New-York tribune., 1921-02-20

own collection for MANY of e..
interesting properties in the rio, 'a0's
The auditorium of the Thssts. -
nambuies in the first act reyss,- ~
interesting objects, among wb;ss many
! upright piano Of the period. II i. !" u
Of the earliest forms of upright ;r..as - oas
rnents and has only four and ,4asfe. .t .,
octaves. The chairs in this scos. aat
also OF the period and were nnrss. ss sfs
by Mr.. Belasco several years ssa asAase6
held for just such an occasion ~ AID
The bouquet holder carried \,
OF the ladies in this scene Ia f,o,. "a 9ss
Belasco's collection and is mad J. W
silver with a ring attached 10 Il " ~. y
ls worn on the finger, while ~ "alea
used by Elsie Mackay in this a.. isl'
well as in the second, are also 49, a., q
articles that came from tba 'a'Os
source, as did the lorgnettes and ssQs
Of the jewelry and headdressess ~o' 10y
| lied in this scene. 0'''
One of the most difficult th;,..
| obtain was the copy of tbs sss .
newspaper from which one ~ ,easa i
characters reads the tribute to DsS- ~
rau's art BY Jules Jsnin, the faros. an.
French critic Of that time. r1iliss....
search failed to procure nsnas 'a: Z:
that period, although later COME, ~. =.
obtainable. 1t was through q T,ssis s
professor whose mother makes heIa h.sSSa
Of collecting old papers that tbs bs'.py =
sired issue was obtained. Her ~. m
wrote to her in Paris, asking = ~ ~
had copy of this paper and reous.,;.s S.s
it be sent, and accordingly Il sry;a.ss
two days before the premier b,'a
The sword used by Mr. Atwii h q. ~
pantomime scene was obtained ~
one of the pupils of the same tk..,.aI
IN Paris where the action OF NJ.
scene takes place. @'
Perhaps no property that ia mad.
the second act, which is Laid IN 4.
home of Marie Duplessis. has el,;,.:
more comment than the Veneasn
narpsichord or spinet, played upon bv
Miss Mackay. This harp-shaped nstrn'
ment, the forerunner of the present.
day piano, is an unusually striking an.
tique. Floral designs are paints5 4,
the body and the top Of the instrunsrt
while on the inside of TIE cover
country scene is revealed, with vsrov,
figures in costumes of the period, and
underneath are figures of large goG
cupids. This instrument was obtsips
year before the opening of the p,y
and only after a long search.
The chairs used in this scene, as val
as the table and the lounge, are ysh
able pieces, while the rug is also "
thentic of the period. The vases ulssi
on each side of the stage in this sea,
are also very rare pieces, while i,
chandeliers and candel0bra came frus
Mr.. Belasco's collection, as did all Rs
silk coverings, laces. tassels and M
bows and arrows that decorate the se
ting.
Inc bureeu-secretaire used in tie
third act is also an interesting and IN.
usual property, as are the two lanw
which stand on top of it, these also Be.
ing from Mr.. Belasco's collection, hsY,
ing been picked up By him on one d,
his earlier trips abroad. The dishu
are real imported French china and u.
stove is another article that was prc.
cured only after a considerable search.
The bed seen in the room at the risht
Of the stage is q genuine one Of The
Napoleonic period.
The collection of all these proser
ties was q considerable task. Nam
were almost impossible to obtain, bu,
Mr.. Belasco and his staff entered Into
the search with the fixed purpose Of
leaving no stone unturned in order b
procure the required properties, snd
the result is collection that is per
haps the rarest and most expensive
ever used on the stage.