Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-07-01
ODD TREASURES OF A KING.
Edward VII. Has Twenty Eight Tons
of Plate and Queer Things.

Edward VII. Has Twenty Eight Tons
of Plate and Queer Things.
Quite apart from the treasures which
become the property of every British
sovereign and which consist for the
most part of gold ana silver plate,
weighing altogether twenty-eight tons
and valued at nearly f2,000,f0O. King
Edward possesses a private collection
of curios of which little is known
The museum near the eqLerries' en-
trance at Windsor, according to Lon
don Tit-Bits, was really established as
recently as 1896, when some workmen
engagedi in repairing the castle brought
TO light number of relies dating from
the Stuart period, and these, with such
as We're pers, lily collected by Queen
Victoria, have been set apart. with sew
eral attendants 10 look after them.
numbers, every campaign of recent
War mementoes are present in large
years being represented since the
Abyssinian war, at the conclusion of
which Lord Napier presented the
queen with King Theodore's can and
gold seal. Subsequently Lord Roberts
added the scarlet, saddle edged with
gold and the silver bit captured from
the late Ameer of Afghanistan. and
Lord Kitchener presented the crimson
banner of Wad Bishara taken at
Firket.
The collection of old china was made
by the late queen and is composed of
10000 pieces, its value being put at
f150,000. Every piece is tabulated in Il
book kept for the purpose, and against
each entry is a record of what the ar
ticle in question is worth, with a brief
account of its history One dessert
service alone represents 100000. it be-
ing of Sevres ware of extreme beauty,
while a breakfast service given to
George III. on his birthday in 1910 by
his five daughters, whose initials are
on every piece, is worth 10000
Among the furnitnde is the writing
desk given by Henry VIII. to Anne
Boleyn on their wedding day; also an
old Venetian chair used by the doges
and dated 1910. A solid silver table of
the same period is another treasure on
which the king sets great store.
The kings Collection of feather
cloaks is valued at 100000. They are
composed of gold, black and crimson
feathers from the wings of a now ex-
tinct species of parrot and were given
to George ". by the king of the Sand
witch Islands in 1924. Some of the
feathers are so minute as to make each
cloak a marvel OF ingenuity. Another
treasure, which at one time belonged
to a savage potentate, is Tippoo
Sahibs eagle, taken from his throne
at Seringapatam. The bird, nearly life
size, is of solid gold; the beak and
wings are tipped with diamonds. There
is also a gold tigers head from the
same source the eyes of which are of
priceless crystal
Not far away may be found the col
lection of walking sticks King Edward
inherited from his mother, numbering
1877 in all, and many of them of great
value. One of these, purchased at the
Culloden sale in 1897, is carved to rep
resent Wisdom and Folly, EGO having
been paid for it. Another, of black
oak. originally belonged to Charles H.,
while third is made from the wood
of the luckless Alabama, the hande
being carved to represent Captain
| Semmes, the skipper
The royal library. which now con-
sists of 125.C00 volumes, owes its ori-
gin to the late prince consort and
could not be purchased fer 100000. a
second collection of 10000 volumes,
for which the king was himself re-
sponsible While Prince of Wales, re-
| poses at SaLdringham. In the collec-
| ton are many books of priceless value.
notably the Mentz psalter, Of which
only one other intact copy exists. Its
value is $4,000. There are also the
| manuscript of MCZart's first opera and
| the copy of Shakspeare's works used
! by Charles |. Among the pictures are
| 2f000 engravings after such masters
/ as Raphael. Da Yinci, etc.
Not the least interesting feature OF
! the kings private museum is his collec-
/ ton of gold keys which have been pre-
scented to him at various times when
opening public buildings. To each is
attached a concise account of the cere-
mony with which lit was connected the
total value of the collection being
placed at $4,000.