The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-25
TALES OF CHINA EXPERT.
RgHrENLSOBNCEs OF THE ELDER
MORGAN OF LONDON.

. Lawsut-The Hunt for Hare China.
= LONDON, July 1o.-To many Americans fond
Of rare china, tho name OF Morgan 6 Sons will
stu have q familiar sound, though the elder
Morgan has been dead for some years, and Han
way street, where their shop was. has become
almost q country lane in tho heart Of London.
II was once the narrow connecting link be-
tween Oxford street and Tottenhan Court rond;
hut the cutting through OF New Oxford street
has left Il deserted. Old Mr.. Morgan was long
considered the greatest china expert In Europe,
and many q New York house contains valuable
articles Of his selection. though most Of his
American business was done through the Tif-
fanya To this day the Tiffanys will tell an In
quirer that Inorganic Judgment Of tho value Of
o pioce OF chinaware was considered final
wherever no was known.
Tho knowledge Of chinawaro came down In
the Morgan family through several genera
lions. They lived in an atmosphere of china,
aud the whole family were inoculnted with It.
when the old gentleman was out, his wife or
either Of his sons could tell the age and value
and place Of manufacture Of a plate or vase
with almost unerring certainty. Estimating
Tho commercial value Of rare china, for sale or
probate. constituted an important part Of the
business, and old Mr.. Morgan made n great inn
provemcnt in the system of making valuations.
Chinswaro to be passed upon used to be taken
to an expert, who charged 2I6 per cent. Of the
valuo he put upon IL for his services and knowl-
edge. This was a temptation to the expert. of
course, to.set as high a price as possible-the
higher the price the larger his fee; and prices
ware often named that could not have been
realized in the market. But Mr.. Morgan had
such confidence in his Judgment that he always
stipulated beforehand that he would buy or
dnd q customer for any article he. valued at
the price he named. 1t was said OF him that he
could take o plaque in the dark, and BY the
sense Of touch alone tell the place of manufac-
ture, tho date, and often the name of the maker.
Alstho known marks were familiar to him, but
no did not depend upon them; 1t was the ma
terial generally upon which his Judgment rested.
Though this famous expert is no more, and
his Sons are engaged in other business, there are
ntin many recollections of the crowded Han
way street shop, which was packed from roof
to Collar with valuable fragile articles; and
recoleotions OF curious happenings there that
arc too good to be lost. g. L. Morgan, one of
the sons, 10 as full Of interesting stories about
the business as the shop was OF plaques and
veses, and whom he begins telling humorous
anecdotes he Is In no haste to quit.
Il do not remember that VIC boys were ever
taught anything about rare china" he says.
1T seemed to come natural to us; perhaps be-
v ~ WOO u SohbCALAb bubJCSb "
at home. My father had a farm out in the coun-
try, and when l was about half grown l was
kept out there several years for my health. OF
course l was fond Of it, and nothing suited me
better than to put on farmers clothes and help
with the work-or pretend to help, perhaps l
ought to say. The owner of a large place in the
neighborhood died, and his valuable collection
Of chinawsre was arran yed for sale. One day
when ! was passing the house with a compan-
ion, both looking ike farmers boys, we went in
to zee the collection, which was on exhibition,
and l soon began to point out specially vaiu.
able pieces to my companion, to tel hun their
age and value, land various little things about
us heard what 1 was saying, and l heard one OF
them say to the other:
Look at that country boy pretending to I'M
derstand this china!'
at Odd not seem to me at all strange that 1
should understand it; IL seemed more remark.
able that they should not know 1t as well as l.
Sol turned to them and pointed out some very
as they were connoisseurs themselves, they Don
saw that knew what ! was taking about.
..wSa ny, ,S %ho f are SSG ,Ss, one OF them asked.
parts son, they. kept me with them, and made
good use Of my knowledge in making selectlons.
and as the articles they bought were sent to the
shop afterward to be valued by my father |
found that ! had made no mistakes. / don't
remember, though, that l got any commission
sometimes he had to hurt peoples feelings
when They wanted to know the truth. You
know an article that has been in II family a long
time IL nearly always considered much more
lady drove up to the shop in a very grand coach,
and walked in,;carryinY a box carefully in her
arms Ny father brought a chair Tor her, and
~ want your opinion Of the value Of q pair
You charge me to value themF
Il can't tell till ! see them my father re-
valuation. = and he reached down IN fnko thap,
oh, mol no! MOI! she exclaimed, drawing
sum fer' them and have siways vafEaed t i snis at
assurRnce to tell me that they are not worth
more than .f3,500. That Is ridiculous, OF
course but 1 want you to settle the question
.She began to remove the cotton very care
fully, and soon had one of the vases about half
:" That will do said my father; you need not
trouble TO uncover them any further. l have
oh, but you can't possibly tell till you see
them. Mr.. Morgan she exclaimed; and sho
pulled out more cotton.
Yes, i have :cen enough my father told
her. I know the vases very wen. They are
worth about 9l0 at a high estimate.
want ts IN lRnsnIt me. SHE sIr, fA! FEysv cried a1s ver DO 2.i Eou
Bile vases. You don't understand your bust
ness, sir; You don't know what you are talk.
knows the value OF such ware
IL HOBO you will, my lady my father an
gwered. W. are all liable to make mistakes.
] suggest that you, take the vases to Christy,
the auctioneer, to be valued. Perhaps he can
gave you a better opinion of them than / can.
Al any rate, there is no better Judge of china
IN London than Mr.. Chriaty. But you have
freatAd me rather harshly, and II you find that
I am right, expect you to come back and tell
"She went of in a passion, but in about half
en- hour she came back almost with tears in
az have come to beg. your pardon, Mr.. Nor
gan said she. Mr.. Christy tells me that the
vases are worth about seven guineas for the
pair. was shamefully cheated when ! bought
you. j was 50 sure they were very valuable
that l thought your estimate ridiculous. But
you were right
There is too. much opportunity for swind-
Ling In that business II the expert Is not honest.
After i had become q member of the firm an
artist came In one day-an artist who had a
good reputation and had made considerable
money. But, l was not particularly glad % see
him, for ! had had some dealings wi h him,
and J. knew that he. would take advantage OF
mo wherever he could.
Morgan, said he, there's a bit OF china IN
tho river at Kingston that ! want, you to value
".Al right said I. IN go up and value it
But he thought that was too much. He
explained that the article was a large china
ware dog that he thought was very old and
liable, and that he could buy II for 600. III II