Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-29


All the three rooms. The most notable
work 10 this class in the frst apartment is
aspienald suit Of mixed chain and plate
haii' wonderfully damascened ana lew
eleu, worn by Sultan Murad ". in 1888, at
tne taxing OF Bagdad. Near to it is a
ciineter, probably part of the panoply of
tue same monarch. Both the hilt and the
greater portion OF the broad scabhard of
s9le weapon are incrusted with large table
diamonds forming checker-work, all the
square stones being regularly and svm-
metrlcallY cut. and of exactly the same
Sue, upward OF half an inch across. This
cheeker-work of table diamonds seems to
nave oeen a favorite motive OF old Turk
Ish JeWelry, for there is another sumptu-
GUS work OF art in the same room SINH
LaIly adorned. This is massive cylin-
drlcai tankard in solid gold. The handle.
cover, anu raised band round the centre
OF the drum or body Of this piece are adj
nlraSly chiseled with floriated and car
touche ornamentation. Judging from the
style OF decoration shown in these details,
tnls tankard would seem to be of German,
OF more probably Hungarian, work of the
second half Of the sixteenth century. AS
IN the sword previously described, a
caeckerwork OF fiat table diamonds covers
Ihe enllre cylindrical body of the tankard.
Nhlch is some inches high aud about 6
lncnes in diameter. From rough calcu-
lstlon l Imagine there must be upward of
Z'OOO diamonds on this piece alone. The
packs OF the wall cases are hung with
splendid velvet saddle-cloths embroidered
ana set with jewels, several of them being
ilteraliy stilt with gems. One in partlcu-
lar noticed, feet or s feet square, orna-
mented with a beautiful diapered pattern
closely covering the entire surface in fine
regularly CHOSEN pearls of the size oflarge
peas. 1t is hard TO choose and specify
particular things in such an embdrFdS de
Processes, but another fine aud unusual
looking thing dwells in my mind In con-
nection with the category of arms. This
Is golden helmet of somewhat cylndri-
cal or beehive shape, also set with fine
gems. In the low half light of the glazed
case, and in the hurry and excitement of
endeayor to grasp and, as it were, take
mental photographs OF thousand differ
entity interesting things, this helmet
struck me as being OF special note, evil
IDENTITY OF Persian origin, with something
even OF Sassauian aspect. Next to this
should be noticed u pair OF massive CHS
eled gold stirrups, masterpieces Of intri-
cate design and delicate execution.
Splendid enameled jewel-hilted dsggers,
sabres. cimeters. maces, battle axes, etc.,
literally by the score, we'll deserve sepa-
rate mention, which it is nevertheless inn
possible 10 accord them.
The glazed cases in all three of the
rooms are filled with thousands of things
OF all kinds, distributed without any Or
der or system; in snort, the most delight
iul confusion reigns everywhere. 1t must
be said, however, that a great proportion
OF these things are of the cOmmonest and
most trivial kind. Side by side, indeed.
with splendid objects OF oriental curiosi-
ity, or fabulous intrinsic value, may be
seen modern French and Viennese clocks,
gaudy modern china vases with bideous
metal mounts, musical boxes, Geneva
enameled watches, cases of duellng pis-
tolls and revolvers, knives, forks and sill
Yer spoons, inlaid tOOthpicks, cigar and
card cases, and endless other bric-a-brac
of the last and present centuries.
A splendid series OF large, crystal jade,
and onyx vases, bottles, bowls, &C,
mostly of Persian and Indian work, inlaid
with gold and set with innumerable rubies,
sapphires, emeralds, ETC.. must not be for
gotten; some OF these pieces, especially
the crystals, are of great size and very
unusual shapes, and many of them are
doubtless of considerable antiquity.
Among these are the only specimens of
medieval Western European origin worth
noticing in the collection. These are two
large octagOnal cystal ewers of well
known Gothic type. One OF these retains
its beautiful and most quaint ancient
silveI-gilt handle, cover, aud projecting
spout, the latter In the shape Of a gro
tesque dragons neck and head. The
other and larger piece, upward of
nine inches high, has lost its original
mounts and a jeweled gold lid Of
Turkish work of comparatively recent
date has been adapted to it; not impr0b-
.hl raTn nd ny q ~ M
manuscripts in the library are all that re-
mains of the spoils of Matthias COrvinus,
or the Pal8OlOgi. A curious series of
Oriental porcelain bowls and cups, iniaid
in the same style as the crystals with gold
filaments and cabOchon jewels, ought not
TO be forgotten; of these there are some 40
or 30 specimens. In the section Of Orien-
tai porcelain there is a notable series Of
ancient blue and white Oriental vases,
bottles, and other shaped pieces, some
with very remarkable silVer-gilt mount
ings, doubtless old sixteenth and seven
teenlh century Turkish additions. 1t is
curious, however, that these blue and
white pieces and a very few massive
specimens of CeladOn green china, evil
IDENTIFY of great antiquity, are the only ex-
amples OF Chinese porcelain which the
collection contains, other than a number
of quite modern and worthless vases, evil
IDENTIFY recently purchased In the 0azars.
The principal attraction of the second
apartment is a collection Of the costumes
or State robes OF all the Sultans OF Tur-
kew. from Mohammed ii, (l453) down to
Sultan MahmOud, who died in 1889. The
robes are set up on lay figures, without
faces or heads, the huge turbans being
simply placed on the shoulders in the
we'll known Turkish grayestone style.
The effect at first sight of the four and
twenty dummies ranged round the upper
story of the room is, perhaps. slightly lu-
dicraus, the last effigy of the file decidedly
so. for poor Sultan Mabmoud's left-Ot suit
is no other than a very badly made mod
ern field marshaPs uniform OF orthodox
Austrian or Russian tyre. The contrast
with the ample caftans, flowing undergar-
ments, and stately jeweled turbans which,
il these eff gies are TO be taken al SeTteuI,
all his predecessors seem TO have worn
with scarcely a shade OF difference IN
fashion, is most distressing. MahmOud
was the last Of the great Sultans, and a
Grand Signior in truth as in title, but
his pitlful simulacrum here at the end Of
the rank looks as If il had been hustled
and iostled about by those OF his true ma
tional ancestors. and finally pushed into
a corner in an uDspeakable frenzy Of con-
tempt. How far and IN what measure
these costumes are genuine is an inter-
esting question not easy to be determined.
That they are really one aud all what
they pretend 10 bel. G, tue Veriteble