The San Francisco call., 1904-07-24

STANFORD UNIVERSITY, July %.
large exhibition room in the Stan
ford University Museum will be open
ed for the first time next Monday
morning to display a superb collection
of Japanese art treasures recently pur-
chased at enormous expense by Mrs.
Stanford and quietly installed before
any of the transactions in connection
with the purchase were made public.
The facts were given out to-day and
proved of remarkable interest.
s. Ikeda Jr. and H. Iuada, two
young noblemen of Japan, arrived in
San Francisco about two months ago
en- route from their native land to
England. The popular supposition at
the time was that they were upon
some mission pertaining to the Jap
ese-Russian war. but the purpose of
their journey was not made public.
They visited Stanford University and
called on Mrs. Stanford at her country
residence. She had met the young
men during a trip to japan a short
time previously and made them well
come at ner nome.
In 1908 S. Ikeda Sr., the father of
young Ikeda, died at Kyoto, Japan,
leaving a large estate. The older Ikeda
had occupied a position for many
years as one of the foremost art con-
noisseurs of Japan. At Kyoto he
owned extensive potteries and in some
of the larger cities such as Toxic he
maintained noted art and curio stores.
He was famed as a collector through
out the Orient and made annual tours
into China and Asia to add new ma
terial to his rich treasures. The
choicest bits of pottery and other ma
terials that Ikeda secured on these
visits he invariably retained for his
own personal collection, which ne
kept in his magnificent Japanese resi-
dence at Kyoto. There he had amassed
a rare group of beautiful closonne,
satsuma and agano wares, handsome
lacquers, rich bronZes, carved worries
and many other articles Of curious and
beautiful interest. His home was
veritable treasure-house of the richest
products of Oriental handicraft.
RIVAL IMPERIAL TREASURES.
Some of these valuable fancies were
family relics that had been handed
down from ancient generations. others
were odd old images from China and
there were pieces of historic paintings
of almost priceless worth. 1t was said
by those who knew Ikeda's collection
that it rivaled some of the imperial
treasures Of state.
Upon the death of the aged collec-
tor all his possessions were given into
the hands of his faithful wife, who de-
termined to devote these treasures to a
memorial of her husband. The OUT
break of the Japanese Russian war
gave her q motive and she decided to
sell the family valuables and turn the
proceeds over to the war fund. Very
reluctantly the goods were packed and
the son, Ikeda Jr., was sent forth with
them to find purchaser. They were
to be sent to England as a first re-
sort. Being goods upon which heavy
duties were laid, they were put un-
der bond pending their safe arrival at
their destination and thus it was that
they came to the San Francisco Gus
tom-house.
Ikeda, during his visit to Mrs. STAN
ford referred to the above found her
greatly interested in Japanese art and,
under the warmth of her conversation,
laid before her the whole story of his
Journey abroad. Mrs. Stanford looked
over his catalogue, decided at once to
make him an offer, did so, and was
gratified by an acceptance. Exactly
how much she paid for the entire col
lection is not known, but it is under
stood the sum was considerably more
than 500, 900. A check for the amount
was sent directly to the Mikado. This
is the simple story of how a rich
American widow ultimately con-
tributed to the Japanese war fund
and probably despoiled a European