Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-07
HISTORICAL CHINA
IS ON EXHIBITION
Collection of Late Admiral
Dickins Deposited in the
National Museum.
QUEER ENGLISH IDEAS
OF AMERICAN SCENES
Penn Making Treaty With Indians
in an Oriental and Tropical
Setting.

Setting.
| A collection OF china and pottery which
is calculated TO appeal to all who are in
| ierested in art and American history is
now on display in the east hall of the
older National Museum building.
| This exhibit has been deposited in the
museum by the widow of Rear Admira
Francis William Dickins. L. s. n. and
| represents the painstal,ing and lifelong
labors of the admiral. Being especially
| interested in history and the application
OF the pictorial arts to ceramics. the add
miral began at an early date to assemble
| the collection which now ranks as the
most complete of its kind in America, if
not in the world. There are about i;1l
pieces in the exhibit. chiefly of English
manufacture. comprising for the most
part plates, cups, saucers. pitchers. mugs
| and many other odd and unique dishes
| OF different periods. decorated with
| scenes. portraits and inscriptions of his
| torical significance.
A very good general conception OF the
history of this country may be gained
from a study Of this collection, and it Is
worthy to note how well the ceramic art
lends itself to the preservation of histOri-
cal records. Quite otherwise than in the
old Egyptian papyri and manuscripts. the
delneations of historical scenes on these
plates and dishes are fresh upon
the day they were baked.
In the ceramic art there is no fading
of the colors, no decaying of the ma
terial. and the plates and plaques. I'M
less broken. preserve intact to posterity
whatever may be depicted. on them.
White House China Shown.
At present the collection is installed in
six pier cases arranged around the hall
In which the period costumes are to be
placed. and forms an interesting feature
of the hall. Conspicuous among the
pieces Of pottery are several examples
which relate to Washington, Jefferson,
Madison. Monroe, Jackson. Harrison,
Pierce. Lincoln. Grant and Hayes
Another series relates particularly to
the history of the United States and
shows scenes from the colonial wars, the
revolution, the war of 1872 and the
civil and Spanish wars. Two pieces of
pottery represent the treaty made by
William Penn and the Indians, and not
only commemorate that event, but give
scenes formed by the English pOtters of
the eighteenth century. One is a fruit
dish, decorated inside in brown, with a
view of PENIS treaty. showing two In
dams standing opposite Penn, man
kneeling near him exhibiting a piece of
cloth, and, in the background, an orr
entail scene. Outside are two views OF
the same transaction. slightly changed in
the grouping, but with oriental build
ings. The second piece is a soup plate
which iS r0nrpSpnfod in W n n
two Quakers are standing with an open
box at their feet. squaw in full even
Ing dress is kneeIng before them. lifting
strings Of beads. and behind her stands
an Indian chief. Here again the same
oriental buildings are seen, and also
tropical trees.
Another interesting object is a Mormon
communion plate of porcelain, made in
the form and design of copper plate
carried by the Mormons when they mi
grated in 1876 from Nauvoo Ill. to Utah
1t represents the Mormon Temple of
Nauvoo and the angel Moroni, who. it
IS said. showed Joseph Smith where the
Bible was hidden. The border is encir-
cled by an inscription and date and the
names of the president. Brigham Young
and twelve apostles of the church.
Commentaries Great Fire.
In commemoration of the great fire in
the city Of New York, December 10 1855
there is plate done in black, showing
in the center the Merchants Exchange
building burning, and men working hand
engines. surrounded by firemen watch
men and spectators. Around the edge are
eight medallions decorated four with a
Phoenix in the foreground and the burn
ing city In the background, and four with
old hand-engines, trumpet and frecap
Between the medallions runs the lettering
of the legend.
or plates and dishes relating to the
colonial and other wars there are many
among them examples illustrative of the
exploits of McDOnough, John Paul Jones'
Capt Hull of the Constitution Stephen De-
catur, Gen jackson, Oliver Hazard Perry
George Washington. Oliver Hazard Berry.
Lafayette. benjamin Franklin and others
1t is reported that many pieces of the
set of Lincoln White House crockery were
found by Admiral Dickins in an old
washington auction shop. located on the
corner of 9th and r. streets northwest a
number of years after all parts OF il were
supposed to have gone out of existence
The same style of dishes is still in use
In the White House, and there are a
Few OF the original set on display there
This set was originally ordered by ! "
Boteler III 1861, who took his chances
as regards payment, on account of his
oeilef IN the ultimate success of the
mon cause then being contested This
set Is OF the finest French porcelain. hav-
ing border of deep plum color, with
delicate lines and dots of gold: the
outer edge slightly scalloped and dec
Grated with a half-inch open pattern in
gold lines. In the center is spirited
conception OF the United States coat of
arms. on background of clouds. and
below is the motto .tE Pluribus Unum"
Oddly enough. there is also in the col
lection a sample of the china ordered
Ior the executive mansion of the Con-
federacy. at Richmond, which never
served its purpose Instead, il was pur-
chased by admirers of Judge John Curtis
Underwood. and presented to him and his
Wife Through their daughter, Alice Tn
derWood Hunt, the plate came into Ad-
miral Dickins possession
BaIMm0re aua Oh, N