San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-02-15
A PEACHBLOW VASE.
A MYSTERY OF SEVERAL YEARS SEEMS
TO BE CLEARED UP.

A Matter That Has Long Been of Unusual
Interest to Art Collectors-Brsyton Ives
Conditions of His Purchase.
The Peachblow vase is in this city.
That is the verdict of an amateur Sher-
lock Holmes, who set about the elucida-
ton of the profound mystery surround
ing this celebrated piece of porcelain for
which SIS, 200 was paid when it was
sold at auction in this city some eight
years ago. Moreover, it seems apparent
from what this amateur detective has
discovered that, while the famous Peach
blow vase belongs to Mr.. BraytOn Ives
and is now in his house ON Thirty fourth
street, even Mr.. Ives himself is still
mystified about some things concerning
it.
Mr.. Ives did not pay SIS, 900 for the
Peachblow vase, and yet Mr.. Moss,
brother-i law of Mrs. Mary Jane Nor
gan and the executor of her estate, af-
firms that that enormous sum was paid
into the estate for the vase after the auc-
ton sale.
Nobody can tell who it is that is out
of pocket because of the mystery sur
rounding the Peachblow, but it is GER
tain that somebody for reason best
known to himself paid out several thou
sand dollars and has concealed his iden-
tity up to this date. Mr.. Brayton Ives
appears to be as much mystified as every
body else.
But now that Mr.. William T. Wal
tiers of Baltimore is dead and a promise
of secrecy made by Mr.. Ives at the time
the vase came into his possession has
been fulfilled, he has consented to dis
close some facts not hitherto known in
connection with the mystery.
1.-The vase which is now in my posses
sion," said Mr.. Ives, was bought by
me from the American Art association,
which had conducted the sale of the
Morgan collection. From the outset
there was something very mysterious
about it. was given to understand that
l was to see something very rare and
precious, but that would have to prom
Use to keep it quiet and not tell anybody
about it for certain length of time.
Then when my curiosity and interest
had been fully aroused l was conducted
alone into a shaded apartment. After
the doors had been locked and my com
panion had looked under the table to be
sure there was no one concealed there.
a safe was opened cautiously, and this
vase was taken out from under its cover
mgs. 1t looked to me like the Peach
blow, which had vanished so mysteri-
ously."
lone moment, please, " said the anna
teur Sherlock Holmes, "how long after
the Peachblow was sold for SIS, 600 to
Mr.. Walters, as Mr.. Sutton alleged, did
this occur?"
From nine months to year after
ward" said Mr.. Ives. Il bought the
vase which was exhibited to me, but
said nothing about it for long time. l
kept it locked in my house. Before | got
it l had to promise not to speak about it
for a specified time, but that time has
"
How much did you pay for the vase?"
THAT am not at liberty to state, "
said Mr.. Ives. when 1 bought it,
made two promises, one that l should
not say anything about it for specified
time, the other that l should never dis
close the purchase price. -
"What is at the bottom of all this
mystery"
Il am unable to guess" answered
Mr.. Brayton Ives. whether or not the
vase bought was the PeaChblOw vase,
there was no reason that | am aware of
why the facts should be concealed. "
Mr.. Ives admitted that the price he
paid for the vase was considerably less
than $1S, 900, and as an example of orr
entail porcelain he considered it worth
what he had paid for it. He said that
during the years the vase had been in
his possession many things had come to
his knowledge about the PeachblOw, and
that at times he doubted whether the
famous little mug. 1t seems that when
the vase was sold to him under the mys-
terious circumstances described there
was no guarantee that it was the Peach
blow vase, and that the comparatively
small price at which it was offered tend
ed to prove that they were not identical.
On the other hand, there are those
who assert that Mr.. Ives believed he
was buying the Peachblow vase, and
was at any rate willing to take "flier"
ON that assumption. The facts which he
has subsequently learned seem to prove
beyond any question that he did in real