Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-27
AUCTION ROOM R0MANCES.
Fortunes Found in Buying Old China
Hunting Treasures.
From London Tit-Bits.

From London Tit-Bits.
A few moments spent with the records
Of Christies perhaps the most famous
auction mart in the world, reveal many
romantic incidents. Here is an entry in
one of their old catalogues: Some odd
pieces of china, the property of two aged
ladies in Warwickshire." and yet this
prosaic entry conceals a romance stranger
than fiction.
The two aged ladies were, in fact, peas
ant women. whose life was closing in bit
ter, grinding poverty. In the hope OF
keeping starvation from their door for a
week or two they sent few old pieces
of china-their only treasures-to London
hoping against hope that they might yield
few shillings-possibly a sovereign. Pic
ture their amazement when they received
check for 972O, the price realized by
their odds and ends of china, which in
cluded large dish of Limoges enamel
and part of service which had once
graced the table Of Nine. de POmpadour!
The records of Christies are full OF
similar examples of sensational prices
realized by articles which were considered
almost valueless. Recently two white
Chelsea groups, which had been bought
an eager purchaser for $40 guineas; twen-
ty-six Chelsea plates, which a few mouths
before had changed hands for 92. were
snapped UP by an African millionaire for
$40 guineas. and well known collector
became the proud possessor for 932O of
a white Chelsea group Of Hercules and
Omphale," for which the original owner
paid los Cd.
A picture by Natter, for which its
owner had paid "a los. realized 1900
Waldegrave. by Hoppner, which had been
picked up by Mr.. Woods. partner In the
firm OF Christie for 3 glineas, was sold
to Messrs. Colnaghi & Co. for $500.
and, still more amazing. an egg-shaped
vase, painted with branches OF Towering
prunes on rich marbled-blue ground.
which had come into the hands Of a
Wardour street dealer for rs Cd. was
knocked down, after a most exciting COM
petition between two rival West End
dealers, for $500.
Quite recently the Gabbitas biberon. In
the form Of grotesque animal in rock
crystal. twelve and a half inches high,
realized the colossal sum of 1880
lain was sold to Mr.. Duveen for $500
guineas. sum which represented no less
than Ell an inch. and 91O,OOO was the
price paid for four lots Of old tapestry,
the property of a French comte
In four crowded and sensational hours
at Christie's q few months ago some lew
els belonging to Mrs. Samuel Lewis were
knocked down for s94. 600. among them a
necklace of forty-four graduated pearls.
wnlcn, from an original bid Of E1.OOO,
TOO After such a sensation as this one
looks quite alphabetically on such prices
as 1900 guineas, bid In two minutes. for
a tiny Sevres vase: f1,28O for eight Chip
pendale chairs. and e4.83O for shabby
looking volume. Sir ]. Thorolds "Psal-
morum Codex.' which to the inexpert
eye would have seemed dear at half a
crown.
Even at Christie's few sales have been
more remarkable than that Of Mr..
alone Of which realized R12a5o. So care
less was the collector of his treasures
that one of the boxes--a- Louis XIV oblong
gold-for which Mr. Duveen gladly paid
40.4O was actually found in the drawer
of a washstand!
To 60 from Christie's, with its rare
and costly treasures OF art, to Stevens
we'll known rooms In Covent Garden IS
to travel from one historic house to an
other in the world Of auctioneering. each
OF which is equally romantic, for at
Stevens you can purchase the most re-
markable lots ever put up to auction
from An auk's egg to an Egyptian num-
my or pygmy's head.
some years ago-Mr. Henry Stevens
himself tells the story-a young man DUR
chased at a furniture sale In the south
Of England miscellaneous collection of
shells and birds eggs. for which he paid
what h~considered the exorbitant sum Of
38s. An examination OF his purchase
however. soon changed his disgust to
satisfaction, for he discovered two eggs
of the great aux, which he knew to be
valuable. He promptly sent them to Mr..
Stevens. from whom he had the gratifica-
ton Of receiving cheaue for 455 gllineas,
toward which sum one of the eggs con-
tributed $50 guineas.
Since then Mr. Stevens has sold an aux s
egg-a. cracked specimen. too-for 200
guineah. and q stuffed aux, with an egg.
for twice this figure. Another curious
''lot' which the writer once saw knocked
down at Stevens was the under-vest of
silk worn by the Inflated Charles I at
his execution. which found a purchaser
for 200 guineas.