New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-05-23
$a440,950 Rug
Gift En1.iches
Art Museum
James F. Billiards. Choices,
Treasures in Collection
at St. Louis Presented
Outright to Metropolitan
Orient's Finest EXAMPLES
Donor Passed IL Years and
Travelled 100000 Miles
in Gathering Rare Fabrics

The gift Of collection Of ancient
Oriental rugs valued at s44o,e5o to the
metropolitan Museum of Art BY
James F. Ballard, internationally
known rug collector, of ST. Louis. was
announced yesterday by the Museum at
the close of the May meeting of the
board Of trustees. 1t consists of 1876
specimens, the choicest in the donors
great collection. When it is added to
those now exhibited in the Museum as
permanent possessions or as loans, it
was said, the Metropolitan's collection
of such rugs will be the equal of any
in the world.
The rugs date from the end of the
fifteenth century through the cich-
teenth century. The group from Asia
Minor is declared to have no equal in
any other collection. Some have been
found in the bazaars of Constants
nople, others come from we'll known
European collections. All were gath
cred personally by Mr.. Ballard, who
travelled 100000 miles in the course of
his collecting
FINEST Examples Included
The gift includes examples of all the
great centers of rug weaving and the
most typical and finest colored and
patterned examples in each case
The following is a list of the prin-
cipal types and the number in each
group: Persian, II; Spanish, 3; Da-
mascus, 7; Asia Minor, 2; kuba and
Armenian dragon carpets and rugs. 5;
pnrr
Koula, 8; Ladik, 8; Melee, 8; Mudjur,
|; Caucasian, I; KAYAK, a; Cashmere
3; Turkoman, y; Asia Minor khilima
3; Chinese II; Anatolian mats, 6; sad
die covers, >.
MIR. Ballard was present at the meet
ing of the trustees. At the G. ose he
SAID: " The rugs in this collection, to-
gether with the museums own, l be-
lieve. will constitute the most compre-
hensive collection in the world.
spent seventeen years gathering them.
The group of the Damascus type, OF
which there are eight examples, is said
to be the most valuable of that type in
existence. They are of court manufac-
equal to anything known. One remark
able specimen is small Anatolian rug,
inscribed in three languages-the
Arabic, Kufic and Turkish.
The lot includes a majorlty of the
sixty-nine specimens which made. up
the memorable loan exhibition at the
museum last October, November and
December, with equally fine additions
After the close of the exhibition these
rugs were shown in Minneapolis and
will be shown in Chicago and San
Francisco before being returned to the
museum.
Paying tribute to the collector. Dr.
Edward Robinson, director Of the Met
ropolitan Museum, said of Mr.. Ballard
"A thorough student of his subject, Mr.
Ballard is also man of exceptionally
good tastc-a combination not always
to be found in collectors. He has en-
deavored TO represent in his collection
not only the different varieties of rug
manufactures, but also to select OK
amples which in color and design rep
resent the highest achievements of the
Weavers."
Giver Elected Benefactor
Mr.. Ballard explained why he gave
the richest part Of his collection to the
metropolitan by saying that here a
thousand persons would see it to one
person in any other American museum
He said he intended, however, to make
a gift to the museum at st. Louis. He
is a wealthy banker and manufacturer
of drugs and chemicals. He was elect
ed benefactor yesterday of the Met
ropolitan Museum.
The following trustees of the mu-
scum attended the meeting: Robert W
de Forest, president; Elhu Root, +. H
Blashfeld Charles D. Norton, Charles
w. Gould, George F. Baker, George D
Pratt, Francis C. Jones, Howard Mans
field Daniel c. French, r. T. H. Halsey
Payne Whitney and Edward S. Hark-