The San Francisco call., 1906-09-30

Il ONDON, Sept. zo.-Latey number of sensa-
tional art discoveries have been made in stuffy
1 old London aucton-rooms, and those in
terested in unearthing literary works or
turning up Old Masters which have been buried for
centuries are devoting their attention to systematic
visitation of these extremely interesting public sales
Last year. shortly before his death, the late Sir J.
Blundell Maple purchased an auction-room in
Euston Road lot of old books for 90 cents,
of which subsequently turned out be rare first
edition which, at Christies-the famous salesroom
frequented by the wealthiest classes of English
society-brought $500 At an auction-room in Leeds
six months ago some paintings were sold as "old
rubbish" of which, however, turned out to be
Vandyck, which on sale brought $50OO while in Brad
ford workngnan purchased at public auction for
s. small oil painting which experts pronounce
TO be Ronney worth least $780, 1t is be sold
at Christies this winter.
In Mardour street not long ago. the famous crystal
vase belonging TO ]. Pierpont Morgan, and
valued at than $4,000, purchased for about
81 This had previously been sold at obscure
sucton-room for about Is cents The dealer in
Wardour street thought he doing well in get
ting rid of it for 81, never suspecting its worth
The writer of this article has just been a
what lucky winner in an auction-room ottery-hav-
ing drawn masterpiece by Guido REM, famous for
his "Ecce Homo, ~Magdalen" and other productions
This painting cost the buyer the sum of 800. Ex-
perts say it is worth about $4,000.
"Old Masters" to possess the strange power
of making themselves romantic. They are always
coming to light in outlandish, incongruous places;
revealing themselves in the most unexpected
They will hide themselves for centuries in some old
lumber loft allow themselves to be sold for junk or
even betake themselves the protection of brgand
like Rasuli-who recently owned famous Corregio-
and then, they into daylight asserting their
mastery over whatever is commonplace.
II that fhe (-f1ido
into my possession. 1t had been. so I was subse-
quenty informed, for more than forty years in
storage" IN a London warehouse The family who
owned II had come down in the world; while the
English purchaser had long passed into oblivion AS
the storage charges and the paintings and other goods
very heavy, and the descendants of the COM
noisseur who first owned the painting knew nothing
OF "Old Masters the picture sent to the furni-
ture salesrooms in Euston Road, London, TO be sold
for what it would bring"
A respectable Old Master could scarcely find its
way to incongruous place in the world than
these particular auction-rooms in Euston Road. 1t
is true you purchase here many fine piece of
furniture, and pick up bargains in gas brackets,
brass fenders chairs, tables and bricabrac, but
count.
Nevertheless, it at this very auction-room that
Sir Blundell Maple picked up his rare old edition,
which brought him in clear profit of $500; and it
here also that the writer chanced upon the Guido
Led by curiosity to what sort of place it was,
and with vague idea that l, too might be able to
purchase valuable library for haf-a-doIlar sought
the Euston Read auction-rooms rainy night The
idea of finding an Old Master, decent paint
ing OF any sort, never for occurred to me-
Shortly after / had entered the room there was
placed on the table in front of the auctioneer's
rostrum truly magnificent painting, very hand
some gilt frame. The painting stood nearly FIVE feet
high. and in excellent state of preservation