New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-23
RARE GEMS IN PROPULSION.
THE MAXWELL soMMERvILLE COLLECTION.
, SPLENDID ADDITION TO THE TREASURES OF


Museum Of Art for term Of years his hne COLLECTION
Of precious gems. A few days ago the collection was
brought 10 the Museum and placed rcshy TOT eAn'o'
ton in the gallery OF gold precious gems ''' "
the new building Mr.. Sommervble nan 'a''ciu"J
arranged his collection in velvolIned leather cases.
suitable alike for storage transportation ana cAno'
20 that all that was necessary was 10 remove 'no
covers leaving his classification and arrangements I'M
disturbed and place them in the largo tabe-cases W
the gold gallery They occupy eight OF these MINIS
the entire central portion OF the gallery, no' o,"'
forming an exceedingly important andiuon =" mo
treasures Of the Museum, but making display Va
which any national or royal museum might DC pio".'
In the cases about the walls arc seveia o'hcr VIZ
Ieciions which at once a test and commentator
OF the sommervllle collection, among them the hlhg
collection of antique gems presented some years ago
10 the Museum OF John Taylor Johnstom inc Cosno~
and W A. Wand collections Of Babyl0nlan AssyHan,
Phoenician Cypri0te, Persian Hittite ana hrhehian
seal cylinders the largest collection OF the SOFT ou
side tho British Museum; the Cesnoa gems rom
Culium etc. which, with the Sommervllle collecuol'
make the Museum array one that may challenge COM
harrison with any In the world. Nj. SommerVllcs
wisdom I'm choosing the place to exhibit his treasures
Is doubtless the offspring of his EXTENDED kho"ie"so
Of the whole subject, since ne could scarcely nave
put his collection in place better calculate" 10 en-
and to illustrate it than In the company "heie
IL is at present.
public TO say that for many years both he and his
gems been known to the collectors, the directors
of museums, and to the leading scholars. throughout
all Europe, from England to Constanttnopie from
ST. Petersburg TO Lisbon, and from Chrisdanla 10
Naples, many OF his gems forming the subject OF
special articles in the transactions. and Leading features
Of exhibition at the meetings, OF the national and
learned societies. Mr.. sommerville has no end OF
con gatulatOry communications from the leading ex-
perts and the other side OF the Atlantic,
showing their high appreciation Of particular inds,'
or OF tie collection a whole which he scarcely
exhibits except to the curious or interesting inquirer,
but which form of testimony to the excellence
Of his acquisitions, such few, Ii any, other colec-
tions can boast. He has however, deserved it all
To get together his gems be has literally ransacked
Europe, with small portion Of Asia, with Egypt
and other portions of Africa that border the Meder-
ranean, and he has not neglected Mexico and abors-
lnal America. lie began his work back In the
thrtIes and he has not yet the taste for IT, after
the lapse of half century The cost If the travelling
expenses were TO be included. could not easily DO
reckoned up but the outlay for purchasing merely
foots I'D al the figures of respectable fortune
The collection embraces almost exclusively en-
graved precious stones canoes ana lh'agHos, piln''
nally antique but descending in particular lines 10
the medieval and now and then TO the preecn'
century 1t does not. however, include the pooicr
antique intaglos which connosseurs know 10 De hoe
at all rare but is selection of the best pieces such
A. reouire both knowledge and search TO acquire,
with the help OF good deal Of money and some sheer
lux Great care has evidently been expended III
finding and acquiring specimens of almost every s'oe'
In almost every variety, which the apldary uses so
that the engraver and the mineaogst can enjoy the
collection in a technical way, as much as the lover
Of art who attracted by the neDess Of design ana
execution or the popular spectator who loves great
and marvellous display. Few visitors VIII recall
larger canoes anywhere than arc here seen oy inc
dozen The great alabaster Jupiter scraps, Roman
antiquity. IS the largest cameo known. Size, how
ever is not the chief recommendation Of these large
gems they are exquisite In every way
For example there is series Of antique canoes,
mostly Oriental alabaster, which appear to exhibit,
among other SCENES the originals OF the sculptures on
the Arch of Trajan (afterward Of Constanne) and
those on the Arch of Titus. They are either oblong,
round or elliptca in shape, and vary from two and
a half TO nearly FIVE inches in greatest diameter
Each is crowded with figures, exquisitey cut and the
grouping is most artistic. On one gem we see Trajan
receiving the suppiant of the klng of Armenia;
on the next we the ORIENT, personifed by Aurora
and Hesperus in the of morning, Aurora In the
character and with the emblems OF Peace, and Hos
pcrtis a. Fortune-a blending of myth and allegory
which is as graceful and charming as its execution Is
beautiful.
The shape OF these magnificent gems slightly dis
turbs their historical angement. but in every way 1t
is wonderful series The lie and spirit OF every one OF
them Is beyond praise. The work is OF the tine OF
Traan and doubtless by the best artists of the period
shorter series In like excellent stye and grouping,
represents the trumphal entry of Titus into Jerusa~
lem the exit from Jerusalem with the sacred booty
this is the original Of the famous on the Arch
of Ttus) and two, each with group of Jewish prs-
oners. Several of the gems Of these two series ex-
hbit more than score Of life-lke figures. Tho
portrait canoes Of Roman emperors, Of Creek and
Roman heroes, statesmen and philosophers, is exceed
fuu nd nne and he
neurological subjects Tho inscribed gems, likewise,
are splendid company, including the series known as
Gnosto with their mystical legends. 1t is especially
gratifying to have these placed sa near those of the
King collection, which have been famous In the books
for years.
In such an array Of beauty and rarity It IS not
practicable within moderate limits to pick out and
describe even the unlques. OF the few which strike
the eye at first view, tho charming chalcedony-
onyx. with Bscckus, Aradne. Cupid and the
Panther, nearly four inches by three IS an antique
of which any museum would be proud Equally
Gne though smaller, IS the hishrelief representing
the fall Of Pnaehon witt the zodiac actually shown on
tho stone This gem exhibits nearly all the mythical
incidents accompanying the main subject, yet so eX
qusitely small that magnifyng glass Is needed TO
Of Ajax Achilles and Ulysses. making propltatory
sacrifice before setting out for Troy, is worth study,
50 the large sard, three and hall inches long, one
of many hue icIre entsiiOnS IN ne COLLECTION Oh me
zap" ~ pr0eDcfln" ~ flWN. hN nh'NlSe lh- group
dlsl LAYING the Ce rucOn OF ectuVS 'uIu hsS dhdA'
fine collection, even alongside tho larger one OF
the Museum. pf"Senng Nntnty 80 material. subject
and age among them OF tho Oldest known Tho
TeSa intaglios, inscribed and otherwise, seals and
tai smans, ae unusr ally fine While the hard stone
gems are in tho majority and most interesting. Tho
cases containing pearl and shell canoes and engrav-
ncs, and those of amber. not 10 he neEcc clL
Most OF these less antiquity than rhe stone OBJ
iects. Among those of shell, the cowry with cameo
! .,
and Rachel the shewof suclling Romulus and Re-
mus. the pearl wild-hoar hunt and tho pearl land
scapes with animals especi y worthy Of attention
The ambers scarrly he paralleled. They are OF
very large size and the material. well the
rcutlon, of great variety The oldest of them Is
necklace. found in tn ruins Of Cumac. dating prob
ally about tho close OF the second century. Among
the largest and finest Venus amcnilng tbs
body OF Adons, Venus and Adons before the chase
OF the Wild boar. the education OF the infant Bacchus
fsl-. 1vn '"ch"S ~ four md Guart"rl. T,@l and
slsera C1eoratra dying from fhe sting OF the asp
All these are OF the fourteenth century, except the
ncch, q The siytenntk