New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-06
SPECIALISTS IN CHINA.
PIECES MADE TO SELL FOR A SHILLING
BRING FABULOUS PRICES-FEW
CUP PLATES LEFT

In the great interest that is being manifested
about old blue china there is a curious tendency
% specialize and the all around collector of
ten or tvenry years go has given way to the col
lector OF one particular kind Of objects" said
man Yesterday 1t would be Interesting to know
how many patient collectors there are Of pitchers
cnlv know Of over a dozen in New-York State
alone Several Of them have preference for only
one kind OF ware. the beautiful lustre in sill
yer. copper. rose and lavender tones.
! collection Of pitchers OF Wedgewoods make IS
not only beautiful and various. but very costly
well Nor is it yet impossible. with collector
IN the oui vive every corner Recently, in
Boston there was sold auction collection Of
Masonic pitchers black. printed Liverpool ware.
several Of them bringing over $50 apiece. Most of
these were the generous Old cider pitchers, stand
ing twelve inches high. and having them in
GRE design another a portrait Of Washington,
the greatest Mason Of all.
The value OF the pitchers. or jugs a simon
pure collector calls them, is very much increased
when the name Of the original owner is painted on
them. This is generally the front. inclosed in
8 wreath. in lustre bands.
The Masonic pitchers without a Washington
portrait usually OF less value. though they
interestingly decorated with quaint old verses in
whi-h the spelling will bear close scrutiny.
The old blue historic pitchers too scarce and
make a collection of any size but teapots
are not hard TO find in a great variety Of wares.
one city in the interior Of New-York State holds
a private collection OF five hundred. all different
and scattered ali over the country many others
number of them boasting more than two hundred
specimens.
'old glass bottles form another side line Of great
interest. many Of them made here to
commemorate some event Of national importance,
but they are never pleasing TO the eye, which is
OF the charms of all collections OF china.
When had got desire to make Boston
Harbor one grand teapot, and settled down
peacefully individual teapot china had be
quite plentiful among us, the English pot
ters leading the way in sending patriotic sub
Jects. and shrewd merchants importing
large quantities direct from the Orient.
RARE CUP PLATES
AS we DO not find cup plates in Lowestoft. or
Oriental china. which formed IN Colonial days
t-grandmamma's best chaynie." must
conclude that high days and holidays when it
used, company manners were used, too, and
the choice Bohea allowed cool in the tea
cups. But certain II is that everyday Occa-
sions the fragrant herb was poured into the
TO cool, and slipped from that vessel. What,
then, done with the cup. which good house
wife would allow set her best board table
cloth? It set in a little fat plate called
cup plate. very much the size and shape of those
individual butterplates of day. These cup
plates. decorated with the designs as the
dinner and tea sets, have become of immense value
in the collectors eyes when these in the beau
uful blue stanordshire ware. They are wo-tn
than their weight in gold Why it is that they
we're more easy ost or Destroyed on ACCOUNT e Of
their small size. the children had them TO play
with Five or six dollars is by means
usual price for q tiny plate measuring three
three and a half inches across I know of one,
picked up in a negro cabin for 10 cents few
months ago, and sold within week for S. This
was piece OF china luck which comes to only
few Of
FARMHOUSE sPOILS.
This same luck is a very curious gift 1t is born
with one, Ike beauty and good spelling. There is
collector whom I know, who has this power Of
Inducing people sell him their treasures. Many
years ago ! found in East Hampton lovely old
farmhouse hlled TO overlooking with treasures Of
every description. I tried repeatedly to buy few
things, offering a good round sum of money: Po-
Htely but firmly, / shown the door met
my friend with a gift few days after, drlVIng
away from the place with a CARLOAD OF stun
furniture, china and pewter. and IN his lap was
q huge old handbook covered with lowered paper
he pulled off the in triumph, and showed
bonnet Of puckered silk, formerly white, but now
iovely yellow. and floating about II ven OF creamy
handWrouKht lace
" You must have given your head for all this
i cried enviously
80 Not al an; IS for the lot, and they threw in
grsndmas bonnet and lent me the cart 10 carry the
SUN 70 my studioF
. That studio is to-day OVERLOOKING with What
me collector proudly calls farmhouse SPOTS
- But of cup plates you cannot get 100 many
There is one piece Of china which sells betteI,
Is more sought after in exchange or when makes
more beautiful collection their very snlaH size
making them easily cared for ~ -.
There collections or cup Plates NUMBER
ing two hundred and more pieces but large sum
must have been invested and much Tune ana pa
nenoe expended in gathering them Ihere arc