Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-02-05
Copyright. 1918. by Burton E. Stevenson
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If did, ia - hay il Chats what
want you IT, do for me lis a Boule
cabinet the most exquisite ever saw
1t came from Paris. and it was ad
dressed to me. The only explanation
| can think OF is that my shippers at
Paris made Il mistake, sent me II cahi
net belonging to some one else and
sent mine to the other person.
You had bought one, them"
Yes. and it hasn't turned up. But
beside this one it's mere daub. My
man Parks got it through the customs
yesterday. AS there was Il Boule
cabinet on my manifest, the mistake
wasn't discovered until the whole lot
was brought up here and uncrated
this morning"
Weren't they uncrated in the Gus
toms?"
mo. I've been bringing things in
for a good many years, and the Gus
Come in" he added, answering tap
at the door.
The door opened and Vantine's man
came in.
"A gentleman to see you, SIR" he
said and handed Vantine card.
Vantine looked at it a little blankly.
Il don't know him. he said What
does he want?"
lie wants to see you, sir-very bad.
l should say. l think he's French
man, sir. Anyway, he don't know
much English. Shall l show him out,
SIR"
No." said Vantine, after an instant's
hesitation. Tell him to wait"
Il tell you. Lester" he went on as
Parks withdrew. when went down
stairs this morning and saw that cab
met | could hardly believe my eyes.
thought knew furniture. but | hadn't
any idea such Il cabinet existed. The
most beautiful | had ever seen is nj
the Louvre 1t stands in the Sale
Louis XIV, to the left as you enter,
1t belonged to Louis himself. OF
course ! can't be certain without Il
careful examination, but believe that
cabinet. beautiful as it is, is merely
lhC l'dlt VI inns OnC.
He paused and looked at me, his
eyes bright with the enthusiasm of the
connoiSseur
"Boule furniture" he continued. lis
usually of ebony inlaid with tortoise
shell and incrusted with arabesques in
metals of various kinds The incrus-
tation had to be very exact. and to
get it so the artist clamped together
two plates of equal size and thickness.
one of metal. the other of tortoise shell.
traced his design on the top one and
then cut them both out together The
result was two combinations. the orig
inal. with | tortoise shell ground and
metal applications. and the counter
part, applique metal with tortoise shell
arabesques. The original was really
the one which the artist designed and
whose effects he studied. The coun-
terpart was merely IA resultant acct
dent. with which he was not especially
concerned. Understands
Yes, | think So" said.
We'll it's the original which has the
real artistic value OF course the coun-
terpart is often beautiful. too. but in n
much lower degree"
II can understand that" | said
And now. Lester" Vantine went on.
his eyes shining more and more. IF
my supposition is correct, if the Grand
Louis was content with the counter
part of this cabinet for the long gal
lery ut Versailles who do you suppose
owned the originate"
saw what he was driving at
Il believe il belonged to Nine de
Montespan." he said.
Really. Vantine, | exclaimed, II
didn't know You were so romantic.
You quite take my breath away
He flushed little at the words. and
I saw how deeply in earnest he was.
1.-THE craze of the collector takes him
n long way sometimes" he said.
What want you to do is to cable my
shippers. Armand Il Son. Rue du TEN.
pie. find out who owns this cabinI
and buy il for me"
Perhaps the owner won't sell"
"Oh. yes. he will. Anything can he
boucht-for price
"You mean you're going to have this
cabinet. whatever the cost"
II mean just that
lat least youll tell me where TO be
gin" | said Il don't know anything
Of the value Of such things.
We'll" said Vantine suppose you