The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-05-26

Of the vase and its artistic value were not
in the least impaired through having
been restored.
The members and artists who do this
work are well paid, as the selling quail
ties of the vase when finished depend
wholly upon the dezterity and taste OF
the restorers. In this way many 1nValu-
able old bits of china are preserved, ana
the art Of mending is of most import
apoe to the collector, as age alone gives
market value TO these specimens.
The writer has in his possession LUG
CO Della Robbia plaque, most careIu!iy
mended i'll way that would DEFY bne
critical examination of an expert, ana
this fact is the more satisfactory because
no plaque of that exact design and pat
torn Is purchaSable even In Italy.
The following true story was told the
writer by the party most interested:
A certain collector of antiques, and one
OF the largest in Italy, had for many
years made study of Lucca DellagRobia's
porcelain Madonnas, plaques, and bas-
relief; continually seeking in out-of-the-
way places, old monasteries, and tombs
for specimens Of the great masters ma
Jolica work. This subject WAS continually
uppermost in his mind, but many hours
Of travel and days Of labor sometimes
resulted in no discoveries of any value.
These original specimens are often found
covered with earth or plaster, repainted
OF wholly elaborated by inappreoiatiy We
artists and modellers who know not the
value of the original. The expert has to
submit these articles to a process which
removes the outer covering of paint or
plaster, often revealing rare specimen of
exquisite covering and masterful design.
These pieces are sometimes discovered in
the cellars of the poor or in the noun
talns among the peasants, where it is
possible they have been allowed to re-
main for hundreds OF years.
The gentleman above mentioned had
great reputation, not only for his ex-
pert ability in testing these finds" but
Tor remarkable instinct that seemed to
guide him to their hiding places.
One night i'll a dream he was told to go
to certain far-distant place called Monte
Lupo, and that thore, in ruined part
of an old monastery designated by a de-
scription of details of the building and
locality, he would find large porcelain
Madonna.
The vividness Of the dream and the
great possibility that such specimen,
might be found in that region haunted
his mind for days with such persistency
that he decided to visit the place. saying
nothing of his mission to anyone. On
arriving at the isolated village he sought
q peasant living nearest to tho ruined
monastery, and whose land embraced a
part upon which the ruins stood. On
making thorough inspection of the
place the location Of the Madonna was
found, as pointed out in the dream, un-
earthed, and proved to be one of the
most perfect and beautiful specimens
found in many years.
The collector paid the peasant $50 for
his find, and in a few days sold it at the
immense profit of $34, 600 to the Imperial
Museum of Austria The Madonna was
broken in one CT two places, but the art
OF reproducing and mending made it
possible to restore the article to it's orig
inal perfection.
The new process of elaborate wood car
wing so extensively used in modern inte-
riors utilizes the latest methods of &C.
menting, so that the most fragile and
delicate design can be made to adhere to
the firm foundation, the cement used on
drying becoming harder than the wood
itself