The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-01-01
A FAMOUS old ||RT
Christie's Of London, N / Noted
Of All Sales Roo is.
KNOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD
a Place Rich In Memories Of Reynolds,
Garrick, Gainsborough and Lord
Chesterfield - Fake Art Treasures.
Romances Of the Auction Room.

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Romances Of the Auction Room.
Since James Christie and his friends
Bir Joshua Reynolds, David Garrick
and Thomas Gainsborough received
Lord Chesterfield in Pail Mall as be 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
scrutinized 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
A9Qart from mere bidding for great es-
tates and naIirEes of many nations,
Jewels Of princes and, plate of great
families, pictures and porcelain, statu-
airy and curios. WHIP does not remem-
Der the sale of Gainsborough's Ouch
ess Of Devonshire" WIN Lord Dudley
wired a bid Of $5o,O06 ysrom Paris. but
was beaten by Agnew De dealer? And
then came the dramatic6 theft and the
equally dramatic recovefao Of the por-
trait years afterward in tity country.
1t is a place of beautiful, things, OF
discreet hush, of subdued yatery. Al
most every great work of AT in the
world that comes into the market finds
its way there. Long before 176e Chris
ties was going concern, none too
fiourishing, be it said, for has not
James Christie himself left it OIL rec
ord that his good friend David Garrick
tided him over bankruptcy with a
loan of $50,O002
The priced catalogues of the house
have been and are the standard recSrd
: of Values in works Of arta9f the last
200 years They show extraordinary
fluctuations. Thus In 1855 copy Of the
Rembrandt etching Christ Healing
the Sick sold for only $50, whereas
in 1887. at the Duke Of Buccleuch's
sale, an inferior example brought no
). less than $4,000. Art collections worth
$1O,000.O00 and upward have frequent
nv 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 criticise 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 $75, 900 paid in
1885 for the Dudley Raphael 'The
Three Graces." which measures only
seven inches square. OF course this
was extraordinary, yet enormous prices
have been paid at Christie's for pic.
lures. as everybody knows.
Another record in its day was the
o7S. 76O paid for Hoppner's three-quar-
length portrait of Louisa. Lady
anners. afterward Countess Of Dy-
TT. And then there was the famous
seled cup of rock crystal, which
ought the enormous sum of S81, 1916
the Gabbitas sale. Amazing prices
ee also been recorded for porcelain.
recent season the art worlds of
bndon and Paris were startled by a
Eyres vase bringing $21 ,O00-proof
bsitive that the pate tendre. the play
Ing of Louis the Well Beloved, the
bmpadour and Du Barry, retains all
8 fascination for the collector.
Rarely indeed have fakes been offer
4 at Christie's. yet few classic cases
ire on record. Some years ago art low
hg capitals were startled by the an
ouncement that four superb gallery
ictures by Constable and two by Tur-
er were to be offered for sale in Chris
le's rooms, '..the property Of private
Gentleman and never before exhibited"
was certainly an event The vendors
anne was withheld, but this is COM
ION occurrence. seeing that very ex-
ted personages, indeed, not to say the
tcupants of thrones. frequently send
ks of art to these famous galleries.
ssed on the subject, however, Chris
le's gave out that the seller was a
we'll known connoisseur of high social
Iank." On the day Of the sale all the
lrt critics, collectors and dealers Of
hote from London to Moscow and from
Stockholm to Madrid assembled before
the pictures, chattering excitedly in
many tongues.
Truly they were imposing, these gor-
geous canvases. five feetwide and high
b proportion. The four Constab les
formed series Of superb English land
Bcapes, while the two Turner's were
classical subjects, said to be of the
middle period" Of the master. But
bout them all there was certain II
know not what" as the French say.
that baffled the keen critics. Round
nil six appeared to hover curious
kinship. certain peculiarities Of touch
and coloring. "as IT," In the words Of
, Paris dealer. Turner had worked on
constable's pictures and Constable on
turner's"