Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-06-16
LAVISH EXPENDITURE.
Articles that Cost their Possessors Small
 Fortune.

Articles that Cost their Possessors Small
 Fortune.
 Cosr Is, of course, Q very unsafe measure of valuein many instances, and yet there is a not unnatural curiosity on the part of the general public to know the mere money estimated in which certain more orlcss beautiful articles are held. Here are few remarkable exam pies of lavish expenditures :-
 The highest priced piano in America is owned by Fl. G. Marquand of this city. The works were made by Messrs. Steinway & Sons, and the case, which was built in London, was designed and painted by Alma Tadema. It cost s46, GOO.
 Sir Donald Smith, of Montreal, is the owner of the costliest piano ever made in this coun- try. It is also Steinway, and the case was made by Pottier & Stymus. It cost when landed in Montreal S27, 900.
 Tho most expensive sideboard ever made in the United States is owned by Judge Harry E. Packer, Mauch Chunk, Pa. It covers the whole side of a room, and was built by Herts Brothers for $47, 900. It is a marvel of elabo rate and beautiful carving. MT. Marquand is also the possessor of the costliest billiard table in the country. Tho price was S26,O00 Sir Donald Smith is the possessor of the highest priced painting in Canada, 'fThe Con- municants," by Jules Breton. Cost at the Seney sale S45, 900.
 W. w. Corcoran, of Washington, paid the highest recorded price for an American pie ture. It is Church's Niagara" and the price was SIS, 900. It is reported that Le Grand Lockwood paid S25, ,0O0for Bierstadt's "Domcs of the Yosemite" but as, at the distribution of his effects, the picture brought less than $6y5o0. the first price was probably fable.
 In the Lennox library is perfect copy of the, rim ,r- Gxrffo pf~orr he ffr-st book printed with movable type. It is worth S25,000, and nothing better has ever been done since. Brayton Ives of this city has an inn perfect copy for which he paid $50
 J. F. Irwin, of Oswego, paid S10 900 to J. w. Bouton for a Bible. It was originally in three volumes, but by the insertion of woodcuts. manuscripts, engravings, etchings, had been expanded 10 sixty imperial folio volumes.
 or the original edition of sonnets of Will liam Shakespeare, published by George Dan- iel, of London, in 1909, there arc two perfect copies. One is in the British museum. For the other, Dodd, Mead & O., of this city, paid S5,000. It is a little book about seven by four inches in size. somewhat hard-headcd clerk in the establishment figures that at the price it cost SfS0 an ounce.
 J. W. Mackey furnished about S75, 900 in weight of silver, and paid Tiffany & Co, s12o,- 900 for the work on his dinner service. which thus represents S195, ,O00.
 The costliest string of pearls in the country belongs to a New York lady, and cost s5l .0O0
 Another New York lady had n solitaire diamond ring for which she paid Tiffany Co. SIS, 900.
 The late Mrs. Morgan paid S2JO. 900 for her necklace. Mrs. Hicks-Lord is tho owner of a diamond necklace which cost S250, 900.
 The famous picture by Mcissonier, called "1S07, was painted for the late A. T. Stewart. At tho sale of his gallery Henry Hilton bought it for S66 300, and presented it to the Metro politan Museum, where it now hangs, the costliest painting in America.
 A sixteenth century vcllum manuscript, with six paintings by Guilio Clovis, cost the Lenox Library S12 900.
 At the Morgan sale, MT. Walters, of Balti- more is reported to have paid SIS, 900 for the peachblow vase, which is about seven and a half inches high.
 The most expensive public building in tho world is the New York State capitol at Albany, just begun. It cost SIP. 900, 900 plus. In mathematics plus means that m amount can be carried to inflnity.