The New York herald., 1921-03-26
Laurence Antiques
Collection Is Rich
In Lowestoft Ware
Property Of Boston Collector
Shown Here Prior TO Sale
at Auction.


antique dealer OF Boston, has been
brought to this city and In on exhibi-
ton in the American Art Galleries pre-
paratory 10 sale March 20. 80. 81 and
April and 2. With these antiques
have been grouped the American and
foreign paintings collected by w. @.
Peckham OF Westfeld. N. j., and to be
sold on March 20.
Mr.. Lawrence, before becoming a
dealer IN antiques, was an architect
and collector himself, and managed,
when entering business to give his
shop an exceptional character that was
quickly recognized. With the education
or an artist 1t was natural for him TO
seek pieces In which the decorative
qualities were predominant, 90 that his
collection made an equal appeal to the
eye and to the mind.
The feature of the exhibition Is the
Chinese Lowestoft ware. But IN addi-
| tion 70 the imposing array of china
there are beautiful antique needlepoint
chairs, carved tables chests and cabi-
nets old silver and Sheffield plate, tap
estries. danask hangings, ecclesiastical
enbroideries, crystal chandeliers. desks,
| mirrors, brass and pewter and count
less other objects
The Chinese Lowestoft division, how
ever, viii arouse most discussion. Mr..
Lawrence has found so much of II and
OF such variety that the very diver
gencies In the style OF this ware will
prove surprise to those who have not
made special study Of Lowestoft- The
collection contains dinner services. gar
nitures and various Gets. but the IN
terest eliminates In the private COL
lection of LoWestoft, which grew from
the habit Mr.. Lawrence had Of putting
| aside. from the time of his first en-
trance into business. all the choicest
pieces OF the ware that passed through
his hands
Ware Made 1n China.
This ware. contrary to the widely ac-
cepted opinion, and In spite of its Eng
lish name, was made in China The
error came about through the fact that
shippers In the little seaport of Lowe
stoft opened a shop in London In the
eighteenth century for the sale of the
ware they had imported via Holland
and misnaning 1t "Lowestoft." All the
Lowestoft that is so highly prized In
America was made OF hard paste In
China and decorated by Chinese work.
I
European market. and the armoriai
bearings and other decorations that
appear upon the pieces were copied
from drawings sent out to China for
that purpose. Many Of the pieces have
strongly developed early American"
character. but this Is due to the fact
that Lowestoft was about the only real
porcelain that the early Americans
familiarly used. and hence the great
esteem with which collectors of Amer
icana regard 1t.
Among the important items Is a COM
plete armorial dinner service Of Chinese
Lowestoft made for the viscount
Strangford. an Irish peer. who was
Minister 10 Portugal IN 1906. This set
which was found In Lisbon, has the
coat OF arms OF Lord Strangford on
each piece. A curious case OF associa
ton interest is Chinese Lowestoft bowl
decorated with scene OF government
buildings, and this Is accompanied by
the eighteenth century painting from
which the Chinese artists copied the
scene. Another eighteenth century bowl
bears the legend. 'Prosperation to the
Corporation" which was the best the
Chinese painter could do with the word
prosperity" The collection IS repleto
in fact. with specimens dear to collectors
that Illustrate all the various factors
that went toward the making OF this
historic ware.
Among Peckham Paintings.
The paintings in the Peckhan collec-
ton include works by masters that are
famous the world over and a number Of
strong canvases by artists who are not
SO well known. The interest centres in
three Characteristic portraits by the
I.GnhINh nf fha ltr
being an impressive study OF Bjornsterne
B;ornson. the novelist In this the out
lines are remarkable for their inclsed
strength, and. though the pigment is
thin, the modelling Of the face has been
accomplished with mastery certainty.
The other portraits by Won Lenbach are
OF Lady Bateman. daughter of james
Graham. New York. and Frau Tost, who
Was prominent in the political circles Of
Cologne in the eighties.
group Of paintings by q Dutch
Inter, J. III. Jurres, who Ia not widely
known in America, ought to call atten-
tion TO his merits, which are considsra-
Die. He has rich color at his command
vigorous style and sense OF dramat-
les. his compositions are usually de-
voted to military episodes In the days
when soldiers were permitted more iati-
tude IN the way OF costume than at
present.
There also Is painting BY John La
Fargo OF female nude drinking In the
South Seas from a fountain. BY Will am
Chase there Is a head, by Caroius-
Duran a Figure. by Dagnan Bouverct a
group OF finely drawn peasants taking
their monday meal by J. s. H. Keyer
Mother and Child" and a number OF
decorative portraits by members OF the