Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-13
SUPERB SILVER SERVICE.
| DINNER SET THAT COST ONE
 HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

flne china in New York, says The New York Journal, but the one owned by Mrs. William Astor is the most costly and most beautiful There is not its match in all America, and in Europe you must seek the dining rooms of kings and dukes to find its equal.
 Twenty years ago Mrs Astor determined to have a complete dinner service of solid sil- yer. She travelled abroad with her husband and saw all the noted silver antiques in the Old World, and then a special artist was com
 missioned to draw designs for her service. Each dish was to be highly carved and of graceful form, and there werc to be dishes enough for a twelve course dinner party for twenty-fo guests. The order was given to noted Paris firm, and the small silver, the
 knives, forks and spoons were made by .
 famous Baltimore silversmith, from special
 designs furnished by the artist. It was full
 year before the superb service was finished, Dld another year before it was packed
 shipped across the ocean and used in the
 family mansion at No. $50 Fifth avenue It ls valued at $1OO,O0o.
 SOME or THE PnCEa
 There are eleven dozen plates in the service,
 each with a carved border and marked in the
 center with the monogram wv. A." and the
 family crest, with tho motto, "semper N-
 delis"-"Always Faithful"-under it. These
 plates cost over e40 each, and t5, 900 for all of
 them. ..... Then there are thirty five dozens of the
 man dlver knives, forks and spoons. Just think of 1t! Many families arc content to ! own one dozen of solid silver teaspoons. Even each of the small teaspoons weighs over four
 ounces, and the workmanship on each ono brings them up to $10 each. The tablespoons
 are unusually large, and there are curious
 oyster and fish forks. This small silver cost over $5,0OO ..
 A punchbowl of unusual size with . cover,
 . dozen vegetable and entres dishes, all with repousse carving and close covers; two dozen after dinner coffee cups and saucers wreathed . In little Bacchantes and roses; tiny salt eel lars and pepper boxes for each plate, and two dozen silver punch goblets arc in the service.
 When one looks at tho vast array, $100, 900
 does not seem too much for it; yet, were this
 sum out at interest, 1t would yield . yearly
 income of $4O0O.
 This service does not include all of Mrs.
 Astor's silver. She has an exquisite little
 breakfast service, which was one of her we'd
 ding presents, and which has been in her
 family over . hundred and fifty years, and
 another tea service is almost as old. Then
 her collection of china Is one of the finest in l America Mir. Astor is a connoisseur in
 china, and each year he brings home from
 Europe some choice bit, or, perhaps, an entire
 set of Sevres or Worcester, worth Its weight 1 in gold. ....
 THE DESIGNS DESTROYED. Certainly tho most costly dessert set in America is owned by Mrs. Cornelius Wander
 bilt. Tho first Cornelius Vanderbilt ate his
 pumpkin pie oil . common white deH plate. The present Cornelius Vanderbilt cuts his orange on . golden plate set with uncut
 gems Probably some future Cornelius Van
 derbilt will eat candied violets from plato of diamonds
 It seems like Q fairy story to hear of .
 mortal eating from golden plates, set with
 rubies and emeralds, turquoises and garnets, l but all the twenty guests at the dinner party plates of real gold. Mrs. Vanderbilt has two
 dozen of them. They are not very large, about seven inches in diameter, and are
 carved about tho edge. No one, except the owners and the dealer, knows how much | these golden plates cost, but a prominent jeweler has valued each ono at $500. They
 were purchased in Paris.
 Mrs Vanderbilt has . silver service, not
 entire, that cost over $25.ooo. The fish plates are shaped like small salmon, and the eye is a jewel The pate dishes arc formed like tiny | tubs with close covers, and are provided with | carved silver handles, % that they can be
 served hot, and tho ice cream plates arc formed like clover leaves, and have special 1 little silver spoons shaped like shovels. Four very costly china dinner and break fast services are owned by Mrs Vanderbilt. The ono in common use is of deep blue and
 white china, and 1t cost over $5,oO0. The choice set Is in Royal Worcester, and is oona- plete except in platters and vegetable dishes. Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt's special dinner
 service is in pink and white ane French
 china, and was made after special designs,
 which were afterward destroyed, 70 that no ono could have set Ike it. Her dessert set 1 is of Royal Worcester and each plate is diff ferent. The fruit dish belonged to Louis XVI, and some of the plates once adorned Napoleon's table
 One of the loveliest of china services is owned by Mrs. Frederick Vanderbilt. The
 design is in yellow and pale blue. and forget me-nots and primroses border each dish. l Mrs. w. H Vanderbilt has . set of Japa-
 nese dishes which cost over t5,000. Each
 dish, whether plate, plattsr or tureen, has .
 little vase on the edge in which . rose or pink can be placed, % that each course is served with flower. This service Is in deep Iaari
 blue ware, touched with pink. Ono of Ti6anys men, who Is familiar with | most of the costly silver and china in town, estimates that ZIG. .oo0, 900 would hardly cover l their value.-New York Journal.
 The Woes of a1 Editor. It is sad duty to us to state to the many l readers of this paper that we arc actually in ! need of suit of clothes. We would like to attend preaching, but remain away because I we arc ashamed to enter tho church with the l suit that is worn daily. We go occasionally,
 but have to slip in quietly and take . back seat. This piece is not written for the pur- IT. A