The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-04
vICT0RIA'S CHINA.
THE BEAUTIFUL TREASURE THAT
BELONGED TO THE QUEEN.
Many Costly Collections-Her Vari-
Gus Residences Are Full of Price,
less HeirIoOms and Presents.
ChantilIy Dinner Service.


To attempt to pass in review all the
fine china and porcelain, that her late
Majesty possessed would be to compile a
catalogue, for the beautiful specimens she
inherited, or bought to please her own
taste and from the laudable desire to pa
tronize manufactures so closely akin to
fine art, or received as presents are sim
ply legion, and her various residences
were full of them. Many, especially at
Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace
are herlooms and belong to the sovereign
of these realms for the time being, but
quantities of other are offerings and keep
sakes which accumulated during the
Queens long life and reign, and they fill
many a great cupboard and cabinet, the
contents of any one of which would be
sufficient to decorate large country house
whose chatelaine had pretty taste in
ceramics and aspired to the reputation of
a chinamaniac. At Windsor there is
large, light china and glass room fitted
with wide shelves, protected from dust by
sass doris. 1t contains services for do
nestle use, such as dinner, dessert and
tea and coffee, many of which are price
less and in other establishments would be
reserved for ornament alone. Every room
and gallery in the castle Is moreover,
adorned with magnificent proclaim over
and above that stored in the china room.
The Queen personally had connois-
seur's knowledge of china, and occasion
ally showed a fine isolated piece to a. WIS.,
itor imbued with similar tastes. A story
is told of an occasion, not very long ago,
when her Majesty sent for a plate with a
good deal of green in it that she wished
to show. The messenger returned, saying
that no such plate could be sen. Look
again. said the Queen, and described not
only the shelf, but the juxtaposition of
the desired plate among other pieces of
china, and, with her directions in mind
it was Immediately found.
The Guelph sovereigns have all been
fond of china, and when they first came
to rule over England it was the fashion
for every German prince to have some
special ceramic mandatory under his
royal protection. The Kings of France
and Naples followed suit and, of course,
the King of England could not be behind
hand. George III devoted himself to the
Chelsea factory, then in the zenith of its
prosperity, and a magnificent dinner SER
vice of old Chelsea, painted with birds and
butterflies, is in the China room at Wind
sor Castle; ii is hardly ever taken from
its place on the shelves. This is so val
liable as to be absolutely precious, and it
closely resembles one that George II pre-
scented to the Duke of Wurtemberg and
gave f1,2OO for
Plates Worth Ten Guineas Each.
A large complete and lovely dinner ser
vice of Chantilly is also one of the treas
ures. The output of Chantilly ceased
when the French revolution broke out,
so this china must be at least lis years
old. Most delcately painted birds oc-
cupy the center of every plate and dish,
and the borders are royal blue with 1T
tie gold on them. The plates are valued
at 10 guineas each, and it is believed that
none have ever been broken. A very fine
Dresden service dates from the latter
part of the eighteenth century. A Wor-
cester harlequin service is curious, and
regarded entirely in that light, as it rare
ly left its appointed place; but a modern
Worcester service, made especially for the
Queen from the designs of Sir M. Digby
Wyatt, was sometimes brought out. The
dessert services are numerous, and the
most famous and intrinsically valuable is
the wonderful Sevres originally made for
Louis XVI, and bought by George Nv,
who, on account of the prevalence of a
very delicate green in its coloring, placed
ii in the green drawing room, from
Prince Albert rearranged their household
gods, quite early in their married life.
Her Majesty frequently used the plates,
and the service occasionally made it's APP
pearance in the household dining room.
1t is valued at 10000. A service of Furs-
tenberg china, painted with very beauti-
full landscapes, is interesting from its
connection with the House of Bruins
wick. The Furstenberg factory owed its
existence to that Duke OF Brunswick who,
in 1877, married Princess Augusta. the
daughter of Frederic, Prince of Wales,
whose rhyming epitaph was;
Here lies Fred.
Who was alive, and is dead
and sister of George H. He engaged Ben
graf, the skillful potter to whose in
auence the Mayence factory was due, but
the mans former employer arrested and
nearly starved him to death lest he
should carry the secrets of porcelain
making away. However, he divulged them
and was released. but did not live long
after the establishment Of the Fursten-
berg works, which were then taken up
by Baron Won Lang, a famous chemist
of the day, under whom Her Majesty's
service was made. An Etruscan service
I'm black and red is distinguished by the
classic shapes of the principal pieces, but
the Queen had no great liking Tor II, ana
vastly preferred a most beautiful dessert
set made to her own order by Minton
about 20 years ago. The fruit dishes, OF
which there are many, are peculiarly
handsome. In the center of each piece is
blue medallion with the monogram V.
r.. on II IN raised gold, and all have blue
borders relieved by medallions painted
In Sevres with the rose, thistle and sham
rock. This beautiful service graced the
royal table at all the Jubilee festivities.
and though Il Travelled about q great deal
between Osborne and Balmeral, only one
plate has ever been broken.
Lovely Tea Sets.
Among the modern china that Queen
Victoria admired and priced Is a Belleek
tea service from the Irish factory OF
that name. It Is mother-o' -pearl-like and
lustrous. and the bases OF the larger
pieces. such as a basin, which is one Of
the choicest pieces OF the set are formed
of coral branches ard adorned with few
small sea shells Every make OF fine
china Is represented among Her Majesty's
tea services, but the pride OF them all
n one Of the most delicate Sevres with
ciaret-eolored ground on which are heads
In uedallOns and landscapes In panels
A remarkable modern afternoon tea ret
~ OF the wonderful Burmese china,
brought out a few years ago. when Bur
ma was opened up. II Is a sort OF pale
primrose color shading to pink at the