Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30

LONDON, September 20, 1906
- ATELY a number of sensational art
discoveries have been made In
stuffy old London auction rooms,
IL and now those interested in I'M
earthing rare literary works or
turning up old masters which have been
buried for centuries are devoting their at
tention to a systematic visitation OF THESE
extremely interesting public sales
Last year. shortly before his DEATH the
late Sir j. Blunden Maple purchased at an
auction room in Euston road a lot of old
books for GO cents. one of which supse-
auently turned out to be rare first edltlon
which at Christie s-the famous salesroom
frequented by the weathiest classes OF
English society-brought $500 AT an auc-
ton room in Leeds six months ago some
paintings were sold as 'old rubbish, one
of which, however. turned out TO De
Vandyck. which on sale brought so'ooo'
while in Bradford a working man purchased
at public auction for 81 "A small OIL painting
which experts pronounce to be Romhey
worth at least 81 $50 1t Is to De sofa at
Christes this winter.
In Wardour street not long ago the IA
nous crystal vase now belonging TO j. PIER
pont Morgan. and valued at more IMAM
$4,000. was purchased for about "a. This
vase had previously been sold at an obscure
auction room for about 10 cents. The dealer
In Wardour street thought he was doing
well in getting rid of 1t for 81, never sus-
pecting it to be worth kings ransom
American visitors 10 London would do
we'll to take in some of the lesser known
auction rooms. In the first place, they
would have an excellent chance OF study
ing character straight from Dickens
land" and secondly, they might-Just might
pick up something precious.
The writer of this article has just been a
somewhat lucky winner In an auction room
a1-inu drD a m
Guido REM. famous for his Ecce homo,
"Magdalen' and other productions This
painting cost the buyer 500. Experts say
il Is worth about $4,000. have been asked
by your staff representative in London to
tell the story of its discovery.
"Old masters" seem to possess the strange
power of making themselves romantic.
They are always coming to light in out
landish. incongruous places revealing
themselves in the most unexpected man
ner They will hide thSnselves for CEN
turtles in some old lumber lof, allow
themselves to be sold for junk or even
betake themselves to tie protection OF
brigand like Raisuli-who recently owned a
famous CorreSio-and then, presto. out they
come into daylight, asserting their mastery
over whatever is commemorate.
1t was Just in this manner that the Gu!do
came into my possession. 1t had been, SO
was subsequently informed, Tor more thaii
forty years lin storage in LONDON ware
house The family who owned 1t mad come
down in the world, while the English PR
chaser had long passed into cbiivloh. AS
the storage charges on the paintings ana
other goods were very heavy, and the Ge-
scendantS of the connoiSSeur VINO nrSt
owned the painting knew nothing OF 'o-d
masters" the picture was sent to the furnl-
ture salesrcom in Euston road. London TO
be sold for what ii would bring.
rpSnapt1hla old master could scarcely
find its way to a more incongruous place In
the world than these particular auction
rooms in Euston road. 1t is true you can
purchase here many fine piece OF furnl-
ture and pick up bargains in gas brackets,
brass Tenders. chairs. tables and bric-a-
brac but it is certainly q place where old
masters are at discount at present. Al
these rooms on Saturday nights you may
witness scenes to which only the brush OF
Hogarth the pen of Dickens coud dc
justice. Here gather people from the un-
derworld of London-newly married couples
of the coster type seeking furnishing for q
two-roomed home, plumbers wanting odds
and ends of gas fittings. dealers bidding
for secondhand bargains ranging any
where from old cloths to musty books.
Nevertheless 1t was at this very auction
room that Sir ]. Blundell Maple picked III
his rare old edition, which brought him in &
clear profit of s3.,o9, and it was here also
tndt the writer tHe Nuido
Led by curiosity to see what sort of place
it was and with a vague idea that l. too
might be able to purchase Il valuable
library for half a dollar, l sought the
Euston road auction rooms one IA ny
night The idea of finding an old master
or even decent painting of any sort, never
for Il moment occurred to me.
Imagine my astonishment. therefore
when, shortly after had entered the room
there was placed on the table in front o
the auctiOneer's roStrucn a truly magnifi
cent painting in a very handsome gil
frame. The painting stood neary five fee
high and in excellent a state o
preservation that at first | supposed ii t
be a copy from some famous original. Blu
even so. 1t WAS splendid. Fresh from a visi
to the galleries of Paris Rome and Naples