill aud assistance in the case Oh
the Cesnola antiquities, had been done by the trus
tees aud friends of the 10 secure the Castean
so far general public is concerned lees then moth
ing has been done for the Casteilapi COLLECTION u was
seen Philadelphia has beer virtually shut mp mere
in NewYork. As simple practical matter, the extra
charge OF - cents for separate admission 10 tue
collection, with additional charge OF - cents
for the catalogue, kept the pubic away nom the ICON
that contained the treasure Even free days., that
not free. No meetings have been called. as
the when the Cesnola collection was 20 10
bought and when 10 all this negative influence added
the positive influence ofon man. himself trustee and
supposed. however mistaken to be Judge OF the yaue
of the collection. who make no secret OF ms o9postOn
to the purchase 1t Is little wonder that the eo!eet"h
was lost
"'TwAs MUCH, But WE WANTED IT."
Nr Prime has said much in his letter about the ex
orbitance OF Mr. Caselans price for his collection OF
pottery that fear is bnt little use in my saying
word for the other side One day. when Mr.. Cas-llani
was showing mo plate that had cost him Thousand do
lars he said, in his quaint English. Twas much! twas
much But wanted II waOted I'll" lie meant DC
needed it for the completeness OF bis collection Ithk
ought have looked at the purchase OF the collection
ia the same way, aud that all who knew tho market
value OF such obss ought 10 have emphasized the ben
eft IL would have been TO education the advantage
IL would have proved to our city, the distinction u
would have conferred on us, and the stimulus II Wond
have given to the arts. elegance Of life. II one lady,
known personally 10 the trustees, could oHeI I'M
solicited ten thousand dollars toward the purchase, does
any one doubt that hundred people could have been
found in this city and TO div de the remaining sum
between them Why, one gentleman IN Chicago, an
informed on " hat believe 10 be good authority, offered
Mr. Castelani 500 900 for the whole collection some
time ago and the offer was refused, al other ohers
have been that were below the owners price.
To read Mr. Primes letter, woud mink that Mr.
Castcllani bad committed crime IN fixing price upon
his collection larger than can afford 70 ave, aud
that those ofus who urged others To buy IL ut that price
committed "a crime IN turn. take very different
view Of the matter, and am sure that those oil the
trustees Who competent 20 judge Of the matter
as Mr. Prme-and OF them is less COM eten.-
nuld have had no hesitation in asking the community TO
pay the fu,i price demanded II the times had net n'th
So ,lcprcs ngy bad. One Of my critics speaks OF me az
II lad par irynr to srdure sir Prime away from bis
posr A. guard oveT the Museum treasury or rs were
reqT0achnZ him for not being wiling 10 msippi"prte
the public funds. seeing how easily ON one IN mofabe
coca sion, the trustees contented To appropriate
nearly the whole OF the state appropriation 30
az Which they know ana bitterly regret, the folly.
might De excused II had tried To get them to spend
their money for once wisely
pEATH-GED REPENTANCE.
But, alas sincc that unucky day they have had
10 money TO spend, and all asked Of them
was that they should give the public chance
to spend its money. II must not De forgot
ten that after insisting for year that The eollec-
ton was only worth $4,000 M Prime at the last mo-
ment sent in word to the trustees meeting appointed to
be held oD Friday February not held for lack of
Quorum, that he wOuid cOnsentt0 call for 100000
When this announced To The meeting The question
asked, In view Of tins offer hat becomes OF Ir.
Primes authority a judge Of these matter, = To Ihis
there could be no reply But II was virtually comics
sion OF ncOp cncr and considered. ~ the meeting
held ON the i5tn OF February Mr. Prime appeared, and
explained that be had nade his valuation Tor Ms own
her were oil H.
he aud that al Their judgment be Wouls consent
a. a trustee 10 an effort being made to raise $50 600.
have to the same question tia, tue trustees
asked nat IN vie" OF th; aileInAte Pos Guess ana
sOME PLAIN FIGURES.
There * also another difficulty. that people are
without experience standards In the purchase Of such
objects they difficult to persuade mat these plates
aud dishes and Rave any mercantile value Yet
here the reports Of Two sales, one in Londop the
other In PARIS neither Of them notable sales. nor The
things sold extraordinary, Yet the Irlcos The hist
was at Cnriscs. in London May II, ISL There were
fifteen pieces of Italian ftcnce, which brought at auc
ton al,3i3 sterling tFO,.io, or, on an average Sll3
each OF the pieces brought over 900 each TIE I
other sale Paris. In June 1877 The ware az this
sale also italian ana tie owner private person
not known d great collector. Fifteen pieces brought
s. -95 francs ls7I7, or, on an average, sl7s each
Only two OF the pieces brought less than 900 francs
and two brought one 1900 francs tSl.j2OJ, and tie
other 5000 francs $1,000. These figures VIII give
some notion the market values Of those beautiful
products The so.callcd China mania" has nothing !
To- do VITA these prices, which have been steadily al
yaucng with years has fashion any particular ufu
encc in the matter. II the diffusion OF wealth, the
love of teauuful things, and the competition OF the
world By the fault " those who nrusted with the
MANAGEMENT Of our Museum, have lost an oppor- }
tunity that again 10 ourselves OF
collection that, as u whole. would have had LIZ rival in
the world
will Only ada one word 81 this long letter. Mr. |
Prime calls my reference 10 Mr. Newton rs authority
arrant stupidity" Whyi Because Mr.. Newton il |
not AN authority pottery. Sir Prime ought 20 know
that be become distinguished ~ an !
heologist without extensive studies over tho Whole
field The simple fact that. rightly or wron- Justly
Unustlv Mr.. Newton II r,CkOucd Al authority IN AL
d, par Of archaeology and l., or ought To be,
good Judge II all Antiquities, whether they De Itsro
uinte Cyprofe era-cOttas. did not. however bring
HIM forward Mr.. Prime again setting up a man OF
straw SAY that DID, person OF authority WHO bad
valued the the same high figure tSi5Opo.
that Mr Newton, Vh,c admitting that the price asked
for the whole collection undoubtedly large, yet |
Thought ought not 10 let IL deter us from the pur
chase because needed 90 have such collections, and
that IN getting TINS should me-timablc
ioInda alton ior Il and splendid complement To |
toe ID CcsuOlI Collection In saying this, Er. Newton
spoke Ike a true friend and cGucaon. and like
"A welwishcr tn city and country IL Is no CREDIT 10
Ilch city that have not among more rlcl men
who can TAX" the same large view. CLARENCE COOK.
No. III West Te,sh-St. March |. 1873.
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