The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-11-12


whereas a half century ago the fur
nishings Of tho weolthicst homes were
EchaTactcrizod BY monstrous ugfihcss
a single generation has seen a reyolu.
ton in American taste. Even until a
decade ago the acquisition of costly
collections in art was confined 10
paintings. and the ruling spirit was tc
get the most display for the greatest
outlay. with a few notable exceptions
Little by little a group Of millionaircs
found time and inclination to approci.
ate OF value porcclains. rugs. tapes-
t1es and gems. It is common for a plu.
tocrat OF this era to spend $1,000 600
in furnishing his home. and the abiest
experts sell their services to insure he
highest standard Of taste.
An American millionaire paid $780,
600 for three tapestries to At a wall in
his nowly-crccted palace. Another
set Of three tapestries was sold for
$500 900 20 adorr an American home.
1 a ne MAAt VI WaA0ANA aAUANNANhu HILL
paid 1880 for a set OF furniture not
long ago. and there were only four
pieces. Their value was in the tapes
| try uphOlstering. In a shop in Paris
there are three panels Of tapestry for
which 100000 each is asked. The
dealer has On agent In this country
who is confident Of finding a purcha-er
as soon IS he finds 4 millionaire who
wants costly tapestries. At the sale Of
the Marquand collection last winter a
rug was sold for $4,000. Il is sup
posed to havc been bought by a dealer
who will hold IL until he finds a pur.
chaser willing 10 pay $4,000 or even
800 600 for the treasure. Senator
Clark. OF Montana. has a collection OF
rugs among the furnishings Of his
home for which he paid at the lowest
estimate s25O.OO0. transformations
Philadelphia can furnish list Of 81.
100000 worth Of paintings in %
frames hanging in the private CALLER
les Of her millionaire collectors.
In Fifth avenue there are perhaps
a dozen inconspicuous shops which
deal almost exclusively with the very
rich The owner Of one Of these said
recently:
There are not more than $50 men
in the United States whom can fairly
class as possible customers Of mine.
II get two Of them as regular eu5tcm.
ers l will ask no other patronage. It
is true that some millionaires buy that
they may shine in the reflected glory
OF their treasures. And as a class they
have come 10 recognize the fact that
there is no safer investment from a
business standpoint than fine paint. |
ings. rugs, tapestries. porcelains End
antiques. They buy on a rising msr.
ket, for the demands OF American
luxury are exhausting the treasury OF
the Old World. II is a business c5ti. |
matc that any collection wisely chos-
en- and not bought for extortionatc
figures will increase in value at an
average rate OF per cent year. or
the interest on the investment Il is
still characteristic Of many wealthy
Americans that small objects. even II
they be priceless. from the collectors
viewpoint are not bought for their own
sake, because they cannot be dis
played with impressive effect This
includes antique coins, medals. cav.
ings. small tapestries ard laces.
This is not wholly true OF precious
stones. for the American demand has
raised prices in the worlds markets
for certain kinds OF gems. One OF
the leading gem collectors OF this
country. who buys to sell again. has
sold 10 one man in Boston more than
si.O0OOO0 worth OF precious stones,
treasures that are never seen outside
his own home. For a single ruby
$40 600 has been paid by an American
collector. and a dealer who asked
100000 for another ruby found a pur.
chaser In New York. In less than ten |
years the increase In the value OF
diamonds and other precious stones
imported into the United States has
been fairly phenomenal. advancing !
from Sl5l6s.T46 in 1888 10 S25.4I2.TT6. |
OF 66 per cent in this brief period. !
during which the population increased J
less than 25 per cent The Increase |
last year over those Imports for 1901 |
was $3.50 2ds."
Ever,bo-,, sho,,l5 49, I,,--. 49,.