The San Francisco call., 1906-09-30
APOSTIE
WILHM
SELL,

laid upon the aItar-gold. silver anu
precious stones Through years OF this
custom Temple Church became widely
known for its riches. and so became
the object OF. certain marauding bands
which were at that time infesting Eng
land. One OF these invasious relieved
the church of much of it's treasure.
causing such a disturbance throughout
the country that the thieves thought
it the part of wisdom not to try to
dispose of their p1under while the af-
fair was still fresh in the public mind
Sc they resorted to methods still en-
ployed in like cases-they buried most
of the booty in the most unlikely place
they could find No one suspected the
hiding place until. years later.
a descendant of Oliver Goldsmith
dreamed that the grave OF his ancestor
IN Temple Church graveyard had been
robbed. So permission was had from
the authorities to open the tomb It's
natural contents were found undis-
turbed. but on top of the metallic cas-
ket was found something else-great
quantities of the silver which had
been stolen years before from the Tenn
pie Church,
Some OF tfSs silver was appropri-
ated by the Government for the public
museums. but the greater part was al
lowed to reve*t to the poets descend
ants. EsvideItt1y it pays to dream
dreams and sse visions IL one belongs
TO the Goldsmith family. This spoon
in Miss Sadler's collection was among
the disinterred pieces and was pur-
chased from q member of the lucky
family. 1t is q short. stubby spoon--a
big, queer-shaped bowl and a short
handle The bowl contains the figures
of a youthful swain and his lady love-
His arm encircles her waist with quito
r1rn rot . - -
them both stands an old tankard to
warm their hearts when love grows
cold. The same vessel mounts the
stem as seen on the Dartmouth spoon
and the markings read, Made in Man
chester about 1900"
A week was spent in haunting all
the most likely places in Brussels
where antique spoons might be found
All kinds and varieties of spoons were
shown for sale, but it was not till the
last day of 1fiss Sadler's stay in the
Dutch metropolis that one was found
that stood the test of time and work
manship. and then il was in a poor,
little out-of-the-way shop, whose keep
er evidently had no idea of the value
of the spoon in his possession. 1t is
clearly Dutch in design and treatment
The bowl holds a small Dutch meet
ing house With a high steeple. and the
handle is crowned by the ever present
the Low Countries is quite complete
The handle Itself is of the same rope
pattern used in the Dartmouth spoon.
and it is With no surprise that we find
this spoon 2. contemporary of the En-
g1ish relic, bearing as it does the
twelfth century hall mark
ScheveninTen- the famous Dutch wa
tering place.sis simply overstocked with
modern antiques" The dealers have
recognized 4heir opportunities In the
crowds of Yearly visitors and have
made the most of them. 1t was. then.
considered g great piece Of good for
tune when a large. handsome spoon
was found bearing the sterling guar
antee Oione and dated from the elev-
enth century Unfortunately It's his
tory is unknown. The bowl represents
pastoral scene on which the work.
manship is extremely fine in work of
such great age. The legs of a stork
form the handle. which is finished by
Mr.. Stork himself Very appropriately.
two tiny chmiren are shown snuggled
under his wings
Still another spoon holds a personal
interest 1t is extremely simple in de-
sign. two letters In old English type.
engraved at the end OF the handle
forming the only bit of ornamentation.
These letters, r r, stand for Rex and
Regina. King and Queen The spoon
was presented to Leicester Harris.
squire. who was great great xrand-
father OF the owner of this collection.
by George III upon the occasion OF the
Frogmore Jubilee. This was the cele-
bration of the fftieth year OF King
Georges reign and It was in COM
memoration of 1t that these spoons
were made and presented to the gen
tlemen in waiting to his Majesty.
There are In all about thirty-four
spoons in this collection. each almost
as interesting as the other, and rep
including many of the smaller prin- >
cipallties-