The Washington times., 1915-04-16
MORE MORGAN ART
SOLD, FR|CK BUYER
Eighteenth Century Sculptures
and Furniture Go From
Museum-VaIue Secret.

NEW YORK. April 16.-Edward Rob
inson, director of the Metropolitan NM
scum of Art, announces that the estate
of ]. Pierpont Morgan las notified the
museum that "all the eighteenth CEN
tury furniture and sculptures In the
Morgan loan collection now exhibited
in the museum have been sold. for de-
livery on Thursday of next week. THIS
part of the collection VIII continue on
exhibition with the rest through next
Wednesday, after which its removal
viii begin. -,
'The sale thus reported" Robinson,,s
statement continues, includes pracu-
cally all Of the contents of gallery no.
II, with the exception of the English
paintings on the walls, and also all
Tho furniture and sculptures In gallery
No. Is. 1t does not include, however,
the tapestries, paintings. and enamels
in this gallery. which. as well as the
English paintings, will continue on ex-
hibition in the same places as at present
until further notice.
Frick May Be Buyer.
Immediately after this the firm OF
Duveen Bros. announced they had pur-
chased the objects mentioned, and al
though thev maintained their usual re-
serve about the destination of the
treasures, 1t is likely Henry clay Frlck
is the purchaser. They would mt In
in his home, which he is having done
over by Sir Charles Alloin. the London
decorator. to contai n the FraEonaru
panels that Frlck bought from the Nor
gan loan collection through the Du-
veens for a price reported to be $l,-
425,OOo.
The objects thus permanently lost to
the museum include forty pieces of FUR
niture. five candelabra. and other OBJ
iects in gilt bronze. Louis XVI clock.
a bronze statuette of Nine. de Pompa-
dour, and a pair of terra Gotta busts
by Houdon three terra Gotta groups oy
Clodion, four marble groups by Falconet
and a marble bust of Nine. Roland by
Pajou.
The list of objects bought by the
Duveens does not mention anything
beyond the ones enumerated above, so
1t does not include the few other OBJ
jects' referred to in Robinson's state
ment as having been sold from galleries
10 and 20. AS gallery 10 was the
Fragonard room there could have been
little of consequence in it since the
great panels disappeared, while gallery
20 contained the French porcelains,
some small French bronzes and pieces
Of ormulu. Possibly Mr.. Frick has had
his pick of the finest of these.
Value Is Secret.
The intrinsic value of the objects sold
is almost impossible to estimate since
practically all Of them were bought at
private sale under conditions Of the
greatest secrecy. Two Of the pieces of
furniture. the Louis XVI Commode and
secretaries, are regarded as the finest
pieces of French furniture Of the period
in existence, and were made for Marie
Antoinette in 1870. The gray marble
console was formerly in the collection
of Count Boni de Castellane.
A pair of upright secretaries also were
owned by Marie Antoinettc. while the
suite Of two sofas and twelve chairs
covered with Gobelin tapestry, was
given by Louis XIV to the King Of Dem
mark. and was purchased by J. Pier
pont Morgan directly from the present
King of that country.
seven-fold screen with panels
painted by Lancret is one of the most
valuable single items in the latest Du-
Veen purchase, as pictures by this
French master bring enormous prices
nowadays. The Houdon bronze statuette
Of Nine. de Pompadour was originally
presented by the Pompadours to the EN-
press Catherine II.