The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
unique EASTERN CURIOS
A Wonderful Collection Gathered
in Foreign Countries.
Grotesaue Figures i'm tho Possession
of n Citizen of New York-Rnre
and n Host of otbcr Specimens Of
Oriental Design and Manufacture.

mr. other Brahnan or Buddhist g-ds, god
desses. or spirits, about which Mahatmas
and Chelas tell us and which may not yet
have reached their Nirvara, their origin is
probably to be found in the house occu-
pied by Charles Getschow. at 263 Fifty
sixth Street.
Mr.. Getsehow recently returned from
five years sojourn in Ceylon, Siam, Mad
ras. Trchinopoly, and Travancore. He
was out there in the interests of some ma
rine underwriters who had cause TO find
fault with the careless methods used in
slowing cargoes. especially those of plum
bago and eocoanut oil. He had spent much
of his early life at sea and has been an
indefatigable collector of coins, porcelains,
bronzes. fabrics and other curios. From
the Far East he has brought back large
collection. including number of Hindoo
idols. Some of his friends say that in or
der to crafty his passion for collecting
Mr. Getsehow did not hesitate to loot some
ancient temples at Mandalay. He only
winks when this is mentioned in connec-
ton with his lot of time-worn and decid-
eddy ugly and squat figures of silva. the
destroyer; Vishnu. Rama, and other Hin
doc deities. Mr.. Getschow was q close
friend to James Darragh. the Williams
burgh Irishman, whose history reads like
a chapter of a novel. He had established
a small manufacturing business of coir, or
cocoa, mating and mats in the eastern
district. Hearing of the cheap labor of
India. he scraped together his little CAPT
tai and sailed for the Orient. He settled
81 .f- - rTr,,-
principality on the western coast of the
Indian peninsula, and near the apex. Cape
Commorin. He left his wife and one
daughter in Brooklyn.
Years passed and Darragh became a man
of great wealth He owned several facto-
ries, had sugar. coffee, tea and cotton
plantations. He became indispensable &c
the Rajah and obtained concession TO
coin his own money. He married a Hin
doc w1man and one OF her daughters mar
ried his head man, Mr.. Small, a Scotch
man, who became his partner. They es-
tablished the present importing house of
Darragh & Small in Water Street, Man.
haitian. which still does large business in
East Indian goods, coir, mats and mating,
rugs skins and the thousand and one
articles that are exported from the Far
East Occasionally he would send ship
of his own here. He used to say that moth
ing CALLED him more than TO ship under
the British flag. Some years ago, while on
a voyage to this country, he was taken i'll
and died at Cairo His body was inferred
at his old home in ireland. whittier his
first wife and daughter removed and where
they are probably still living. After his
death a suit was begun over his property
here. but it was settled apparently and
never came to trial Mrs. Darragh and
her daughter, il Is understood were amply
provided for, but Mr.. Small succeeded TO
the business and has since spent much OF
his life in India.
Mr.. Getschow is full of anecdotes of tho
former Brooklynite, for whose memory he
entertains a genuine affection But. to re-
turn to the Buddhist gods and goddesses.
Collecting has been a lifelong passion
with Getschow, and his handsome home in
Fifty sixth Street is literally packed with
cuIios In his wanderings he has amassed
a large and valuable collection of ancient
Roman, British, F1encs, Spanish, and
Oriental coins. as well as American and
other coins of more modern issues. Some
of the first named belong to the reigns of
Claudius and Augustus Caesar. One is
said TO be have been struck in commence
ration of the Roman conquest of Britain
a French medal of rare interest is one
struck in commemoration of the massa-
ere of St. Bartholomew. In view of his
long residence in the East and years Of
travel, il is not wonderful that Mr.. Gets
chow has secured valuable assortment
of Oriental coins from the largest gold
pieces to the tiny silver chukurums which
count thirty-two to the Mexican dollar
This lot is supplemented by an extensive
gathering of many medals and decorations.
Among the time worn collection Of stone !
idols from Mandalay is a strange looking
argf ka rnhr nf In
dia. In bronze there are dozens Ct hideous
and grotesque figures of Buddha, silva,
Yishu. Rama, and other deities. most
extraordinary idol is one carved in wood Of
silva. AT the top is the figure of the De-
stroyer, holding before his face the ex-
tended form of man which the god is
about TO deycur. The ferocity of the CEN
tral figure is supplemented by twenty
heads. each. if possible more hideous and
ferocious looking than the other. The |
bullying eyes aind huge glittering fangs |
are exhibited in so many different horrible /
grimaces as TO cause wonderment at the l
skill and imagination displayed in this !
unique portrayal of Siva's propensties. 1t 4
would be difficult to get together a more |
deyilish lot of caricatures of the human ,
counrvns.ce than ths;s carving represents.
There are two extraordinary looking In |
dian paintings displaying the attributes OF 1
Nishnu and Rama. They appear to be ex- /
ecuted on glass and the oolors are remark |
ably vivid aud distinct.
The collection OF arms show a number Ct /,
teayy kandyan knives, some of them richly |
chased and inlaid with gold. their handles /
of ivory stained, yellow. and cracked with /
time. There are ancient. long barre ed pis
tolls plated in richly chased silver. The /
knives and daggers are especially murder /
Gus looking heavy weapons. strongly Illus 1
trative Of the bloodthirsty life and history |
of the Far East With most Of them goes /
some tale or legend Of treaehery and 1
blocdshed. There are also a number of 4
Chinese and japanese weapons of fine de- |
sign.
Adjoining these are lots OF rare porce-
lains and bric-a -brac. collected from Con-
10 Siam. China. and Japan. 9th
ers were picked up in Cochin, Madras. and |
Colombo. There are tiny silver tea seta 1
made By native artists from Mexican dol
lars and eiaborately chased and decorated
and articles of jewelry. executed with the
skill for which Indian goldsmiths are fam
ed. This kind OF work fabricated by their
slender fingers and crude appliances has
never been equaled by European or Ameri-
can w0rkmen. The peculiar genius of these
wonderful, If decidedly thieyish. artidcers
is exhibited In hundreds of designs. The
root of the tea tree is OF a very DARK
brown, almost black. color Its habit OF
growth is of the most grotesqge, crooked.
order II is crossed and inter |
laced in the most inexplicable manner
with Jumps distributed in the strangest
disorder. From these the natives execute |
carvings of figures and groups that are
extraordinary in design and execution. and |
50 elaborate in their hideous and grotesque !
execution as TO excite admiration for The