Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-27
GRUNE G. RVOLBE.
THE TREASURY OF THE ROYAL SAXON
FAMILY.
One of the Most Renowned Collections Of
Europe Antiquities, Bronzes, Ivories,
Gold Silver and Precious Stones

| lO one VINO mas visited tnlS nlagn1ncSnI
treasury of the Royal palace at Dresden
the name Screen Vaults recalls glori-
GUS vision of peep into the kingdom of
the gods, where more splendor met his
astonished gaze in the space Of a few hours
than he had previously supposed could
exist in the big round world where he
saw convincing proof of the reality of the
fabulous Golden Touch where leet-footed
Mercury was transformed into good
natured German guide, who conducted him
safely through the may labyrinth of this
splendid palace, and smilingly assured him
| that he could find nothing so rich and
| grand outside of his beloved "Vaterland
1t is said the first stock of this celebrated
collection was laid during the reign of
| George the Bearded, in 1889, and that his
successors added many works of art, rich
| and rare, part of which were inherited and
part received from time to time as presents.
But Augustus the Strong proved to be the
King Midas, whose magical touch raised
| the collection to it's present state of excel
| lence, and furnished the rooms with their
resplendent decorations.
One cannot in small space enumerate
| or describe the one thousandeth part OF the
contents of these eight rooms, so interesting
| both to the lover OF art and student Of his
| tory. But reference to few of the most
| beautiful and costly objects may serve to
convey some faint idea of the wealth and
| magnitude of this famous collection, which
comprise not only the silver and jewels OF
the Royal family, but also innumerable
specimens of the finest art from the end of
the sixteenth to the beginning of the
eighteenth century. We first examine the
CABINET OF BRoNzEs,
As the entry.room is called and find more
than one hundred beautiful bror zes in
statues, groups and models of different
works of art, mostly copies of ancient
sculpture The brackets on which the
larger groups are placed are beautifully
inlaid with boule-work, SO called from the
name of the renowned joiner of Louis NV,
Charles Boule. Here we notice Venus and
a sleeping satyr; graceful dog scratching
himself, by the famous sculptor Peter
Vischer, in 1880; small statue OF Charles
II. of England, under the name of ST.
George and the Dragon, worked out of one
solid piece of iron "The Bath of Apollo,
copied from group in the garden of Yer.
seilles, the god Apollo representing the
young king, Louis XIV, and the nymphs
the ladies of the French court; an eques-
trian statue of the Emperor Marcus Aure-
lus, after The original in the capitol at
Rome.
We then enter the Cabinet OF Ivories,
which is considered one of the richest
known in Europe, and numbers more than
four hundred specimens. These are of
two class, the turned and the carved sub
jects. The turned consists of balls, pyra-
mids, goblets, bocals, chains, and pillars;
the carved comprehends groups, cups, fig
ures and monuments. A model of Dutch
frigate, done in 1920, claims special atten-
tion On the sails are carved in relief the
arms of Saxony and Brand deRburg, and on
the frigate the names of the Saxon Elec-
tors down to TIE time of John George /.
All the cordage, and the cannon mouths,
peeping through the port holes, are made
OF pure gold. This delicate and wonder
full piece OF carving is two feet high and
two and and half feet long, and rests on
beautiful pedestal representing Neptune
in she'll drawn by two sea- horses, while
behind him sits Triton blowing conch.
Next comes
liiE tIIlhNG1 -hOO4h,
As the third room is called, and countless
mosaics, enamels, ambers, ostrich eggs,
corals, sLells, and mother of pearl, appear
before our admiring eyes. The mosaics
contain exquisite specimens of both Floren-
tine and Roman workmanship, bus the
Florentine is said to be twenty times more
expensive than the Roman. The fireplace
in the middle of the room. and from which
it derived It's name, is of Roman skill it
was arranged by the court jeweler at Dres.
den in 1882, and is richly ornamented
with relievios in biscuit china, rare peb.
bles, topazes, agates, amethysts, jasper,
cornelian, minerals and Saxon pearls.
Near this stands table of Florentiue
workmanship, that would take one man
ten or twelve years to complete this is
inlaid with flowers, fruits, birds and
insects ill the center is a beautiful gar
land.
Among the enamels we notice one in
gray, representing Troy in flames and
Eneas, Ascaunis and Anchises flying
This is called one of the most distin-
guished specimens of old Lemoges enamel
Here also is a collection of very rich am
bers, 80 in number, the most valuable OF
which is cabinet that was presented by
Frederick William, of Prussia, 20 Augustus
the Strong, in l72S This is made os OAK,
veneered and formed inside and outside of
all kinds of amber. mosaic in the drawers
are tiny objects worked IN amber, such as
snuff. boxes, necklaces, card. markers and
chess-men. From here we proceed to the
silver room, whose color gave the name to
the Green Vaults, aud find an exquisite
collection of vessels in solid gold, silver.
gilt, filigrec.work, ruby-glass and clocks
made between the sixteenth and eighteenth
centuries. The vessels are of diffsrero
forms, were formerly and are still used on
State occasions at the Saxon Court. Here
stands silver. gilt basin, used at christen-
ings in the royal family, and there most
exquisite little dish, adorned with jewels,
destined for the Holy Sacrament. Also,
Russian drinkingcup, called a kofschik,
which was presented to Augustus the
Strong by Peter the Great, when he visited
Dresden in l70S. and fne table clock of
silver gilt. decorated with emeralds and
rubies We now enter the
HALL OF PRECIOUS THINGS.
This charming room is decorated IN white
and gold. 1t contains large number of
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