The sun., 1909-02-26
$3.50 FOR A SNUFF BOTTLE
BtiERS PAY SO, IsO AT FIRST
SESSION or GRAVES SALE.
small Hawthorn Jar In Blue and White.
OF k'anE-hsi Manufacture, on q
Unique Pedestal. Brings Ss2O After
Lively Bidding some OF the Buyers.

Appreciative collectors and astute
dealers parted with &l817O at the Ameri.
can Art Galleries yesterday afternoon.
and the afternoons sale was orly the in
| troductory session OF the auction OF the
late Henry Graves's Chinese porcelains
which is to continue to-day and to-mor-
row in the afternoon while Mr.. Graves 4
paintings are to he sold this evening at
Mendelssohn Hall. The total for the
afternoon gave an average price OF more
than s72.50 for each Of the 223 objects
sold. Various collectors, regular and
casual were present and others were
represented by dealers. but while the
dealers bought much undoubtedly on
order they bought also for stock. which
furnishes its own commentary on values.
since the dealer--even an art dealer will
not turn these precious OBJ jects over to the
next customer for the mere pleasure OF
handing them to him. Indeed one Of
them remarked yesterday that he would
make 100 per cent. on what he bought
Among those in the audience, most OF
whom figured among the buyers. were
Mrs John Jacob Astor, Mrs. Ogden Goelet,
Mrs Ogden Mills. Miss Sands, Mrs. j. W.
Markoe, Mrs. William Douglas, Miss Cor
nelia Brice Mrs. John y. Parsons Hugh
j. Grant. Cortlandt Field Bishop. Carl
de Silver l.. Riggs Of Baltimore and A. b.
Gwathmey, Jr. That inveterate collec-
tor Thomas b. Clarke. in his dual ca pacity
OF collector and dealer. practically ran
away with the afternoon 80 far as re-
CARDS the attractive pieces which elected
the greatest freedom of purse. For whom
Mr.. Clarke was buying besides himself
he didn't say.
One of his purchases. and it was made
at the highest price Of the afternoon, was
the blue and white haw thorn jar, No.
2O6, with original cover, hich called forth
the keenest competition of the day. 1t
Ia OF K'ang- -hsi date, only ~ inches high
and OF inches diameter, and has a carved
stand OF unusual form, which makes IL
stand high up as on u single stem. The
initial bid was 500. and Mr.. Clarke took
chases we're soft paste snuf bottle (53l
at 500: another (00) at tl20; a blue and
white K'ang-hsi miniature vase with a
mark of Hstian-te u03) at S235; a blue and
white vase Of Ch'ien-lung (2l2. at s2aOl
and a blue and white vase OF k'ang- -hsi
in club shape (22D al t3l0.
William Rhinelander Stewart took
N dUk WTlutT NdltT vase III Dlur
and white u6s) for slS0. A soft paste
snuff bottle Of Ch'ien-lung five inches tall,
with elaborate ornamentation, went for
$3.50 TO Duveen. A snuff bottle in the form
OF a miniature gallipot OF Kang- hsi
brought SIS. A blue and white vase (2lD
on the lines Of the familiar peachbloom
vases hut with a monochrome glaze of
clair de lune brought $50
There was some mild amusement
afforded by the hat OF the period, and -
one innocent after another seated himself
behind one Of these choice and elaborate
beyond which il was impos-
sible to see the vases which were put up
on the block. smiles followed him land
herr as he Tor she) presently
got up again and moved es opportunity
permitted into seat on the other side
OF the room. The comedy was more or
less continuous. for the vacant seats be-
hind the hats inveigled each newer late
conner in turn and the afternoon was far
from duh even for those who were outbid
in their offers for the various porcelains.