Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1908-06-22
A FAMOUS OLD MART
Christie's of London, Most Noted
of All Sales Rooms.
KNOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD

A Place Rich In Memories Of Reynolds,
oarriok, Gainsborough and Lord
Chesterfield - Fake Art Treasures.
Romances Of tho Auction Room.
Since James Christie and his friends
Sir Joshua Reynolds. David Garrick
and Thomas Gainsborough received
Lord Chesterfield in Pail Mall as he de-
scended from his coach and six the
most precious things that money can
buy have changed hands In the famous
rooms that bear Christie's name.
In those days Christie took great
pains to attract only the "elect," and
the cards of visitors were carefully
scrutilized by liveried fiunkies at the
door. for here was an exclusive club
where men Of rank and fashion often
gathered to exchange courtesies and
the gossip of court and camp, quite
apart from mere bidding for great es-
tates and palaces Of many nations,
jewels of princes and plate of great
families, pictures and porcelain, statu-
airy and curios. Who does not remem-
Der the sale Of Gainsborough's Ouch
ess OF Devonshire" when Lord Dudley
wired bid of $4,000 from Paris, but
was beaten by Agnew, the dealer? And
then came the dramatic theft and the
equally dramatic recovery Of the por-
trait years afterward in this country.
1t Is a place of beautiful things, Of
discreet hush. of subdued mystery. Al
most every great work Of art in the
world that comes into the market finds
its way there. Long before 1766 Chris
ties was a going concern, none too
fourishing. be 1t said, for has not
James Christie himself left it on rec
ord that his good friend David Garrick
tided him over a bankruptcy with a
loan of S5O.O007
The priced catalogues Of the house
have been and are the standard record
of values in works OF art for the last
200 years. They show extraordinary
fluctuations Thus in 1865 a copy of the
Rembrandt etching Christ Healing
the Sick" sold for only SS5, whereas
in 1887, at the Duke of Buccleuch's
sale. an inferior example brought no
less than S6,500 Art collections worth
$4,000 600 and upward have frequent
! ly been offered for sale In these classic
rooms. On such occasions emperors
and kings. with men of wealth from
every nation, commission the greatest
of experts to go to criticlse and bid for
treasures which may not come under
the hammer again in generations.
The value of property knocked down
under the old cracked ivory hammer
that DR.. johnson and Goldsmith must
have handled battles all calculation. A
curious record was the $4,000 paid in
1885 for the Dudley Raphael '"The
Three Graces," which measures only
seven inches square. or course this
was extraordinary, yet enormous prices
have been paid at Christies for pic
lures. as everybody knows.
Another record in its day was the
S73, TGO paid for Hoppner's three-quar-
ter length portrait Of Louisa, Lady
Manners, afterward Countess of Dy-
sart. And then there was the famous
jeweled cup OF rock crystal. which
brought the enormous sum of $S1.375
at the Gabbitas sale. Amazing prices
have also been recorded for porcelain.
In a recent season the art worlds OF
London and Paris were startled by a
Sevres vase bringing S21, 000-proot
positive that the pate tendre. the play
thing of Louis the Well Beloved, the
Pompadour and Du Barry, retains all
fits fascination for the collector.
Rarely indeed have fakes been offer
ed at Christie's. yet few classic cases
are on record. Some years ago art Low
ing capitals were startled by the an
nouncement that four superb gallery
pictures by Constable and two by Tur
ner were to be offered for sale in Chris
ties rooms, 1.-THE property of a private
7 gentleman and never before exhibited
1t was certainly an event The vendors
name was withheld, but this is a com
mon occurrence, seeing that very ex
allied personages. indeed, not to say tn
occupants of thrones. frequently sent
works of art to these famous galleries
Pressed on the subject, however, Chris
, ties gave out that the seller was
"well known connoisseur Of high socia
rank" On the day Of the sale all tn
= art critics, collectors and dealers o
n note from London to Moscow and fror
d Stockholm to Madrid assembled befor
a the pictures, chattering excitediy 4
II many tongues.
e Truly they were imposing. these gol
o geous canvGses, five feet wide and hig
= In proportion. The four Constable
n formed a series Of superb English lanc
ES.nes, vile the two Tlruers wey
S