The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-10-04
eEo VALUED AT 900.
it 9elonsed to the Emperor in the
Sunu Dynasty and Has History.

niture ana cabinet art WORK WOuIu
20 into ecstacies could he but see n
bed that is now owned by james l..
Hudson, OF Washington, ID. C..
which was built seven hundred years
ago for one Of the Chinese emperors
Of the Sung dynasty, and which Tor
thirty years was the imperial throne
by day and couch by night. 1t is
valued at S25. OO0.
This mammoth piece of furniture,
weighing over II ton and constructed
OF rosewood, ebony. teak, mahogany,
lockwood, sandal w,pd and bamboo,
and inluid with lockwood and ivory
figures cut in cameo, tells the history
of the famed Sung dynasty from the
founder, Tai.tsu. $50 B c., until the
overthrow by the Tartars and death
Of The-Sing, in 1879. On the upper
portion Of the bed is told the cor
responding neurological history, and
all Is worked out in the most clearly
defined trucings and inlaid carved
work. 1t was constructed by Chung
Ye, one OF the most profound and
| learned historians OF the period, who
who was also an artist.
When the Tartars and Mongolans
overran the empire and made Pekln
the capital, in 1879, \. d., they
sacked the city and looted the pal
aces OF The-Sing, and among the val
liable treasures hypothecated was
this piece Of furniture. The emperor,
who was the last of the dynasty, es-
capped capture and drowned himself
and family in the river, near Canton.
The bed was next heard Of in Ming
Po, Mt the time of the opium war, in
! 1910, when the city was taken by the
British 1t fell into the hands of
Robert Haywood, an English naval
officer, who shipped it on sailing
| vessel that was to make Liverpool,
! but which two years later sailed into
! Golden Gate harbor, San Francisco.
! At that time there were only two Of
the present six Chinese companies
on the coast, yet they ut once made
an effort to get the bed, and appealed
to the United States officials for an
order restraining its removal from
the city with the intention Of send
ing it back to the orient, claiming
that it was one of those rare and
valuable works of art that their laws
forbade leaving the empire. John
Hudson, uncle of the present owner
who was then in San Francisco, OBJ
tained possession of the bed and
shipped it to New York by Il sailing
vessel, and in 1871 presented it to his
sister, the mother of the present
owner, who on her death gave it TO
his wife.
The bed weighs ., 400 pounds, is Z
feet 6 inches long, / feet 10 inches
wide, with l6 inch prefecture on
the front, and I feet 3 inches in
height. 1t is composed of forty-three
separate pieces, that go together like
Il curious Chinese puzzle, not n nail
or screw being used in its construc-
tion. 1t has seventy elaborately y
carved panels OF different sizes chat
depict the history Of the reign of the
Sung dynasty. The panels are OF
carved teak, with inlaid figures OF
sandal wood and ivory in curously
wrought designs, over seventy full
length figures being used. OF the
LOO different figures being used no
two are alike in carving or in their
positions, and the features of the
faces OF the persons represented are
as expressive as they could be in II
painting. The figures are carved and
then inserted into the panels IN
some kind of adhesive preparation,
the panels being dowelled out in the
most perfect and artistic manner tc
admit OF it.
The history of the period as told
by the carving is being translated by
Mr. Hing Chong, wealthy dealer in
Chinese curios in the capital city.
Despite the great age Of the bed it
Is in a wonderful state OF preserva
tion. Mr.. Hudson has used it con.
tinuaIly for the past forty years,
with the exception of three years
when all trace of it was lost. He
removed with his family to Rich
mond, Va, and left the bed in care
OF furniture dealer in Washington
until he should send for it About
three months later on visit to that
city he found the store closed anC
learned that the dealer in antiques
lad left the city and no trace of the
property could be found. Two year,
later he heard that the bed was il
the possession OF II wealty tea dealeI
of Philadelphia, and he was COM
PEELED to resort to litigation to recov
er it.
Many people have seen the bed anC
Mr.. Hudson has been offered $40, ,OOC
for it many times, but places mucl
higher valuation upon it. P.H. Letter
the millionaire Chicago drygood'
man, who has the finest collection o
Chinese and japanese art treasure il
this country has made overtures tt
purchase the bed Mrs. Hearst, Wifi
of the California senator desired tC
secure it, but Mr.. Hudson did not
wish to part with it.
The members OF the Chinese lega
ton say there is not in existence
such work OF art and such genoa
logical record, and that another sucl
| conll not be prOlucaI i'm This oUa