The New York herald., 1921-03-04
American Antique
Furniture and Art
on Exhibition Here
Collections From Virginia,
Phila. and Boston Contain
Many Rare Pieces.

The State OF Virginia and the cities Of
Philadelphia and Boston. centres OF
aristocracy in the time OF the Reyolu-
ton. have already contributed most OF
the precious Colonial antiques to our
museums. but the vein in none of these
places appears to be worked out. They
contribute again 70 notable collection
OF early furniture. pictures and objects
OF art that are now on view at the
American Art Association and which
are to be sold there on March 2, 5, .
and 10.
The Virginian antiques are from the
old house of Westover. the seat on the
James River of Lord Delaware, who
named the place after his manor house
in Somersetshire, England. 1t escaped
destruction during the civil war by hap
pening to be the headquarters OF both
Gen. Mcclellan and Gen. Fitz-John Por-
ter, and in recent years Il has been beaD-
tifully restored and refItted by Mrs C.
Sears Ramsay, VINO added many fine
eighteenth century pieces TO the original
furnishings. The entire contents Of this
typical old mansion are now to be sold
To conn0iSseurs the imoprtance of the
event will be evident
Especially striking in this collection
ara the four post bedsteads. some OF
which have elaborate corn!ces, and ali
OF which have much old time elegance.
one or them is an unusual example IN
LACQUER inlaid with mother OF pearl. and
another Is OF cedar wood arranged for
rope springs. as was the fashion in this
country hundred years ago. There are
mahogany sideboards and bookcases.
chairs and tables. lustred lamps and
candeiabra. cut glass. wrought iron
CRATES. fire sets and much brlc-a- -brac.
me dispersal of the Shippen- Burd
antiques is of special interest to Phila
delphians as they have been for several
generations the object of much respect
lui attention In the Burd School for
orphan Girls in that city. having be IN
oeaueatheo to the institution by Its
lounoer, MRS. Edward Shipper Burd
II is seldom that orphans are brought
up IN the proximity of such rare pieces
OF furniture. including sofas and chairs
tnat once belonged to g particularly
iastioious queen, but so 1t was Phila-
oeipnla always was different. Then.
too' lhese antiques are in singularly
untouched condition and are accom-
panied to New York by vouchers of
eSeir undoubted authenticity. The trus-
tees OF the school. which has lately
moved into new quarters, decided 10
capitalize from the sale of these antiques
TO secure fund for the higher educa-
ton OF some of its wards.
An early American extension dining
table that evokes the atmosphere of the
nospitable Colonial period as well as
anything in the rooms was built by the
now celebrated cabinetn1aker Duncan
Phyfe. The porcelain incluces an un-
usual blue and white dinner service of
Chinese Lowestoft; there is a tall Eng
liBh clock, a Girandoie convex mirror
English = knife boxes, Sheffield ware
French dressing cases and a host of VIC
torian objects OF art. From n Boston
collector come groups of Anglo-American
Stanordshire ware, silver lustres, salt
glaze jugs, Chelsea candlesticks, sam
piers and Stiegel glass.
The paintings, which are from various
owners, are chiefly OF decorative char
acter Conspicuous are two allegoricaI
compositions by Charles lie Brun, which
were secured by Mrs. Ramsay Of West
over House in England. where they were
approved by Sir Charles Holroyd, direc-
tor of the National Gallery. A portrait
OF Gen. Joseph Reed, aide-de-camp to
Cen. Washington. Is from the brush OF
Charles Wilson Peale. There are also
portraits by Sir Martin Archer Shee and
Sir William Beechey, and paintings by
Bennington, John Rathbone. Jongkind.
Gia Botta Colombia and Zuccarelli.