The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-06
CURIOS FROM SPAIN.
Tourists Swindled by Dealers
in Antiquities.
HOW TO GET GENUINE ARTICLES
In Old Madrid - The Rastro, or Rag
Fair - Relics OF the Moors-
Ugly Talavera Ware.

MADRID, May 25.-[Special Correspond
ence. Foreigners who visit Spain gener-
ally return home laden with what they
think are Spanish antiquities. But if the
country contained as many rare curios as
wealthy travellers carry away, Spain must
indeed have been at one time teeming with
antique objects. and her aristocratic pal
aces would have long ere this time been
emptled of them. That fully one-half of
the antiquities supposed to be of Spanish
origin are, however, either Portuguese,
French and even Italian, cannot be de-
MED; and the other half, am sorry to say,
is manufactured daily from old models by
the Spaniards themselves. These counter
feits are then subjected to some process of
furnishing, and so cleverly disguised
withal, that only real connoisseur can
distinguish them from the genuine article.
1t may prove of interest for American
and English visitors to know what real
Spanish curiosities are, and what they
may still expect to find of the sort in
Spain. OF course Madrid is the best place
to hunt them up, as dealers in such wares
buy up most of the articles in the prov
lnces and send them to the capital. at
Bayonne. for instance, near the frontier,
make it their business to collect for sale
many valuable Spanish curios. 1t was at
that place that once found all the hand
some old nails, knockers, bars and locks
that go to make up door at Toledo and
other old Spanish cities. Where that
splendid sample of door came from,
however, the curiosity dealer was unable
or unwilling to inform me.
Ia
to go to, if you wish to find many old
objects at less cost than are to be had in
the shops; and not unfrequently the dusty,
rusty articles of the Spanish Ghetto are
positively genuine. On Sundays this
peculiar fair-a very rag fairs at its best.
The owners of the dingy little stores and
stalls exhibit on that day their choicest
wares and set on them their highest prices,
so that the foreigner may fancy he has a
good bargain when he gets an object for
just one-thlrd of the price originally de-
manded. The Rastro is quite picture IN
its way-the spot. the houses, the people.
The lower classes are to be seen there
in all their quaintness, the swarthy
features of the men, under their
large slouched hats; the women, their
heads covered with gay-colored hand
kerchiefs, under which peep out their
lustrous eyes. They all shout and chatter
together. In one part of the Rastro, old
shoes and old clothes, dirty enough to
make you shiver, are offered for sale;
while in another, are heaps of pans, brass
candlesticks, beds and furniture from the
pawnshops. All this stray refuse is mixed
up with stores that afford the curios. You
pick your way through the unclean crowd
and presently reach the door and window
of some dealer where the eye is fascinated
at the sight of lovely stuffs, silks and
other pretty nicknacks. that would de-
light the heart of any collector.
Spanish silks and stuffs are more gorge
Gus in color than those of the French, and
their bright tints are often set off with
threads of gold. Many such samples of
silks are still to be found in the Rastro.
Some claim descent from church banners,
as may be seen by the lamb or virgin en-
broidered in the center. A priests robe is
by no means rare, and it is difficult to con-
ceive anything more splendid than some
of these ecclesiastical vestments. The
silk is usually of stiff kind, with broche
of many-tinted flowers and gold thread
worked in as crosses. Despite the wear
and tear of years at the hands of careless
churchmen, ladies like to drive a bargain
for these lovely garments in the Rastro, as
they are readily controvertible into hand
some work-bags or book-covers when no
longer good enough to cover a chair or
decorate sofa.
Among other Spanish stuffs deserving
the amateurs attention at this rag fair are
the colchds, or quilts, of Salamanca work
manship. They are made of homespun
linen, and ornamented with flowers,
birds, and even saints, in rich colored
silks, the needlework of the women
in the villages of the province of
Salamanca. Some of these coIchas have
borders made after this fashion: Threads
are drawn out of the linen and in the
spaces SO formed curious designs are en-
broidered. The same province also furn-
ishes pretty sample of table cover. 1t
washes well and ladies convert it into tea
cloths.
A curio that is still occasionally to be
met with in the Rastro is the velon, the
name given to old-fashioned Spanish
lamps. 1t is handsome object, and NAV
be turned to account even today to light
passage. velon is usually high brass
lamp with handle on top, so it may be
carried about. The oil is stored in the
center, which is round, and adorned with
four or more small, beak-shaped wick
holders. Attached to the velon by brass
chains are scissors to trim the wicks a
small extinguisher and a sharp instru-
ment for picking the wick. Some welcomes
are provided with a metal shade that turns
right around the lamp. There used TO be
an older model of the same Spanish lamp,
made of common glass in two or more col.
ors, but il is now almost impossible to
come across any unless in a museum.
Chairs of all Spanish ''art Objects"
must be approached with most caution.
Those in Cordova leather are, of course,
the best. But it is almost hopeless task
to find a chair completely authentic, as,
often, if the leather is genuine, the nails
are modern, or the woodwork is of an
other epoch. Most Spanish chairs of gen.
uine antiquity are of heavy build, with
broad backs, large arms, and altogether
uncomfortable to sit in, like that of Philip
II. in the escorial. The armless chairs
With tall backs, now more frequently to
be found. came into use among the Span
iards at much later date; they are well
initiated today by the Portuguese manufac-
turers of ancient furniture. The designs
in the leather on Spanish chairs are usu-
ally leaves, flowers and animals; while the
Portuguese have more often coats of arms.
There are also some curious old oak chairs
in Spain, but they have grown to be very
rare and are highly valued on account fthe
wood carving, which is often remarkable.
Spanish chests are splendid pieces of
furniture, but they are difficult TO obtain.
The churches decline TO part with them
now that the clergy are better paid, the
more so as any such bargain on their part
Capnnr easily he kent serrat The finest