The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-04
SALE OF MORGAN
P0RCELAINS is
REPORTED NEAR
Duveen Bros. Named as Buy
ers by Those Credited
With Knowing.
COLLECTION Is NOW
IN MUSEUM OF ART

Vague rumors as to the dispersal OF
the Morgan collections Of art now In
tho Metropolitan Museum OF Art, cur
rent from time to time. crystallized yes
terday into the assertion from authori-
ties in the art world that the great
assembly of Chinese porcelains, one Of
the chief glories of the museum and
including some OF the rarest specimens
OF porcelain in the world. had posi-
lively been sold to Duveen Bros.
Neither party to the transaction
would affirm the purchase At the
offices Of J. Pierpont Morgan 10 In
formation was obtanable.
II has. however. been an open secret
that Duvecn Bros. ever since the death
OF the late J. Pierpont Morgan. have
been DESTROYS OF acquiring the wonder
full porcelans. and this was not denied
10y Henry Duveen when seen by a SrN
reporter
AN that | will say" SAID Mr. Du-
veen. us that I wish very much that
the rumor were true 1t Is true that
we have looked tho collection over. That
is our business. YOU know. We try 20
keep ourselves informed exactly about
all the great collections. Besides. YOU
must remember, we formed this collec-
ton. We owned II once, in fact twice
When we bought it back from Mr.. Car
lard 1t was our idea TO take II to Lon
don. bu; the late Mr. Morgan stuck a
knife in that project and said. NO
that collection must stay in this coun-
try
He bought il. and at his request We
considerably enlarged the collection for
him. Having owned IL twice We should
be only too glad 20 own il again That
is all | can say"
Mr.. Duveen's face beamed as he
spoke OF the Chinese porcelains OF Mr.
Morgan. and It could he seen that he
took deep personal pride in the fact
that he had assembled the collection.
The value of the porcelains at this
time NJ eXper: could be induced to com
pute Probably the exact price when
the transfer ~ contaminated viii never
bs known. The guesses yesterday
varied from $1,000 600 to So. 600, 600
TIE celebrated red hawthorn vase alone
was estimated at 100000 Mt the time
Of the loan exhibition q Chinese porce-
lains In the Duvecn Bro. galleries In
1907. and Gtrniturc of three large
Jars and two beakers was said to be
worth $4,000 then But until last
August. when the war began, the prices
for these rare objects OF art had stead
lily mounted. Although there has been
a marked dminution In tho sale Of
great pictures, 1t has been "A matter or
remark that the porcelains laces and
antique furniture sold have held
pretty well to standard values. The
Morgan porCelains also are so eX-
tTemely desirable to collector that even
IN war times they could command a
market
The collection. which the late Will
lam NJ. Lanan said In 1907 was the
mos; comprehensive that is known"
numbers more than 1900 pieces. II
IS not IN tho north wing Of the Metro
politan Museum OF Art with the Nor
gan paintings, enamels and furniture.
but has q separate gallery 10 itself
south Of the main entrance TO the mu-
scum.
The gallery is rich in all the famous
Chinese glazes. with black hawthorns
OF the Ming period showing their age
I'm the peculiar iridescence that comes
into glaze after tho passing OF CEN
turtles; green and blue hawthorns, garni-
lures In famillc verte. vases with deco
rations raised in relief and single. color
pieces OF rare peach blow and seladon.
Red hawthorn Is also known" said
Mr. Laffan when speaking OF this col
lection, but only by single example
the superb vase, No. ., case !,
There /, no hawthorn involved in any
OF the hawthorn vases. the flower from
which the term is derived being tho
blossom OF the wild plum or mel
flower" This vase. the red hawthorn
/ already spoken OF as being worth 500.
/ 900 in 1907, is thirty-one inches high.
/ II was once part of the Sailing col
lection In the South Kenslngton Mu-
scum OF London and was purchased
/ by Duveen Bros. for tho Garland col
/ lection. afterward going to Mr. Nor
/ gan.