St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-03-18
THE MORGAN ART SALE.
Phew SIS, 900.
Yes, he gave $18, 900.

Yes, ne gave SIo,UOo.
Who?
Why, Mr.. William T. Walters. of
Baltimore.
And for what
Why for Mrs. Mary j. Morgan's
lovely little "crushed strawberry or
"peach blow" vase.
She paid $4,000 for it, and every
body in New York wondered when
they saw it.
He paid $4,000 for it and every
body in Baltimore will wonder when
they see it as the chief treasure of his
superb collection of Oriental porcelain.
1t was the chief feature of Mrs. Nor
gan's collection of objects of Oriental
art, the sale of which was held in New
York week OF two ago.
When it was brought out before the
crowd of ladies and gentlemen who sat
before the auctiOneer, there was buzz
of interest and admiration. The col
ored man who lifted it tenderly ont of
its morocco case felt the importance of
the occasion, as did every one else.
He looked more than ever like Calvi's
marble and bronze bust of "OthellO" in
the collection come to life and minus
lbS WHlbt Hcdu CONcIluS.
A lady collector exclaimed, "Isn't it
lovely !" and Mr.. Charles Stewart Smith
bid $4,000 and looked as if he hoped
he might not get it.
Away the bids went by the thousands
to $4,000, and then with bids of $500
to $l2, 500, when some one broke the
run and made it $l2,750. Away it
went again to $4,000, and then by
hundreds to $4,000, with applause to
$4,000, and finally to 81, 900, when
the hand clapping broke out again
Finally it fell at 900 ON the bid for
Mr.. Walters of Mr.. James F. Sutton, OF
American Art association, which sold
it to Mrs. Morgan.
And so another epoch was reached
in the history of this super-rare little
vase of the Kang-he period (l66l l722)
which, originally in the collection OF
the Chinese Mandarin Prince |. Wang
We, now forms part of that of one of the
most enlightened of American art col
lectOrs.
A good painting, like good wine,
says the Springfield Republican, i'm
proves with age at least the market
value advances wonderfully. Witness
the $4,000 given for "The Spinner
by Millet in the Morgan sale. This
picture was bought abroad for $l2,
900, and the increase of only few
years was more money than the poor
artist left his wife at his death. In
deed there is a subscription paper now
circulating among the admirers of the
artist to secure the cottage, the lease
for which, left by Mr.. Millet to his
wife, soon runs out. Then, take his
"Angelus." He parted with it for
5000 in l859,-it was sold in about
1876 for $25,000 and it has recently
tempted bid of 5000, which was
refused. TO say that Millet earned
$4,000 per year during the last Is years
of his life would be putting liberal
estimate upon his income. Eleven
Millets in the Morgan sale brought
about $4,000. In locking through
the list of prices even more marked adj
yances may be found. BretOn's
"Communieants" was bought in Eu-
rope for $4,000, secured by Mrs. Nor
gan for $222, 500, and commands under
the hammer $45 800, an increase of al
most 600 per cent. The total amount
paid for the pictures of this collection
i'll Europe is not known, but it is sew
eral hundred thousand dollars below
the $885,3OO aggregate of the auction
sale.