New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-17
lRT IN BRASS AND COPPER
.,,r GREAT COLLECTION or ALEXAN-
DER w. DRAKE.
,rrrrs or ALL SIZES AND SHAPES FROM ALL
PARTS OF THE wORLD-A HOUSE FULL
TO OVERLOOKING WITH EUR
NISIIED METAL.


TO OVERLOOKING WITH EUR
80 NIsHED METAL.
- his large old Fashioned house at No. 81
rin,on Place Alexander w. Drake. the superin-
,.,dent Of the Century COmpanys art depart
,,ont has a collection Of brass and copper which
"a one Of the finest. perhaps the finest Of its
t,,d in America A visit to the house Is reve-
,o,;on 10 one who is comparatively unacquaint-
A, with the variety and extent to which such
.oroc,ion may develop and to one more familiar
.,i.b old hammered metal work the inspection OF
Ar brakes hundreds of beautiful and rare
,,oces in brass. copper and bronze Is an artistic
pleasure Of n kind seldom enjoyed. The entire
FIRST floor Of the house glitters with the lustre
NJ FURNISHED metal reflected from pieces OF
svery size and shape. from massive Jars to tiny
,itchers and candesticks The buffers pantry
alone incloscs a charming little collection OF ar
{jcles for household use. ranged along its shelves
and hanging from NOTES.-The whole shining with
a fiery glow under the rays OF an artificial light
The front room in the basement is given up
wholly to other articles in the collection. and is
arranged after the style Of a museum. 1t APP
pears 10 be completely filed now. and il Mr..
Drake continues to acquire pieces he will have
In speaking Of his collection he says:
~ have been many years in making it. An
tique hammered metal work, particularly in
brass and copper. has always had a great at
traction for me. and as I have travelled in vari-
GUS countries / have collected such interesting
piece as could find. The collection IS perhaps
unique IN one rcspcct-it represents almost every
country ana contains all kinds Of articles, from
I iif.f, a
and other domestic utensils"
Among the articles for religious use are sew
eral old Italian lavabo dishes and basins. These
lavabo dishes are used in the Roman Catholic
Church the priests washing their hands in them
In the course OF the eucharistic ceremonies. The
formula repeated at the washing Is "Lavabo
manuS meas in nnOcentia'-"I viii wash my
hands in innocency" The dishes are beautiful
examples OF the brass repousse work OF few
hundred years ago and bear various designs
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. with the
serpent between them, the scene surrounded with
Gothic inscriptions: st. George fighting the
Dragon. and other ecclesiastical representations
A SPANISH lavabo dish shows ST. Martin divid-
ng his cloak with the bcggar. and upon putch
,asin are depicted the grapes Of EshcOl There
IRE curious Jewish Hanuka lamps with eight
lights used TO celebrate the Feas, Of llanuka.
These are from many countries. including Rus
sia Spain and Italy. Some Of them. In repoussc.
show the tables of the law and the lions OF
Judah with the crown above: others have the
columns Of the temple on either side, with the
dove surmounting each column; on some the
lions Of Judah are rampant with the seven
branchci candlestick between them. and there
are stIN others showing beautiful pierced work.
The old baptismal eWers. both in copper and
brass are from Italy and Germany. ard there
are quaint holy water stoups Of Italian make.