The New York herald., 1879-12-28
THE PLATES OF CAsTEL-GANDoLFo.

VALUABLE MAJoLICA SOLD BY THE PopE-PoN-
TIFICAL HEIRLooMs- DECLARED INALIENADLE
BY THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT.
There is good deal Of excitement in Rome about
what might be styled the affair of the plates Caste
gandolfo collection Of thirty plates OF high
artistic Wholesome the work of Giorgio d'Urbino
and one of Luca della Robba which belonged to the
collection ut Caste -gandolfo. the Papal villa vas
lately sold with Pope Leo's permission and by the
suggestion Of pontihcal servant to Sgnor Giaconn
Roman dealer in antiquities. and ex-inspector Of
police named Paoni, for % 0o0 lire. They received
q receipt for their money from Cardinal Nina.
Secretary Of State. The total cost was further
increased by the of 5000 lire paid to
Sabatucci. the servant above alluded to, who
formerly employed ut Castel gandolfo. and who
agreed to get the Pope's permission for the salo.
Sabatucci went to work adroitly, telling the Pope
that the plates did not form part OF q collection.
that there danger of their being lost by onc
and finally. q settler that the subjects on some
OF them were indecent. He alluded to design Of
the Three Graces. which is said is no way to do
serve that imputaton. The last statement. it is
thought. did much to induce Leo KILL to transgress
Papal usage and allow the sae Sgnor Castellani,
the well known collector offered 5000 lire for
the plates than the buyers. but too late GIaco-
mini and Paolini soon sold the plates to the rich
Duke della Verdura an italian Senator, who lives
the Corso native of Sicily and u member OF the
Reyia or government tobacco monopoly, who gave
them 10000 lire. obtaining with the plates the Cardl
nal Secretary's receipt. Soon GiacoEiini wanted
to buy the plates back. Offering first $4,000 and
finally $4,000 lire. The Duke used, but suspect
ing that the oifer made behalf of the Vatican
said very generously that he would the popo
his plates for the sum he had paid. 1t is
pected that ii was Paolini who made the offer
through his partner in the first transaction and that
he had found u French purchaser ut higher price.
The Italian government has sequestraed the collec.
ton. which the Duke had kept in Roma instead OF
sending 1t to his palace ut Palermo. he had in-
tended. aud has ordered proceedings against salo
OF "provenenZa furtira." The clerical and liberal
papers have had long discussion about tho affair.
the former contending that the collection tho
private property OF Pope Plus *, and the latter
that it the inalienable property of tho state.
The FaU Mall Gazette. in alluaing to tho affair.
Pho Nono's private property. as the heirs
of Giuseppe Mastai have already divided his
inheritance. and every object was set down IN the
inventory"
The Vatican claims that the plates would have
gradually disappeared, and that really
change of art objects effected the money OBJ
tained used to purchase magnificent arras
wanted for the Vatican collection. Tho Law OF
Guarantee. for which, cariously, the Duke della
Verdura voted declares the Vatican, the Lateran
Palace, Caste-g and all their collections
alenable This the Pope does not recognize and nat
uray As to the origin Of the much talked OF plates.
the POpoio Romano states that in the Palace OF the
Bargello Florence there of the finest coll
lections majoca of the Renaissance period. They
belonged to the Medici who inherited them
the Dukes of Urbino. and it is not Improbable that
the present pieces were brought to Rome by or
the Medician Popes