The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-11-12
cuRlos AND CERAMICS.
An interesting Collection Recently Sold
at Auction.

at Auction.
In noting the great variety OF teapots,
kettles, caddies and cups and saucers
displayed in an old collection of bric-a-
brac recently, the writer was forced to
conclude that tea making must have
been quite as popular and fashionable
an occupation in the days Of our great
grandmothers and must have been at
tended by quite as artistic surround
ings as at the present time. The col
lection referred to, says the Chicago
Herald, was the property of the late
Mrs. G. L. A. Tank, a wealthy Holland
lady who recently died at Fort Howard
at the advanced age of eighty-seven
years. Her husband and only child
having died many years ago, the bulk
of her fortune was beqreathed to mis-
sionary work, in which she had always
manifested great interest. In accordance
with the provisions of the will her i'm
mense collection of curios, comprising
pottery, crystal, cut glass, brasses, cop.
perware and antique furniture, is being
disposed of ut auction at Green Bay.
Tho china includes few pieces of the
celebrated Delft ware and other ancient
and highly-prized potteries. There are
also few examples of crown Derby
and Wedgewood, besides quantities of
| Holland, Japanese and Indian wares.
| Curio hunters from all over the country
were in attendance upon this sale.
| Although many articles sold very
reasonably, others, which to the
| uneducated eye. at least, ap-
| pear to be quite common bits
of clay, brought fabulous prices.
| Among the gems OF the collection were
| a pair of crystal bottles trimmed with
| gold filigree, with enameled shoppers.
The enamel representations were diff
ferent, one showing st. Marks cathe-
dral at Venice, the other the Pantheon
at Rome. Among the numerous pieces
in blue and white ware we're some fra
| gile cups and saucers which were very
| old and rare. An enthusiastic art col
lector of Chicago, who came especially
| to attend the sale, placed the value Of
these tiny cups at ten dollars and twelve
dollars each. The collection of kettles
alone is large enough to fill an average
sized junk shop. There are kettles Of
brass, copper and pewter, kettles with
legs and kettles with fat bottoms.
Many Of these, together with other
quantity shaped pieces in brass, copper
and pewter, have been captured by a
young artist. Thus far the pieces of
cut glass, Bohemian glass and crystal
have sold very much under value. A
charming covered dish with ladle and
deep saucer, all in fine and deep cut
ting, brought only ten dollars and could
not be duplicated for twice that amount
Several tea sets have found ready pur-
chascrs, but in spite OF the hundreds Of
dollars worth of china sold there seems
to be very little dininution of the stock.
None of the furniture has yet been
offered. A large and handsome inlaid
wardrobe is very antique in appear-
ance and has many admirers. Mrs.
Tank is known to have refused an offer
of hve hundred dollars for this piece Of
marquetry few years ago. Although
the wardrobe is, perhaps, the most con-
spicuous article OF furniture, there are
many others which are almost equally
desirable, including wall cabinets,
shelves, stands, etc. The greater part
Of the silver will be melted and dis
posed of in that form, much to the re-
gret of many who had been hoping tc
get possession of some of these antique
pieces. This is in accordance with Mrs
Tanks expressed wish. The collection
originally contained number Of fine
pictures. Some OF these have beer
given to the State Historical society
others have been sent to Chicago ani
some few will be sold at this auction.