The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-03
PICTURE PAKER AROUND AGAIN
NE SEEMS TO REESE WHILE "COU SIN
BARNES" VINO FOOLED MANY.
May Tell You He's Sent by Thomas Il.
Kirby f"Mr, Gray or the Constitution
club" Calls Please Detain Him ana
Telephone the American Art Galleries.

hlrll III 'Mr, tray OF the tOnsliu'l"h
club" Calls Please Delain Him and
Telephone the American Art Galleries
In the height Of the art season, which Is
about this time Of the winter. there appears
in occasional years u mysterious stranger
who makes enticing Offers Of fine paint
ingS to well known collectors, garnlsh-
ing his offers az appetIzingly M tho most
accomplished French cook embelishes
his culinary Chef d'Gurre. In person he
varies; in kind he is always similar. This
year he has made his temperance in New
York in most distinguished guise, calling
upon art lovers whose names are widely
known and representing himself az upon
friendly .erms with New Workers who
have never met him
His presence mas been brought to public
attention this time through complaints
made 20 Thomas f. Kirby of the American
art Association by collectors who have
been approached by this stranger upon
representations hat he had been referred
to them by Mr. Kirby The complainants
say chat the stranger calls at their homes,
arriving in well furnished hanson cab.
and sends up his card, reading MIR. John
Gray, Constitution Club, London.
lie ~ Of distinguished appearance and
has 90 difficulty in passing the butler In
presenting himself he explains that he
understands that the person upon whom
he has the honor TO call is an art lover and
collector of paintn gs that he himself is
an ardent admirer Of fine pictures and the
owner of n few modest masterpieces. and
that Mr.. Kirby Of the American Art Asso-
citation has suggested the call which he
has been bold enough to make.
For the further enlightenment Of his
host usually 1t il his hostess he tells that
he owns some fifty paintings Of inequality,
which are stored in the vaults of the Bank
Of New Amsterdam He mentions as one
of the most attractive a Rousseau, valued
at 600" II should be explained that he
speaks with a marked English accent.
Among other pictures he has a Millet, which,
however, he would not recommend so
highly, although. to be sure, Rousseau
or a Milet of good quality obtainable for
81 900 would certainly be good enough
bargain.
So far as appears at present mir Gray
Of the Constitution Club prefers % talk
with women who collect pictures or with
the wives of collectors. One Of Mr. Kirby's
patrons who was the recipient of a call
from the man evnced sufficient interest
in his talk 10 question him in some d'ail
about his paintings whereupon he said
that he could not attend To the actual d.
If madame was interested he would send
his secretary to call upon her and negotiate
details, The mairon. who il one Of the
best known buyers of works Of art in town,
told him that she would have TO talk with
her husband about the pictures where
upon. she said yesterday Mr.. Gray seemed
to lose interest at once and withdrew.
Mr.. Gray's story TO those upon whom
he calls is that he has been specializing
in Wall Street and having met with losses,
simply has got to sell his pictures that's
all He goes on 10 say that he called
upon Mr. Kirby with view 10 selling the
paintings at auction at the American Art
Galleries, but MIR. Kirby told him that there
We're not enough of the oanvases to make
i t worth while to hold a sale there and
recommended that he call upon few OF
Mr.. kirbys patrons and try 10 dispose
OF the works at private sale, Mr., Gray
usually added that he was only calling
upon those known TO be Interested in art
Whatever paintings Mr. Gray may have,
and whatever reputable London club he
himself as having been recommended to
anybody by Mr.. Kirby is Mr.. Kirby saws.
unqualifiedly fraudulent.
i do not know the man. have never seen
him or his pictures. no such man has ever
called on me or spoken Of selling any such
paintings here; nor have / ever recon-
inended him tn anybody or given him any
ones name,' Mr. Kirby said yesterday
ANY statement to the contrary that he
has made ia wholly false. A for giving
him names, II is and has always been one
of the principles OF the American Art Asso-
citation never to give the names OF our
patrons TO any seller Of pictures or art
Objects
Tho Constitution Club OF London IS one
OF the most exclusive clubs of the city and F,
il takes years for a candidate 10 enter The
membership. There is a Contribution Junior
Club which also has long waiting list.
Mr. Gray's description a. given to Mr..
Kirby is that of stout man, apparently
about 80 years old bald with piercing black
ewes, and wearing close cropped mutton
chop side whiskers.
Except for the whiskers the description 7
tallies with that of the man who n couple |.
of seasons 90 went to several art collectors |
and tried to sell thlm pictures represent
ing himself as one Barnes cousin OF the !
English artist Alfred Parsons Tie col /
lect Ors got to know him "A Cousin Barnes
A readers of The Sun will remember !
he was fairly successful In landing some |
OF lis pictures upon buyers in New York |
city and in various New England cities |
until Frank D. Millet met him at a Fifth |
avenue collectors Office and denounced !
him as a faker. as Mr. Millet knew that his |
friend Parsons had no cousin.
Cousin Barnes had given MIR Parsons
some little trouble before, "a he had in
gratiated himself with Chicago widow
and proposed marriage as Mr. Parsons's /
cousin The widow wrote To Mr.. Parsons.
who replied that he had no such cousin.
Mr.. Kirby has asked his patrons in case
= Mr.. Gray of the Constitution Club" calls
on them again 20 detain him and telephone
10 the American galleries He promises
Gray In fact Mr. Kirby said yesterday
that he was particularly DESTROYS Of meeting