New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-13
THE FOUNTAINE SALE.
WITH NOTES on SOME OF ITS CHIEF IN
CIDENTS.

]
which has been held this week IS sale OF the hrS
Importance The collection lately removed from
Narford Hall and dispersed under the hammer OF
| Me,srs. Christie Manson & Woods was surely one
of the finest IN existence. Long accounts OF It's
origin and history fill the papers. Perhaps II Is
enough to say that It was begun and has been en-
larged from time 10 time in circumstances when
are test of the genuIneness and excellence OF the
objects 1t Included. Every article has pedigree
and long had permanent home. Most of them
were ACQUIRED long before prices had reached any
thing like their present mark. The hartford museum
for such il was has long been known to contain
some Of the finest examples existence Of malollca
of Henri Deux ware or faence doiron, of Palsy
potterv and Of Limoges euamels. Rumor says II Is
broken up in order that the present Mr. Fountane
NAV enlarge the capital he desires to devote to
racing However that may be, the art world Of Eu-
rope has been talking of the sale ever since It was
announced. Here in England efforts were at once
ma he TO induce the Government TO buy the best OF
the collection. They failed utterly. Money by the
Million if You Ike, to ding INTO the Nile but not
shilling 10 acquire treasures the Ike of which tins
generation will never again see offered to public
competition. The whole might have been had for
10000: little more than half what they have
since fetched under the hammer. Not worth the
money cry the economists of the Treasury IN their
I q
press echong this note of the parsimonous party.
What do they say to the dish which thirty years
ago the misers of the Exchequer refused to buy at
ZIP because it was too dear, and which sold this
week for feOOf
In the presence of this peremptOry refusal of the
Government to do anything for the museums Of the
Nation a few philosophical men have taken steps
II give the Nation a second chance. Sir William
Gregory leading the way, they formed a syndicate
70 buv certain important pieces in the hope of uti-
matelv inducing Ministers or Parliament to take
them at cost price Mr.. Franks, of the British
Museum and Mr.. j. c. Robinson. Of south kenslne-
ton. acted for the syndicate as buyers, with com
plete discretion as to what they should bid for and
| how much they should pay. The sum they had to
spend at first limited to $4,000, rose to double
that by voluntary subscriptions. They had 70 let
most of the more costly gems go and it is of course
doubtful whether they will succeed in coaxing the
Government 10 take what they did buy. In that
case their stock will be disposed of otherwise
1t is only episodes and Incidents of this cxtraor-
binary sale that touch upon. Anybody who cares
for an account. not complete, indeed, but dealing
with the chief events must read six columns Of
small PRINT in the leading journal of the British
Fmnire Much has been said of the Henri Deux
ware of which three specimens occurred biberon
fetching 900 guiueas, m0rti@ Gre 300
large sums but Of Henri Deux ware only ftty-four
pieces exist. and these among the best. The
largest Sums given for Palsy ware were for pair
of candc,ticks Ct 30. and for two cisterns 81 02
and Il 81 respectively A Limoges ever brought
E1.3l2 pair of Limoges candesticks CLIPS.
rublnO dish was not thought too dear at e 333 for
which the syndicate bought it. Nothing astonished
the connoisseurs more, perhaps, than the 4.2iO
guincas pad for the lovely horn in carved ivory
with silver gilt MOUNTS piece Of Renaissance work
by an unknown artist.
The third day was expected TO be the climax Of
the sale. At o'clock on Wednes Law the company at
Chr,ties was not very large. but it included nearly
every one of the more famous dealers ~ London,
Paris and Vienna men with long purses and often
backed by purses longer than their own. The auc-
tioncer's pulpit was occupied by Mr. Woods man
who has a style of his own for h- own work. /
have seen HIM preside over many sales. including
some IF the most sensational which these or any
other rooms have ever witnessed He Is to-day as
he is always cool quIct. almost Judicial IN manner.
He makes no attempt whatever 10 inhame the en-
thusiasin of the company Not word Of eucomium
on the he is selling. The catalogue number Is
mentioned An attendant produces the article and
takes a little walk with it mp and down the narrow
aisle formed By the long green bazc tables stretch
iug from the auctiOncers stand toward the entrance
door lighted from far above. Silence regns in the
big shabby room broken only by bids or by n buzz
of admiration rs wonderful thing is offered or
by the subducd tones of the auctIoneer himself,
at intervals by cheers.
OF the last dozen numbers at least half were re-
markable. large oval dish by Jean Courtois The
Feast of the Gods, went to the syndicate for f79S
and similar one, which came next. not so fine. was
allowed to fall TO the same bidder at f}36. Mr.
Werthemer presently secured a third for E577, only
1 q.
as il did Mr.. Robinson who gave way to mys-
terous bid of E2.94O. Then came two ewers, both
by Jean Courtois, little things ten inches high Of
| which one fetched f66l and the other E37s. One
OF the gems of the collection followed third ever
/ no larger than these two Of antique FORM brilliant
/ IN color, lovely in design. A thousand gdineas was
| the first bid. Mr. Robinson struggled for IL tin II
touched 2,l5o guineas. aud IT was finally bought by
/ unnamed purchaser at 1900 guneas
! Then came the magnificent piece Of Limoges long
heraldcd as the glory Of the sale thus described in
/ the catalogue:
A large oval dish. with sunk centre Raphael's
supper of the Gods, ~ eolored ensnols on % dark
! blue ground. "a used tO Introduce the portraits of
| Henry II. King Of France IN the centre Catherine
de Medlcs one side uf him. and Diana of Pptirfa
with yellow HAIR, black cap aud feather on the
! other side. The portrait 81 Anne de Montmorucy.
Constable 81 France ~ introduced 40 lcrcuca, the
female aud Cupid by hi- eide are probably his wife
and child, the figure 90 the left m nm rfino mantle
|
winged females bringing ifnt all the other figures
are probably portraits. and are finished with the
caro- 81 miniature painting. on the top are the arms
of Anne de Moutmofcncy with hA corunot and
order Of ~. Michael the border Is surrounded with
boys 81 play entwined with wreathg ~ fruit aud
flowers the back IN richly covered with masks, fruit
and hOwera arabeadue figures IN grihaille and
scroll work in gold signed Leonard Limousin
l555-1pi4 In. by l0as IN. The piece il specially
described as In this fountaine collection by Count
Laborde In his great work on enamols In the Louvre
collection.
TO see this. half London had defed last week
through Chrsties, and 30 see II sold q curlously
brilliant company had assembled, the room gIadu-