The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1888-08-10
Curiosities of Cost.

Cost is OF course a very unsafe measure
of value in many instances, and vet there
Is not unnatural curiosity on the part OF
the general public to know the mere
money estimation in which certain more
or less beautiful articles are held. Here
are few somewhat remarkable examples
of lavish expenditure:
The highest priced piano in America
is owned by Mr. H. G.. Marquand, OF
New y ork city. The works were made
in New York, and the case, which was
built in London, was designed and
painted by Alma Tadema. 1t cost
$40, 600
Mr.. Marquand is also the Possessor OF
the costliest billiard table in the country.
The price was 81 ,0Ol.
Sir Donald Smith. Of Montreal, is the
owner Of the costliest piano ever male
in this country. 1t cost when landed in
Montreal So, 900.
The most expensive sideboard ever
made in the nited States Is owned by
Judge Harry F. Packer, of Mauch
Chunk, Pa. It covers the whole side Of
a room, and was built for 81, 0j0. II
is a marvel Of elaborate and beautiful
carving.
Mr. w Mackey furnished about S75,-
900 in weight of silver, and paid $780,
600 for the work on his dinner service,
which thus represents Sl95, 900.
The costliest string of pearls in the
country belongs to New York lady, and
cost SjI, goo.
Another New York lady had a soil.
taire diamond ring, for which she paid
$4S, goo.
The late Mrs. Morgan paid $3.50, 600
for her necklace. Mrs. Hicks-Lord Is
the owner of diamond necklace which
cost $3.50, 600.
The famous picture by Meissonier,
called $780," was painted for the late
Mr.. A. T. Stewart At the sale Of his
gallery Mr.. Henry Hilton bought it for
S65, $50, and presented it to the Metro
politan Museum, where it now hangs,
the costliest painting in America.
Sir Donald Smith IS the possessOr of
the highest priced painting in Canada;
1.-The Communicates, by Jules Breton.
Cost at the Seney sale 50, 600.
Mr.. w. W. Corcoran. of Washington,
DAll lllG nl2utHL IENUANEtA III lNN AUA al
American picture. 1t is Church's mi
agara. - and the price was ST.. 600. II
was reported that Legrand Lockwood
paid 50, 600 for Bierstadt's ''Domes OF
the Yosemite" but as, at the distribu-
ton Of his effects the picture brought
less than So. 500, the first price was
probably fable.
In the Lenox Library New York; is
perfect copy Of the Mazarin or Gutten-
berg Bible. the first book printed with
movable types. II Is worth S2j, 000, and
nothing better has ever been done since.
Mr.. Brayton Ives. of this city, has an
imperfect copy, for which he paid 3d.
900.
Mr.. J. F. Irwin. of Oswego, paid $10,-
600 to ]. W. Bouton for a Bible 1t was
originally in three volumes, but by the
insertion of w0odcuts, manuscripts en-
cravings and etchings, had been ex-
banded to go imperial folio volumes.
Of the original edition OF the Sonnets
of William Shakespeare, published by
George Daniel, of London, in 1903, there
are two perfect copies. One is IN the
British Museum. For the other Dodd,
Mead & Co, of this city, paid 5000 It
is little book about sc en- by four
inches in size. A somewhat hard-headed
clerk in the establishment figures that at
the price it cost $50 an ounce.
A sixteenth century yellum manu-
script, with six paintings by Giulio
Clovis, cost the Lenox Library $i2, 200.
At the Morgan sale Mr. Walters, OF
Baltimore, is reported to have paid Sls,-
900 for the peach blow vase, which Is
about seven and half inches high
The most expensive public building in
the world is the New York State Capitol
at Albany, Just begun 1t cost Sl2, 900,
600 plus In mathematics the sign plus
means that an amount can be carried to
infnity.-Ne0 York Decorator.