The morning call., 1892-01-17
TREASURES.
Objects Of Art in Buckingham Palace
and in the Tower.
The Place Where the Crown and Other Jewels
Are Closely Guarded-A Scene From the
Window Of the Custodian's Parlor.

4
| of the crown Jewels vacant The Office is
| absolutely In the gift of the Queen, AMI
/ with it goes, besides a handsome emolu-
| ment set Of rooms in the Tower OF Lon
| don, opposite the Traitors Gate-a quaint
| abode within the massive walls, with mar
/ row passage leading from the sitting-ToOms
| past the domestic offices, TO the vaulted
| chamber where the well-guarded treasures
| repose behind tall iron ratings, not unlike
| those that encompass the tombs of The Scali-
| gers at Verona. From the windows Of the
| cuStodian's parlor glimpseS are caught OF
the Thames, and in the slantiBg rays Of an
| autumn sun through the golden haze of low
| lying mists the scene evokes a faint reinin-
| iscence OF the Venetian lagoons.
| 1t is strange how often huge, prosaic Lon
| don, when 1t hides its grimy monOtOny I'M
| der the softening mantel of its fogs, as
! sumes a likeness to distant and picturesque
lands. writes the London correspondent of
| the New York Sun. At Hyde Park, the
| haekneyed Serpentine will, in November
with its blurred and changed outlines. take
| an air Of Venice. The river under the
| bridges might at times stand for the yellow
! Tiber or the swift Arno. Southern lands
| should be visited IN summer and northern
| ones in winter 10 order to judge them at
| their best. In the same way London, the
! city of fogs, should be seen during the sea-
| son when they prevail. Hateful in the sea-
| son. the big city, In spite of the curses deep
and loud hurled az its climate, has it char
| acteristic charm at the close of the year, a
| charm not felt perhaps by the inhabitants
| or passing tourist but which certainly in
| spired Turner The monuments of the
| metropolis are never seen TO such advantage
/ as through the fleecy curtain dropped over
| them by the mists, half yapOr, half smoke.
| that float around them. The dome Of ST.
| Paul looms as large as st. Peters in Rome;
| the monument rises to greater heights when
| its bristling head is mercifuly hidden in the
| clouds; the dTeary, succeed thoToughfaTeS
| Of South Keusingt0n,
| PARTLY OBLITERATED,
| Reveal only the rosy facades of some newly
| contracted gabed house or red brick; the
| broad squares might be solemn, tree-girt
| ponds, and the level SwRrdS Of the parks,
| DO longer fTinged with tall houses, wild,
| open mOOrlaHd. Westminster, so well able
| to confront the glare Of day, loses nothing
| by being set in featheTy frame, and it
| blends harmoniously with the more recent
| House of Parliament, while the screaming
| little Thames omnibus steamboats,, huShed
! and shadOWy, might be silent gond0laS
| gliding by ducal palaces The busy hives
| OF Somerset House and Charing Cross
! cease TO be only the centers from which
| commercial population Is constantly stream
| ing toward the Mansion House, the Royal
| Exchange and Bank of England, behind
| thelf Greeian portlcOes, are the temples of
| industry, while further eastward the Guild
/ hail, magnificent aud severe, is at once 4
| palace, a tribunal and a church.
| lie S6Verelgns entOmbed in the metropolis
| OF Westminster could, peTehance, on such a
| day recognize their ancient capital far bet
/ ter In its busy centers, may be. than in
| buckingham Palace, which is SO difficult to
| invest with any grace. and, of all the royal
| esidences, Is tue least easy to entel Very
1 few, except those who are invited to the
1 three or four concerts and balls each year.
are permitted to visit it, and then only by
| tile special favor of Sir Henry P0nsoBby or
| Lord Latham, the Lord Chamberlain. Buck
| iDgham has neither the imposing feRdai
| grandeur OF Windsor nor the oid-world
| character Of Hampton Court. still redolent
| with the memories Of Henry VIII and Anna
BDleyn. Although ii cost 81 100000, al |
| though il Is large and spaciOns. il can boast
| OF an architectural beauty, presenting only
| the massive style of architecture Of the IN
| artistic epoch Of 1880.
In 1703 John Sheffield Duke of Buckinp-
| ham, built modest dwelling house among
the mulberry gardens of the locality. II
passed into the hands of George Ill who
settled It on Queen Charlotte. 1t was de-
StrOyed in 1923 by George w. who on the
same site, lad The foundations Of the present
structure. His death interrupted the con-
structOn, which was resumed later on and
finished twelve years later, when Victoria
was Queen. She inhabited the palace for
the fist time IN 1881 The interior is as
cumbrous and heavy as
THE FACADEs,
But it is furnished and decorated with great
magnihcence and luxury. The Prince Con-
sort took an Immense interest in Buckin0-
ham Palace. He made the apartments rot
only rich but comfortable, and if 10 his life
time he was not credited with all the good
work he did, since his death it has been
gradually borne upon the public that he had
a much taste as ability. He was instru-
mental IN bringing together n great deal Of
tie authentic and superb furniture OF the
Louis NV and XIV periods; the rich silken
fabrics OF the Lyons looms; the four mag
nifieent sideboar.s OF the dning-room in
which Nj. Boule so cunningly wrought
delicate trace7y of bronze scrolls on a back |
ground OF lapis laZuli; the carved mantel- |
pieces supporting clocks by Claudiou the |
eandelabra OF GOuthleres; piano decorated
by GllOs and mountingS by CRffieri. 1t is |
10 be regretted that the native taste for |
cleanliness has led to an undue polishing of |
brasSes and gilt bronzes, robbing them of
the tempered mellOWneSS so dear 20 the |
cOnnOiSseurS
The best painters of the Dutch school are |
represented not singly but in numbers, but |
again, the Rembrandts, Gerard BOWS, CuyDS, /
Metzus, MieriS and Teniers have been sub |
mitled 20 the same ultra-purifyiug process, !
and are as reSpendtnt In varnish as any |
modern picture. The Reynolds and Gains /
b0rOughs have been spared that indignity, !
perhaps because. being on a higher level /
they are protected against hOuSeWiieTy profa-
nation. The Prince C0nSort seems to have |
been pOwerleSs TO prevent certain errors of |
judgment, as, for instance, when gigantic |
pieces of Italian furniture, iEcruSted with |
petra dura, were placed in juXtapoSition |
with the delicate specimens of q purer art, |
Instead of being sent 10 take more benefit |
ing position In hallSor on landings. However |
far more priceless than pictures and bronze |
IS the pTodigious collection OF old Sevres /
china scattered throughout the palace. /
The rare vases are counted by hundreds; |
innumerable are the jars, bowls. plates and |
cups, comprising specimens that are never
seen out of museums. The Queen is as fond
of her china as Of her laceS, and values it
beyond paintings and jewels; she can give
q ST te dihner served on complete services |
of SeVres, single piece of which would ex-
cite the cOyetousness of the collector.
ENGLAND WAS NOT SLOW
To take advantage of the revolutionary era
dating in France from 1898, and in avail
ing herself OF the dilapldations which |
robbed her neighbors OF the treasures which
were their pride and glory. She acquired |
them at nominal prices TIE collection of
china was commenced 10y George ~ when
Prince of Wales. He purchased master
pieces of ceramic art on which Boucher and
Fragonard had painted their inimitabe
medaIlons; be paid about ESQ for pair of
vases which would be considered cheap to-
day at 10000. The Dubarry rose. the tur-
quois blue, the Seyres green, the pate tendre
exist in such prolusion in the apartments of
the palace that there are not enough tables |
and cabinets to contain them all. and they
are crowded into large cases standing in
every corner.
! Windsor. the finest of the many fine
monuments of England. contains an almost
equal quantity OF valuable china, and il is a
pleasing and charming contrast to see the |
frail and brittle treasures eRshTined in the |