Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-06-16
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If did. I'd go buy it. That's what /
want you to do for me. It's Boule
cabinet-the most exquisite ever saw.
1t came from Paris. and it was adj
dressed to me. The only explanation
l can think of is that my shippers at
Paris made a mistake, sent me cabi-
net belonging to some one else and
sent mine to the other person"
You had bought one. then?
"Yes. and it hasn't turned up. But
beside this one it's mere daub. Ny
man Parks got it through the customs
Yesterday As there was 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
for a good many years. and the Gus
toms people know I'm not a thief.
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 a card.
Vantine looked at it little blankly.
81 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 a French
man, sir. Anyway, be don't know
much English. Shall 1 show him out,
sir?'
NO" said Vantine, after an instant's
hesitation. Tell him to wait"
81 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. Of
course can't be certain without a
careful examination. but i believe that
cabinet. beautiful as it 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. lis
usually of ebony inlaid with tortoise
! shell and incrusted with arabesGues 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 ana
then cut them both out together The
result was two combinations. the orig
| inal. with Il 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 resultant acct
dent with which he was not especially
concerned. Underestimate"
Yes. think So said.
well, it's the original which has the
real artistic value Of course the coun-
terpart is often beautiful. too. but in a
much lower degree"
81 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 at Versailles who do You suppose
owned the originate"
saw what he was driving at.
81 believe it belonged to Nine. de
Montespan." he said.
Really. Vantine." I exclaimed. ii
didn't know you were SO romantic.
You quite take my breath away"
He flushed little at 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 to do is To cable my
! SINNERS. Armand & Son. Rue du Tenn
pie. find out who owns this cabinet
and buy it for me-
.Perhaps the owner won't sell.
"Oh yes. he will! Anything can he
bOught-fOr Il price"
You mean you're going to have this
cabinet. whatever the cost?''
Il mean just that"
AT least you'll tell me where TO be-
gin" said. Il don't know anything
of the value of such things
well" said Vantine, suppose you