Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-07

4tss anu u udSn IuEIeu up bul
beside this one it's a mere daub. Ny
man Parks got it through the customs
yesterday. As there was a 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:"
NO. I've been bringing things in
I for a good many years. and the Gus
toms people know I'm not a thief.
/ Come In he added. answering Il 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 ut It n little bIankIy.
~ don't know him." he said. What
does he want?"
He wants to see you. sir-very bad.
should say. I think he's French
man. sir. Anyway. he don't know
much English. Shall 1 show him out.
sir:"
NO" said Vantine, after an instants
hesitation. Tell him to wait"
II 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 a cabinet existed. The
most beautiful l had ever seen is at
the Louvre. 1t stands in the Sale
Louis XIV. to the left as you enter
1t belonged TO Louis himself. or
4 10
careful examination. but believe that
cabinet, beautiful as il is. is merely
the counterpart of this one"
He paused and looked at me. his
eyes bright with the enthusiasm Of the
connoisSeur.
"Boule furniture" he continued. els
usually OF ebony inlaid with tortoise
shell and incrusted with arabesques I'm
metals of various kinds. The incrus-
tation had TO be very exact. and to
get II 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 n 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 ne studied. The coun-
terpart was merely resultant acct.
dent. with which he was not especially 4
Understands"
Yes. think So" I said.
well. it's the original which hIs the |
real artistic value. or course the coun- /
terpart T. often beautiful. too. but IN n .
much loyer degree"
II can understand that" said.
And now. Lester" Vnntine went on. 3
his eyes shining more and more. If .
my supposition Is correct. II the Grand
Louis WAS content with the counter
part OF this cabinet for the long gal
lery at Versailles whg>do ron suppose
owned the originate"
I saw what he was driving at
Il believe Il belonged 20 Nine. De
he said.
Really. Vantine.- I exclaimed. y
iidn't know you were so romantic.
You quite take my breath awayr'
He flushed a little ut the words. and
saw how deeply IN earnest he was.
THE craze OF the collector takes him
long way sometimes" he said.
What want you 20 do is 10 cable my
slippers. Armand & Son. Rue du TEN
DE. end out who owns this cabinet
md buy Il for me-"
Perhaps the owner won't sell"
"Oh. yes. be viii, Anything can be
a price"
You mean you're going 10 have this
q hinet whatever the cOst1-
II mean Just that"
at least you'll cell me where to be-
IN" ! said. II don't know anything
Z the value OF such things
We'll" said yantine. suppose you {
ez1n at 10000 francs We mustn't I
eem too eager. iss because I'm so
ager that I want you 20 carry II :
trough for me can't trust myself" {
And the other endf" I
There isn't any other end. OF
purse. strictly speaking, there is. be-
luse my money isn't unlimited, but I !
ont believe you viii have TO go over
1000 francs
gasped.
you mean you're willing TO give t
10000 for this cabinetT' c
Vsntine nodded Z
Maybe a little more. II the owner o
ont accept that you must let me
now before you break or negotin- n
ons. Bot come and see f." q
He led the way out OF the room and e
1wn the stairs. but when we reached a