Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-19

81 100 at an auction sale week or
two ago.
Even such an extravagant figure Tor
a mere piece of floor covering is by no
means a record; for not long ago Mr..
Conger, who was American Minister
at Pekin during the Boxer troubles,
sold for $500 a rug which he had
purchased in China for ELS; and the
Shah of Persia has a mat, which only
covers about two square yards of
floor space, the value of which is said
to be half million pounds, thanks to
the pearls and diamonds of which it
is largely composed.
And America has no monopoly of
these costly articles of house furniture
and decoration. At the famous Ham
ilton Palace sale, when the late Dukes
treasures realized the stupendous sum
of e397.562 as much as $4,000 was
paid for a table. one of three which
found eager purchasers for over Gill;
0O0J a hundred thousand dollars was
the price paid for a set of half a doZ-
eli Louis XIV. chairs, upholstered in
Gobelin tapestry, which We're original
ly made for Marie Antoinette; while
chair belonging to the Shah of Per-
STA, gorgeous thing blazing with
diamonds, rubies, pearls and sap
phires, is estimated to be worth at
least G50O,000
But if you want to get an adequate
idea of the fortunes that can be
squandered on making the "house
beautiful" pay a visit to some of the
regal pleasure house of American mil
ionaires.
--11ct us take you in imagination to
Senator Carks New York palace.
Here is single room, Turkish in de-
sign and embellishments, on which the
Senator lavished $4,000. Those two
divans cost him tenth of the sum
(G40O0); fer those two chairs he paid
the same sum: and just look at this
carpet, which has been brought from
Persia. with it's exquisite design in
rubieS, tur1uOises and other precious
stones the Senator was glad to pick
it. up for n mere trifle of eS,000 Those
windows of Damascu glass were con-
sidered cheap at $4,000 and the cary
ing on the walls represents a check
for $4,000
Let us now take a peep into Mr.
Marchand's mansion. There is one
room in it which we should particular
ly like you to see. You will probably
not believe us when we assure you
that this room alone represents an ex-
penditure of Just under .c200,000: but
it is a fact. Why. the bedstead alone
cost Mr.. Marchand E3S.OO0-an annual
income, forever, of we'll over $1,000
The suite of furniture accounted for
nd 40 WI oI,a Of
inlaid With gold, were purchased for
$4,000. !
The paneling of the walls cost G12.-
fS00; G320D was the cost of these won
derfrl curtains. woven in Brussels:
and the very doors called for a cheuue
of $4,000
After this one looks without surprise
on Commodore Gerry's marble and
gold staircase. when we are told that
its cost was 100000: or Mr.. Cornelius
Vanderbilt's 100000 ballroom. with its
exquisite paintings of Cupids and
nymphs and its gorgeous chandelier;
and on Mr.. Jacob Astors gold dinner
service valued at G12,OOO
To recover q little our capacity for
sensation. let us take a final look at
one or other OF Mr.. Pierpont~ Morgan's
regal homes. Here we shall see a con-
sole table which alone represents q
fortune of 10000: a silver table orna-
ment for which Mr.. Morgan paid &c.,
600: and cabinet of curios worth
every penny Of 100000.
Those two busts by Houdon were
considered bargain at a mere G2O.-
COO: here are two pieces of tapestry
dirt cheap" at ES0,00O; and a couple
of pictures bought for G50.0OO. There
are other pictures, one collection alone
of which cost Mr.. Morgan over ST.
OoOGoo. to say nothing of the Hoenschcl
carvings. Statuary and furniture
which Mr.. Morgan has added to his
treasures at cost of e20O,OOO.
Of his treasures of books we have
only time to look at three volumes.
This volume, bound in gold and Jewels,
the "Evangela Quatuor," is alone
worth $4,000: .e5.25O was paid for
this misunderstanding codcx of the
Psalms; and this equally shabby
of IS pages only-the mann
script of Book ]. of Millions para
disc Lost'-was purchased for e5.GoO.
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