Norwich bulletin., 1909-01-26
MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION OF
 ANTIQUE SILVER AND JEWERY
Exhibited in Converse Art Gallery Rare Specimens Represent Twenty Years Gathering.

IA6 6XHIDIL Will EOltldlu QhA ms AAfo month and probably during February also. MT. Dyer has been twenty years in making this collection which rep resents beautiful and rare specimens of the silversmith's art, mostly of the 17th, IS and 18th centuries They have been gathered from all over Europe and have connected with them many bits of history which add to their in terest aside from their age and work manship. The oldest piece in the col lection is a Roman ring in chased sil- yer which was found under the foun- dations of the abbey founded by Char lemagne at Zurich in the 9th century. There is also a fac -simile of the Eng fish silver gilt amounting spoon dating from the 11th century and used in the coronation service of the kings of Eng land since the day Of Alfred the Great. A silver watch fob takes one back to the time Of Edward III of England. It is made of a silver groat-one of the first coins ever used in England-eom- bined with pieces of English and Ital- ian Gothic work. The date of this is 1860. An antique Roman talismanic cameo ring is even more ancient, hay ing been reset from one of the third or fourth century. A large box of yell low parchment, curiously decorated with leather and wrought iron, is the work of the 16th century and was for merly the property of the Colouna family of Naples, as the fastening plainly indicates. Another noticeable article is the bag which might have been carried by Juliet or Catherine De Medici. The fittings are of silver gilt and Cuivre d Ore of the time of 1865. The belt buckle has curious decorations in iron. The red velvet used in bag and belt was given Mir. Dyer by a descendant of Cardinal Massinoand was a chair seat in the reception room of the cardinals house, reserved for the reception of the pope.
 Colonial Relics.
 Of later date are the knife and fork in shell design which once belonged to Captain Miles Standish, the old pine tree teaspoon of Boston origin which might have been the work of Paul Revere, and a very similar French spoon of shell design found under the fortifications at Grand Pre-. A spoon and fork of 1707 and two necklaces of 17S0, one of gold and malachite and one of gold and amber beads, came from the sale of the Sciarra collection in Rome. A dainty necklace of tur- quoise and brilliants in silver was once worn by Madame Fursck Mardi and is French work of 1790. Another of the same date shows the rare black garnet in the pendant with a gold chain. There are knee buckles from Ulm in 1900, shoe buckles of the early 18th century in Paris, an artistic cloak clasp from Florence of the early 17th century and silver and paste coat links and buttons of Empire times. The buttons of gold and chrysolite are oid Spanish. A silver book clasp of pretty design was made in Rottenberg in 1880 and another from Ulm in 1771 has a gilt plate saving that this prayer book and clasp was given Marie Moulin by her godmother at Marie's birth, Nov. 15, 1771.
 Many Fine Rings and Pendants.
 There are five German and Austrian saint rings of fine workmanship of the 18th century, silver and Niello design of St Catherine of Servie, 18th cen- tury, a silver ring set with agate and garnets from British India, a blue em- erald and paste marquise ring of the French Empire, six Bavarian betrothal rings and an enamel mourning ring from London in 1908 and having an interesting personal history, besides several others. A group of pendants from rosaries are curious and inter esting, one picturing Jonah and the whale, another St. Anna. the Virgin and the Christ child. One is an an- cient reliquary cross of Italian Gothic design. Mir. Dyer preserves in this as his chosen relic some bits of Giottos frescoes. Two old book covers are from Rome and Venice, the red one belonging to some cardinal. A pillow case with beautiful Italian lace work inset was made in the AbruZzi noun tains. There is a dainty Empire belt of embroidered silver, a snuff box of tortoise shell and silver beautifully in laid with mother of pearl patch boxes of silver and Battersea enamel. sil- yer and glass inkstand from Versailles, 179S. and Dutch and Italian knitting needle guard and sheath and chatel- laine. the last having an ivory bar. The table silver includes an even more extensive list of spoons, forks and large pieces 4 pair of German candlesticks of the early 18th century was the very beginning of the collection. There are three pieces of Sheffield plate, coast CT of George ITS time. another of lac ouer with plate trimmings of George ITS. and a cruet stand of 1790 with cut glass bottles. A curious pair of sugar tongs are scissor shaped and are Dutch of 176s. There is Russian cream jug. a German snuffers and tray a small dish in fruit pattern and a Dutch dish and spoon of the early 18th century, both heavily embossed.
 Silver Bowl of 1850.
 Perhaps the finest thing of all Is a small silver bowl from Augsburg, about 1850. made of hammered silver, per fectly plain except for the exquisitely engraved coat of arms on one side and of the rounded shape which can not be overturned. A handsome re- pousse punch ladle of Queen Anne's time, 1709, Is made from English coins, the bottom showing a picture of the lady herself upon a shilling, while the top gives the milling of the five shilling piece used on the sides. Two other punch and cream iadles date from George TIL The tea strainer came from Saalfeld, Germany, the wine strainer of English make of TAO was picked up in Gibraltar, the wine taster with its grape design tells of sunny vineyards in northern Italy in 17S9 An oriental looking knife of sil- yer, enamel and Damascene work also comes from Italy. A silver fork with green ivory handle is an example of the lost art of coloring ivory. Forks and spoons of all kinds from the se- verely plain designs to the elaborate ones are Dutch, Russian. English, Ital- ian Swiss, French, Scotch and colonial of all sizes.
 Bust of the Collector.
 At one side of the cases stands a finely modelled bust of MT. Dyer which was the work of Riedisser, sculptor of Munich. The appropriate green background was once part of priests robe. The velvet in the north show case was originally a Genoese court FVarV W0man Will he Interested