The sun., 1909-02-28
AUCTION ATTHE SALMAGUNDI
WORKS or ART AND OF CHARLES
BtTTELL LOOMS SOLD.
Annual Sale at the Oldest Art club In
Town sentiment and Prices-Mis-
tAke About = Itairpin -Reminis-
cences OF the Club BY ". u. shelton.

cences OF the CIuD by ". ". sheltOn.
Ifthe yearly auction at the SalmaRundi
Club il a criterion OF the taste of the 27O
members they have a very conservative
feeling in regard to the matter OF feminine
apparel and the di' cussion Of SdIomcs
wardrobe. which is till raging in Phila.
d~lphis, would diefrom lack Of support to
the Affirmative side Of the case. For ~
.oon as ex-President Van I.aer, who acts
A. auctioneer with the help Of Edward
Penfeld. lifts ca ny az entitled The W ood
Nymph' TO the pedestal there isa horri-
Ted silence and II Is at least half minute
before some brave secessionist offers 81,
cash down 80,
Mr. Van Iaer who il himself a land
scape painter and therefore takes per-
fectly unprejudiced view ~ the matter
and the Nymph, looks panied at the lack
of appreciation, but though II is loudly
admitted that tones. values and other dc.
tails Of technic are up 10 the high standard
maiuta ined by he club members he ha 10
work hsroically. his voice getting hit
rsucous. hs hair waving franticslly and
his rosewood hammer gesticulating e Q
u signals with unwesried patience before
he can bOO6t the price 10 $40.
~ il A. that figure that the Nymph. for
whose presence James Symington ~ 70
,ponsible. Is finally disposed of. Rut rs
ihey all said il was an ethical matter. not
4 matter Of brush wors, and the price Of 2
Wanting at this annual auction suggests
.omething else besides market value
There was J. NJ Gleeson's Geese for
example. a stunning pair Of birds who
raised their heads in very friendly man
re- and looked right into the 500 eyes
facing them with an expression of perfect
understanding and brotherly love But,
~ one of the club admitted afterward
when the report got about the place that
Mr. Gleesou had had the fun Of raising
Ihe birds from their first incuhated
breath through the various stages Of
infancy and youth, had used them NJ
models and then had deliberately eaten
lhem for the Thanksgiving dinner. they
lad TO draw the line
1T was not custom Of the club. he
asserted, ito eat their models and no such
precedent should he established
The memhsrs Of the Salmagundi Club
maintain the dignity Of the oldest art
club in town with becoming seriousness
and at this annual function TO which
the ajority Of the professional members
OF the brush order send canvasSes there
are serious expressions behind the heavy
rn,Istachee, clouds OF smoke and loose
ties. and the black butler in the white
coat. who hands scarlet punch zealously.
il only able to arouse q cursory remark
now and then which approaches the
humorous.
For the Samagundi Club, notwlth-
standing its worth is not endowed by any
wealthy philsnthropist, and while 1t.
hopes much from the bachelor tax,
portion of which may he devoted 10
artistic institutions. il cannot live on
hope and the so per cent. Of the auction
profits which is diverted to the club
is bonus on which the members depend
10 a large extent for running expenses,
and il il in consequence not a matter
that can be treated lightly. One year
the sale Of tho pictures amounted to $1,000
approximately. This year the proceeds
rather exceeded the average going be-
yond the 1900 mark.
However. the club does permit mo-
tnept Of rela xaton when, assured that
thore is no falling on in interest. the chef
dpIvre of Charles Rattell Loomis,
lay member of the club who enters by