Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-22
RARE VOLUME GIVEN
TO STATE UNIVERSITY
CATALOGUE OF BISHOP JADE
COLLECTION
Only Two of These Are Sent to the
Pacific Coast, Each Representing
Expenditure of One Thousand Doll
lars-CompIIed by Noted Scientists
Special to The Herald.

Special to The Herald
BERKELEY, Jan. 21.-The Univer-
sity of California has just been pre-
sented with one of the most remark-
able publications of recent time: 1.-The
Catalogue and Description of the HebeT
r. Bishop Jade Collection in the New
York Metropolitan Museum of Art"
Heber r. Bishop of New York died
December 10, 1902, and left to the n ew
York Metropolitan Museum of Art a
collection of jade which is recognized
as the most complete in the world, eX-
ceeding even the fine collection in the
British museum. AS an important part
of this princely gift to the public and
to science, he undertook the prepara-
ton of an exhaustive catalogue of this
collection, illustrating its artistic
archaeological and geological aspects
which he desired to publish without re-
gard to expense in a sumptuous volume
limited to one hundred copies.
The preparation of the scientific ar
ticles and the scientific investigation
for the catalogue were assigned en-
tirely to DR.. George F. Kunz, the gem
expert of Tiffany e. Co., who is rec
ognized as one of the leading mineral
ogists and gem experts of the country
DR.. Kunz was so fortunate as to en-
list the cooperation of a dozen men
eminent in related fields of research on
both sides of the Atlantic consequent
ly more thorough investigation, a
microscopical study, microscopical
examination of thin sections. the origin
of the mineral, the mining, the archaeo-
logical history, the cutting. drilling
polishing and many other phases have
been studied with the utmost thorough
ness, and where q specialist would be
found who more fully understood any
special branch of the subject his serv-
ices were obtained to perform that part
of the work
This magnificent collection has been
installed in the northeast room on the
second floor of the new wing of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, known
as Bishop hall. This room is decorated
i'm the style of Louis XIV and is the
finest example on this continent of that
style.
The unique catalogue embodying the
results of these monumental scientific
researches has just come from the
press. 1t is issued in two magnificent
folio volumes, and is limited to an edi-
tion of one hundred copies. The work
will be distributed only by presenta-
ton to important institutions having
facilities for utilizing it, and to the
crowned heads and other great rulers
of the world. Not a single copy will
be given to any private person, not
even member of Mr.. Bishops family
and not single copy will be sold. OF
these one hundred copies. two went
to the Pacific coast: one to the Uni
verslty of California and one to the
Golden Gate museum, San Francisco
The United states of America leads
the list as regards the number of in
stitutions that are the benehciaries of
this great gift. Twenty-nine American
institutions receive copies of the cata-
logue, twelve English, nine German,
three Canadian, three French. four
Austrian. three Italian, four Russian
institutions are likewise favored. Mex
leo, Spain, Denmark, Japan and Bel
glum each receive one copy. Copies
have also been sent to the prince OF
Wales, the emperor of Germany. the
czar of Russia, the queen of Holland
the mikado of Japan and the emperor
of China
This catalogue contains illustrations
of all the more important objects of
iade. including those finest in color or
in etching. 1T presents the dates and
gives details of style with historical
particulars: II thus furnishes an inn
portant contribution to our knowledge
of oriental art. and will rank among
the most authoritative and costly cata-
logues OF the kind known, each COPY
an expenditure OF about
one thousand dollars