New-York tribune., 1920-11-10
Lure of Antique
Well Organized
In Art Exhibit
treasures Collected by
Charles Of Lon ion Effect
lively Shown i'm American
Galleries i'm New York
By ROYAL Cortissoz

~io~ec HI atmosphere, then the eXhibi-
tlon opened yesterday at the American
Art Galleries is triumph of the art.
we have seen some we'll arranged
SHOWS at this place, but not in a long
time have we seen any to beat the one
that has been made out of the belong
'ngs OF the dealer who goes by the
name OF Charles of London. The
twelve hundred pieces of which . is
composed went to furnish forth o shop
and they have the heterogeneous char
acter to be expected in such circum-
stances. But they have been amazingly
pulled together on this occasion and
make stunning ensemble. The paint
lngs will be sold at the Plaza on the
evening of November II. The bulk of the
collection will be disposed of in six
afternoon sessions, beginning Novem-
Der Is.
The antique that is merely old
Is only a doubtful find The collector
who extracts the most from it is he
who is not only an archaeologist. but
has good taste into the bargain He
looks for the imprint of time where it
spells both age and beauty. 1t is in
! its purely charming aspect that this
collection achieves a measure of dis
tinction. 1t contains so much that is
simply good to look at; material that
under the hands of the right architect
should enter readily into American in
teriors. Take, for example, the sculp.
tured marble mantelpiece (No. 1856
adorned with Wedgwood plaques OF
blue and white jasper, which is as
cribed to Robert Adam. 1t is perfect
example of the eighteenth century
tradition. which could invest weightS
substance with a light elegance. One
can see this mantelpece reerected il
an American house and setting the key
for a bewitching room. 1t has sever
or eight companions dating from the
same period, all different, but all pos
sessing the same sophisticated refine
ment.
There are often exhibits here which
have structural character. There are
entire panelled rooms of early English
origin and one of these, an example O
Elizabethan oak, is particularly hand
some. Yet we must confess to being
less impressed by these than by the
more miscellaneous objects which on,
to schemes of their own. An old room
transplanted intact to the New Worlt
must ALWAYS have something factitiou
about it. It's very perfection is after all
i correction out of place. An Eliza
bethan interior thus rebuilt here re
mains Elizabethan, whereas the true
antiquity of the year 1920 is the an
tiquity that plays into the hands of oul
aesthetic cosmopolitanism Some o
these days the historian of American
taste will identify new and beautiful
type OF interior as having been devcl
oped on these shores. We all know
that this type varies. When it is tot
self-conscious it becomes, indeed, i'm
possible. But American designers arc
American women have unquestionabl1
shown that the antique Of Europe may
in the United States receive new life
All they require is discreet adjustmen
and, above all, restraint.
We suggested just now the interest
ing decorative possibilities of the
marble mantelpieces IN the exhibition
a similar point of departure is OBJ
viously supplied in the four land
scapes (No. 1880 by Henry Morland
and a room might likewise be gov
e,ned by the two classic composition
! Nos. 1l7S-T9) designed by Angelic;
/ Kaufman. Over and over again tn,
show provides episodes of the sort
pieces to be enframed in the decora
tive style Of period But more numer
Gus, naturally, are the articles OF fur
niture which would fit into almost an,
antique atmosphere. The English cal
/ is superb, and matching it in perfec
tion is an extraordinary array Of eigh