Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-14
WORLD OF SOCIETY.
Choice Collection of Valuable China
in Washington Houses.
MRS. DICKINS' TREASURES.
Other Valuable Col;ections-what the Ladies'
of the White House Are Doing-Dinners
and Theatcr Parties-social Organizations
Personal Notes.

OF the newest and most beautiful OF modern
manufacture is owned in this city. or the
antique collections few are perhaps as interest
ing as that owned by Commander Dickins,
United States navy, and which forms, in its
way, the chief ornamentation of his home on
18th street. Commander Dickens in his voy-
to crafty his taste in collecting to-
gether curios of many kinds and
from many chimes. All the furniture
al over his house is in old mahogany; the por-
there's at the drawing room doors were made by
the sturdy women of New England early in tho
century. similar fabric in blue wool and
white cotton in an intricate pattern, makes q
cover for a lounge in the library. and In the
corner of it is woven the name OF the weaver
Polly Noble. 1886" warm coverlet
white fur of the guanaco of Patago-
mia. On another is the splendid skin of
tiger. shot at Mcnchuria by its present owner;
! In another corner is an olive-wood chest
deliberately carved. three hundred years old,
and once used as the receptacle of the illumi-
mating materials for some busy monk; Para
Suayan bows and arrows, the highly decorated
gourds used in the Andes for meal, the homely
plated work box of hide used there by the
women. exquisitely fine lnces wrought by the
same busy fingers in their mountain homes. fans
| froIa formosa. japanese dressing
case hundreds of years old, richly
carved Sandal-wood box. another made by u
! galley slave in Turin, a collection of mate cups
and bombilias and South American pipes and
| fans are just few OF the more curious objects
which make tue psr!or and library so interest
| ing. 10 the lovers OF old china, however,
Commander Dickins' collection appeals very
q study OF ceramics would forge. the
passing of time in looking it all over. 1t is par
| tiedl.srly rich i'll Stafcrdshire ware. These
/ PLACES aud dishes of deep, dark and beautiful
blue make very attractive ornaments. The
Subjects depicted at the time of its manu-
! factare, 1850, were notable scenes i'll America
and IN England. as well as romantic themes,
such as IS embodied in one, Love
behind the bars" an imprisoned
cupid locking longingly through n
landing of Lafayette On the 10Th Of August,
| 1924, and the Boston Hospital are some Of the
American scenes which are handed down to
| future ages by this much priced warelike the
! pictures of Fonthill, Abbey. Esholt. House and
Wiltshire form the subjects ON others A piece
of Nankin ware is a bowl with Success to the
British Navy in blue letters round the rim,
which was purchased from the de-
scendants of family known to have
been tories in the revolution and "copper"
heads during the late war; some four or five
plates and dishes of Haviland china used by
! President Lincoln in the White House; cup
and saucer O720) of Hochst manufacture: beau
! tiful specimens OF Sa.suma, Royal Derby,
Vienna, Cloisonne, Dresden, Sevres. Japanese
and Chinese, with the rarer Bursle;n blue, spode,
/ Gotha and Plymouth ware the manufacture OF
! which stopped in 1870. Pitchers and vases of
def divide honors with The china, which, for
want of better designation, may be called
commemorative china. There Is a plate called
, the Washington second inaugural; Constitu-
| ton pitcher, upon which il stamped the first
amendment to the Constitution ON one side and
the printing press and the motto, ''1he Ty-
rants Foe; The Peoples Friend, on the
other; Commodore Perry mug, with pOr-
trait of the hero Of the lake and that
famous utterance: ''We have met the enemy
and they are ours" and q millennium plate
probably made at Swansea over hundred
years ago. Another plate, glass teacup plate,
has the features of Gen. W. H. Harrison in the
lI75. Around the portrait are thirty
! six stars This plate was a popular
bit of household decoration during the
lifetime of Presiden. Harrison's grandfather
and is an object of great deal of interest to
his successor in the White House. These few
pieces named are only part of Commander
I Dickens collection. which he and his wife have
been years in getting together and which makes
of their home one of the most interesting at
the capital.
] Both in the possession of OLD and new china
the home of Justice Blatchford is eclipsed by
none. He has some of the finest French china
! III this country. every bit Of which is real
work of art. His dinner tables said by old
diners ont as well as cOnnoisseurs of both fine
antique and modern china not to be surpassed
/ in this city.
Senator and Mrs. Leland Stanford have per-
haps the most valuable and probably the
largest collection of fine china and table be-
longings III this country. Every one of their
! five California homes and .he one in this city
has its separate and complete equip
; meni. Much of it they see so
seldom that they almost forget they
own it. Mrs. Stanford, however, has her favor
help doing. her beautiful set of Dresden china
plates which she uses here. Upon each is
painted some famous beauty or some famous
castle of the old world. Frequently ut her large
dinners a service Of gold plates are the first
laid. Each of these has repousse design in
the center Of fruits Oh flowers.
Mr.. and Mrs. j. Fairfield Carpenter who
opened their beautiful white stone house SO
often to their friends lately, have a collection
of china which is absolutely fascinating. All
around their artistic dining room is a broad
frieZe formed of plates and platters of deli
from Holland and Flanders. An unique table
ornament ia an epergne OF Royal Berlin
china. which has stands for fruit and
finest manufacture and comes from every point
OF the civilized world. Mr.. and Mrs. Carpen-
ter had all the marts in Europe for their selcc-
tons, and they have exhibited great taste in
the beautiful things with which they are sur
rounded in their home here.
Mrs John Mullan made collection of plates
while abroad some years ago and they orna-
mcnt the walls OF her dining room.
| Behind the small Dutch panes of glass in
Mrs. Hearst's dining room cupboards much
beautiful china is displayed, which, like others,
is the product of years of foreign travel.
Mrs. Richardson Clover owns a collection of
teapots, most tasteful and unique, that her
mother, Mrs. Miller, made during their trip
together around the world a few years ago
They purchased teapot in each place they
visited, choosing in each the quaintest the
prettiest ard most uncommon designs. They
vary in sizes, and some are Of the fines. metals
as well as of china.
Mrs. james 4. Barbour has among her sets
of fine china one set Of Sevres plates, with the
portraits of the court beauties, which are OBJ
jects of great cdmiration to art lovers. Another
superb article in her drawing room is a mas
sive Dresden china candelabra in blue, white
and gold tinting.
The Vice President and Mrs. Morton use upon
occasions of their large dinners an elegant
Havi,and service in white and gold. The most
distinctive feature, however, of their table
decoration is the massive gold aud silver
plate. -.
Mrs. Wansmaker's taste runs to white and
gold banded china also, and ut the notable din
ners, which in point of general beauty have not
been exceled in this city, it Was this set which
was used
Mrs. Mckinney has some Of the prettiest
china, both in the old and the new makes. Most
OF it is modern and has been selected with
great taste.
Mr.: and Mrs. Pollok. in their yearly visits to
France, bring home many rare and precious
pieces of china to add to tho establishment of
their table.