The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-04
A RARE COLLECTION
on cuRIos FRoM - TAE woRLD.
The Private Collection of an Ohio County
AIan which Rival. the PrsteutiOuS Ones
ofLaFgs AIussuuls-swOrd' Gowns
and Rare Art obIseIs.

There IL gentleman whoac home Ia in
Ohio county, only few mlIes from this
city, who ia the possessor Of collection
Of curios which would excite the envy Of
Connoisseur, and put to blush the fine
collections To be seen in museums in the
great cities. This gentleman Is Lieut.,
Curtis, Of the U, S, Navy, who is now at
the home Of his father, Gen. W, B, Our
lis, at West Liberty, enjoying iurlough,
Lieut.. Curtis has been all over the world
in his ship, and havipgs taste for rare
things, has made the most Of his excep'
tional facilities for bringing together q
collection Of wide range and almost price
less value.
Among these articles ara rare vases Of
ancient and curious workmanship, en-
broideEiep, CoatumeP, swords, walking
sticks, wood and ivotv Carvlngp, bamboo
work, coins, idols, satsuma and cloisonne
YaTe-in short everything which can be
included in collection OF CuTius,
Among the CloiE0npe ware are pieces OF
such age that the date OF their origin can
only bs fixed indefinitely by the character
Of The workmanship. Their ancient make
eau readily BIO seen by one who Ia not o
ConnoisseuT, by comparison with aplsque
in the collection which Is OF recent make,
There are also Satkuma vases aud cups Of
uncertain age, three hundred years at
least, and probably much older; old
brouzsp, laCqueyed wares-in abort, every
thing OF interest to be found In China,
IJapSn, Korea and Farther India,
The manner in which these articles
come into the possession Of lanCleIs is
curious, The residents Of the interior Of
these strange far away lands have heard
Of the eagerness with which such RrtiClea
are purchased by travellers, and they come
down to the coast ports and dispose OIL
Their household relics. Many Of thOss
which came into Lieut. Curtis's posses
sion, however, could not have been
bought. They were presented TO him rs
q mark OF special friendllness to the Cour'
Try which he represented.
Ills collection cf swords Is curious,
Among these are several specimens Of the
lshort "hari kari" knives or swords, curl
eusly wrought, one Of them anfully con-
uegled in q fan. Others are thiCkly deco
rated with brass ornaments on the handle,
Several small daggers have been converted
| by Lieutenant Curtis into paper knives,
Among the articles which he courteous
" exhibits to curious visitors are family
portraits, the work Of Rkilliul Japanese
artists, tho subjects having worn native
costumes, which wero atterwkrd secured
by the Lieutenant, and are shown beside
the paintings.
Ayellow cocoa bark coat, the fabric
much resembling nankeen 10 the superb
cisl observer, u bamboo trunk, u model In
bamboo oil Q Japanese house, o bamboo
lunch basket, lined with rcd Canton tian.
mel, with compartments for tea pot and
1.-THE cups, and In which Il Is said tea can
be carried Tor miles without cooling
these are but fraction Of tho rare and
beautiful work OF this sort which are In
the collection.
A little god on dolphin illustrates an
old native legend that tho god who taught
the Chinese and Japanese To write came
from the sea, riding on dolphin's back
wrought. Lieutenant CurLis also has ar
idol Of larger B!za clad in handsome
rainent.
The collection Is 80 varied and interest
ing, and illustrates 60 many incidents and
sCeneS, that anything like detailed de-
scription is out Of the question In the
limits OF newspaper article. Not the
least absorbing part Of the collection Il
the display Of fine photographs Of ECenery
buildings, native groups and the like. L
| ia 10 be hoped that an opportunity will bt
afforded .he-psople Of Wheeling to inspec
the collection.