New-York tribune., 1898-12-25
A GREAT CURIO COLLECTION.
HOW 1T WAS GATHERED BY JOHN j..
HALLERAN. OF FLUSHING.

Through the death few weeks ago Of John J.
Halleran Of Flushing attention has been drawn
anew to his wonderful collection OF antiques and
curiosties OF every description. For over quar-
ter OF a century his place has been the haunt or
private collectors and OF retail dealers In antiques
who came. often from long distances, to examine
and purchase some Of the valuable and rare rel
les which Mr.. Halleran was so successful In Sc
curing. The visitors frequently sought also for
the veteran collectors advice regarding doubtful
articles in their possession. His knowledge OF
the subject was the more remarkable because
he was a who had little opportunity for
, education in his early years, and whose busi-
ness as saloon and hotel keeper would, 1t might
be thought have left him little leisure for the
study Of antiques.
But having one day bought curious old ar
ticle merely as a speculation, he became inter-
ested in the subject and set about informing
himself as fully as possible He read all the
books he could find relating to antiques, and
gradually began to pick up old things wherever
he found them. In course Of time he became a
regular dealer, and his business grew until In re-
cent years he more widely known IN a
wholesale than in 4 retail way. There is proDa-
bly, scarcely antique shop in this city whlch
has not repenished its stock at Hallerans, ana
the death Of the old collector. with the probable
sale either as a whole or in parts, Of his curios-
ties will deprive them Of valuable source OF
their supplies.
The Halleran collection now fills one whole
building from top to bottom, and the greater
part Of three or four other buildings as we'll
Mr. Halerans son John j., who now has charge
Of the estate, says that an offer of $l2OOO has
been made for the entire collection but that
f,,n fbo
heirs will hold it until fairer price can be OBJ
tanned
PICKED UP ON LONG ISLAND.
Many of Tie articles collected by Mr..
Halleran in t..o course of driving trips which he
made for that purpose among the quaint old
Long Island towns He would stop at the farm
houses inquire whether their owners had any
old things they were willing to sell. and would
bargain for them until agreement was ef-
fected. Many valuable pieces of china and fur
niture were obtained from cOlored families. the
older members of whom. when slaves. had re-
ceivcd from their masters the things which were
then deemed old-fashioned ard useless
Among the odd things of historic interest still
in the collection are great numbers of Revolu-
tionary relics There are several pictures. both
paintings and cngravings Of Washington. On"
/ represents his last interview with his mother,
and another shows him in the act of giving his
legendary command: Put none but Americans
on guard to night" There some official let
ters Of Washington to Congress at the time Of
the Revolution. and other interesting though
sometimes partly illegible old papers of the
period Among the Revolutionary war relics
swords of various kinds, nintlock muskets
and pistols. battle lanterns, caps epaulets. pow
der TASKS. canteens stirrups. brde-bits and
army medicine chests.
As for the articles Of household use dating
from this time as we'll as from still earlier Colo
nial days, 1t Is impossible to give any but the
barest mention Of few Of them There are
handsome old copper urns and kettles, bronze
lamps candesticks of innumerable patterns in
brass and silver plate, brass warming pans,
pewter pieces of all kinds, queer Old hand
painted mirrors, spinning wheels. mahogany
chairs tables and sdeboards with claw feet
and brass trimmings, china and china cup
boards andirons in dozens of styles and hand
embroidered silk shawls and parasos belonging
to the fashions Of a bygone day.
BEAUTIFUL CHIPPENDALE PIECES.
Some beautiful specimens Of Chippendale fur
niture are included in the collection, one side
board in particular being a notable example.
There is "A great Dutch cupboard. nlaid with
satinwood, ebony and ivory and handsomely
carved. 1t bears the arms Of the family Of
Humphries, and was picked up by Mr. Halleran
at storage warehouse sale in New York Ar
ticles Of furniture once owned by Henry Clay,
and others formerly the property Of General
Winfield Scott. have an especial interest from
their associations There are some gold but
tons which presented to Mr.. Clay by a
few of his admirers and were worn by him for