Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-30
Mr.. PREER,S OFFER
VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO
TIE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.
Will Give Collection Worth $500, 600
and Will Put Up a Building
TO- Hold It.

INV VI tfe must Ndluhuic ar SohcStAohS
in this country has been offered to the
Smithsonian Institution by Charles L.
Freer, wealthy philanthropist of Detroit.
and which will be, if it is accepted by the
regents of the institution, placed within the
walls of magnificent building in this city.
also to be the gift of Mr.. Freer, and which
will cost him $JOO,OOO
The collection of curios and relics gath
cred by the donor is valued at 100000 and
this will be augmented by the investment
of 100000 additional to the work of COM
pleting the collection. There has been as
yet no decision reached by the regents of
the institution as to whether this gift will
be accepted, and until a meeting for that
purpose is held it cannot be definitely stated
that it will be-
A Whistler Collection.
1t is said that large part of the collec-
ton consists of paintings by Whistler, the
late famous American artist, who lived for
years in London and whose eccentricities
were as famous as his works of art. In ad-
dition to the paintings there are many val
liable etchings by the same artist and other
valuable works of art of various natures.
There are many portraits py american
artists whose names have not yet become
famous. and a rare collection or japanese
works of art and ceramics. 1t Is altogether
a remarkable collection aside from Its IN
trinsic worth and would be magnificent
addition to the already famous colectlon
of the Smithsonian Institution, especially
with the erection of fine building LOT It's
display.
One of the most valuable of the indi-
vidual specimens of art in the collectlon
is the famous peacock room, painted py
Whistler it's designer, and which was
purchased by Mr.. Freer and set up in his
Detroit home 1t is a wonderful room and
was designed in panels, so that 1T may be
readily taken apart and erected else
where. One of the stipulations of the gift
is that this room be finally placed in the
building which Mr. Freer will cause to
be erected for the display Of the collec-
ton.
Terms of the Offer.
The offer of the valuable collection
came as a complete surprise to the re-
gents when they were in session few
days since. except to Prof. Langley, to
whom the matter was known and by
whom it was placed befor the board. Sew
eral weeks since Mr. Freer visited WASH
ington, and at that time made the oral
offer to Prof. Langley. This was later
supplemented by formal offer in writ
ing, on December p, and 1t was this that
was read to the regents. In the offer MIR.
Freer pledged himself to deed the entire
collection to the Smithsonian Institution,
the delivery to take place Immediately
d1ter MS QedIn. he says Indt he HAS
spent 5000 900 on the collection and that
he will add to this sum 100000 more in
order to make the gne, independently of
the building which he offers to erect,
worth full million dollars, to be incloSed
in $780, 900 building
Stipulations are made to the effect that
the collection be preserved intact and
that the building be cared for as me.
mortal to the donor; also that no other
works of art be ever placed in the build
ing. Mr.. Freer described, In a general
way. the collection and noted that many
of the Japanese works of art dated back
to the tenth century of the Christian era,
and were not possible of duplication.
In Committees Hands.
Chief Justice Fuller presided at the meet
ing when the letter was read, and after a
discussion it was decided to place the mat
ter in the hands of a committee to report
at later date, probably at the next meet
Ing on March g. The personnel of the COM
mttee is: John B. Henderson, DR.. AleXan-
der Graham Bell, Dr. James B. Angel and
Prof. s. p. Langley, all members of the
board of regents of the institution.
Not since the donation to the city of
Washington of the Corcoran collection of
art works has a gift of such value been
placed at the disposal of the city or ma
ton, and 1t is not likely that anything will
be put in the way Of it's acceptance. Mr..
Freer is very wealthy man and has been
minded gentleman of great breadth Of
thought and a love of art He has long
been interested in railroads and manufac-
turing industries in the peninsular state,
and has travelled abroad extensively. He
was a great friend of Whistler and was an
honorary pallbearer at the funeral of the
artist in London, July %, 1903.
He saw the works of Whistler but to ad-
mire them eXtravagantly, and began buying
them whenever he heard of one for sale.
His collection began to grow until, at the
death of the artist, it was probably the
finest In existence. His donation of this
rare collection to Washington seems en-
inently fitting, since Washington was for
some years the home of Whistler, who was
an employee here of the coast survey, and
whose memory Is still In the minds of the
older inhabitants of the District, where he
was, even then, famed for his pecularities
and esteemed for his rising genius.
At the Smithsonian Institution today it
was stated that no decision had been reach
ed regarding the acceptance of the collec-
ton, and that nothing would be determined
until the report of the special committee
about the time of the next regular meeting