New-York tribune., 1905-01-02
LONDON NOTES.
Morals from an AUCTION Room
D0gberry and ShaIlo1C.
Iondon. pecember q.


Of guineas are now ratified of at Christie's for
less than twenty or even ten guineas- Pictures
which were well hung in Burlington House and
were graveIy discussed by mid-Victorian critics
are now sold In the settlement OF estates FOR a
fraction Of their former value The letters "F
A. and a r A. seem 20 have lost their con-
iuring power. The depreciation Of Alr- GoodaPs
work in his declining years was almost tragic.
but many Of his Academic colleagues fare as
badly At the holiday sales not few OF their
pietures I'm oil or water color have been knocked
down for four hve or eight guineas. Their
friends can offer the explanation that these
we're minor works. which could not be considered
characteristic examples OF their art; but this
does not break the force OF the decline in values
of paintings which sold at high prices for
private collections The Academiclans are not
the only sufferers. Scottish painters. VINO we're
trained in Paris and have dehed the conventions
OF Burlington House. have also fallen IN value.
So modern a painter as Mr. Melville. whose death
occurred a few months ago. was an original and
brilliant impressionist: and two fair examples OF
his art deserved better fate than that or beng
knocked down at auction for five and six guineas.
respectively Modern English painters try to
put a good face upon the caDrices OF fashion
and the accidents OF the auction room; but such
Jokes as they pass among themselves have a
hollow sound Some OF thsm grlnlly suggest
that a protective association viii have TO De
formed either for keeping their works out OF
| Christis's by purchases at private sale or for
running un the prices artihcially Tor n0tua4
heneet The less busiressiks method is that
Of abusing the art dealers and accusing them
OF neStectins and disesuHtins meSsrn art LOT
selfish reasons because more money Is TO os
made out Of old masters
| WORKS oF the italian and Flemish schools. on
F~yrz afrfFaT~
a rising value; and so also are the Gainsoor-
ouebs sir Joshuas Romneys and Hoppners, and
| the best examples OF etching The collection Of
the late Mr.. Wickham Flower, which was main
" made up from Magniac and Dudley sales has
Welded S16J7S after four days bidding: and
while some OF the modern pictures had depFe-
eiated In value the losses were considerably
more than made up by the gains in the old mas
ters Among the treasures were Botticellfs
Holy Family and ST. John the Baptist-e cireu-
lar panel with the Virgin kneeling and adorins
the Child. 1t brought 1.15O guineas when Lord
DudIey's collection vas sold. 1t had more than
doubled IN value IN the course OF twenty-five
years and Il has now passed into the hands ct
the Agnews. after vigorous competition for 1000
guineas The rise In value IN nifty years has
been 1900 guineas; and while It IS probably =
genuine Botticelh, the evidence is not conclusive
for some Of the critics are careful TO reserve
Judgment and not to ascribe y GO the great
F1orentine rnaster. A more startling ducruaLion
In price was witnessed when snail Madonna
attributed to Ouint1n Matsys. was sold for LOO
guineas. It had been frequently exhibited, and
consequently was well known. but connoisseurs
had not forgotten that It was auctioned on for
81 gaIneas about twenty years ago, and vera not
prepared for this sudden rise In value A small
portrait by an unknown artist OF the early
Flemish school, which was represented on
doubtful authority TO be Mary Tudor. QEaen CT
Louis XII was also ratified on for 1900 gutueas.
Other portraits Of the same school. including
one OF Anne OF CIeves, one OF the many Queens OF
Henry VIII, and diptych OF Philip ls Ron. Duks
Of Burgundy. and Isabella OF Portugal. were
sold at prices markedly IN advance OF those OBJ
tatned for them at the Magniac sale The deal
srs competed energeticalEy for these antique
works. even when there was little beauty in the
faces and the painters were unknown. They
were aware that there market for old
masters of the italian and Flemish schools. be-
cause collectors want than for the walls OF
rooms furnished In the "reminiscences style. They
are equally eager to obtain GainsboToughs and
Romneys because they are certain 70 ind pur-
chasers for them at sharp advance. The mod
ern painters. whether in or out OF the Academy.
are not equally marketable. and many OF their
works cannot be sold at any price.
Mr. Flowers collection contained a goed
many French Enthusiastically fine Daubisry
and a pair OF WhistIerS; and these brought
good prices There were also many fine etch-
fngs including seven Meryons and many as
twenty Whistlers. all in excellent state. The
prices were well IN advance OF what the collector
had paid for them Meryon's "La. Morgue'
brought much as So guineas and Whistles
''Nocturns Palaces" no guIneas. and his
Kitchen" Forge" Fruit Stall" Florence
LeyIand," Dyer and Bridge. Amsterdam"
prices which would have astonished him. II he
had been looking on With his cynical smile.
There is. without doubt. gond market Tor
etchings, both here and in America, and the bes-
work Is rising steadily in value. 4 few years
sgo portfolio OF Sir Francis Seymour HadeR's
etehings could be had for so ggineas; and
within week one has changed hands for S136.
The number OF great etchers Is so small thar a
fairly representative collection can be made By
rich men without much effort: and when care 10
taken in choosing good impressions the pUr-
chaser has investment OF increasing value.
There has been marked advance in WhistIer's
etehtngs since his DEATH and this Is due in large
part to the series Of fne collections exhibited
at various galleries. There IS likely 20 be an
other advance after the spring exhibition at the
New Gallery, where there will be a large num-
Der OF his etchinss-a close approach TO a com
plete collection.
One Of the best English characteristics Is an
unwilingnsss 70 submit 10 impositions OF any
kind. Mr.. Justice Grantham has given an Illus
tration or this fine trait. when he might easily
have avoided much trouble under the plea that
Pn occupant OF the Kings Bench ought not 70
take the risk OF being classed with lavv-brsaL-