The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-05-10
FAD OF A WISCONSIN, LAWYER.
Collection OF Blue Plates by Thomas M. Kear.
ney of Racine.

I
are business and professional men VINO
give up part of their time to the Guilt
walton of so-called fads. which means
the gathering of collection of some
thing which has taken their fancy. Men
without fads regard it as weakness in
those who cultivate this trait, declaring
that it is inherited from woman and is
natur9l part of her existence. However
whether feminine characteristic or
otherwise, it is nevertheless a fact that
learned men of all times have had pre-
deliction for fads ana have INDUCED in
their fancy. 1t is curiously enough a
predominant trait in one of the best
known editors of the state, and though
his rough exterior would be a synonym
for something more of the wild or com
monplace, yet it is true that there is in
the Northwest, perhaps no better judge
of fine rugs, porcelain or brio brac,
showing that beneath this rough exteri-
or there is nature as fine and as i'm
questionable as woman. In Racine
there are men who have made fine col
lections of old furniture, pipes and other
Things, but the most curious of all is
collection of blue plates made by Thorn
as M. Kearney, an attorney of extended
acquaintance and reputation in Wiscon-
sin. The collection, begun in a small
way, and with no intention of making a
fad of it, has grown until it comprises
nearly three hundred pieces of porcelain,
many of them which cannot be duplicat-
ed anywhere and now regarded by its
owner as one of the most complete and
interesting in the country. A matter Of
pride with Mr. Kearney is that not one
of the pieces is broken or Clipped, an
unusual circumstance by the way, in a
collection of this kind, There are rare
old French plates in blue and gold, por-
tions of table service brought to the
city of New Orleans by one of it's old
and distinguished families more than a
century and half ago, beautiful plat
tiers, plates in deep blue, decorated with
English, French and American scenes.
Many of them bear the names of Clews,
Adams, Stubs, Stevenson, Wedgwood,
Rogers, Davenport, Riley, Heath and
other famous English makers of porce-
lain and chinaware. Two fine Caledon-
ian plates bear illustrations of the hunt
ing of the stag. Others present excellent
drawings of castles and other English
historical scenes. Much priced by Mr..
Kearney are two pewter plates brought
to America ON the Mayfower There is
also in addition to the blue plates a col
lection of teapots, sugar bowls, gravy
boats and tureens made by the same
famous potters.
Concerning this interesting collection
Mr.. Kearney said Il suppose that l
must possess something of liking for
these relics. ! do not know how it was
that became interested in china hunt
ing. My business frequently calls me
away from home for considerable periods
and | have got good deal of pleasure
during my spare hours, while on these
journeys looking up old pieces of china
and porcelain. In this way my collec-
ton has grown from year to year and
has now become quite fad with me. y
Mr.. Kearney says there are some very
finecollections of blue plates in the Unit
ed States, one of the most valuable be-
ing that owned by Chauncey Depew
In the Eastern states, collectors have in
many localities, made house to house
canvass in the hope of finding rare old
colonial plates for which there is much
demand. As much as $3.50 has been
paid for a single plate by these relic
hunters.
Mr.. Kearney does not put any value
on his collection but says that intrinsic
ally it is worth considerable on account
of the work of hunting for the plates
in addition to what he paid for them
Its chief value in his opinion, is in the
interest it has awakened and cultivates
in the history of progress in things do
nestle.