Evening star., 1925-12-25
HUM0R ANDPATH0S'
AT ART AUCTIONS
Newly Rich Often Afford
Amusement to More Cul.
tured Purchasers.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, December 25.-Many
stories OF humor and tragedy are be-
hind New York's celebrated art sales,
| with their gatherings of the country's
social elite.
The newly rich provide much OF the
comedy. They notice their more Ncul.
tured friends art collections and learn
that 1t Is we'll to DO known as a lover
Of art. SO of they go collecting vart-
GUS and sundry objects, many of them
amusing.
| in a real knowledge Of art, however.
for with the purchase of the first
treasure comes a fascination which
| leads a person to further buying. This
creates desire to know what 1t Is all
about
Famous Chiesa Collection.
When the Achilltto Chiesa assort.
ment was sold here recently 1t marked
| the end Of collecting by the Chiesa
family. Achille Chiesa anassed for
tune at Milan and devoted the faculty
Of astuteness that had brought him
wealth to the study and acquisition OF
| works OF art. He died, and his son
| inherited part of the fortune and
great share Of the collectors instinct.
Achillito bought until the collection
| reached remarkably high total In dol
| lars. He made his purchases however,
| largely on credit, and the time came
! when committees of bankers and
other creditors were formed. The
| Italian government tried to save the
| collection. but finally it was sent to
| the American Art Galleries. In New
York, for disposition
Death Of collectors and the passing
| Of their collections to relatives or
| friends. who have not the same love
| for art, often is the cause OF sales.
Numerous collectors also designate
| how their property is TO be disposed
| of after death.
VIII Sell Masterpieces.
Sales of old homes also are respon-
sible for the disposition of art objects.
c. X. G. Billings. known throughout
| the country for his love OF horses, had
| a large collection of treasures at Fort
Tryon Hall in this city. When he
| sold the place to John D. Rockefeller,
| ir., and moved to California he de-
cided to dispose OF few OF the great
est modern masterpieces In his posses
sion. The sale will be held here next
| month.
| Art auctions are marked BY great
| formality. The floors OF exhibition
| rooms are covered with rugs and car
pets 50 deep and thick that there is no
| sound of the tread. Comments on va
rious objects must be given In hushed
| tones.
| Bidding. however, creates a subdued
| excitement Two art lovers find they
want the same treasure. and for a few
! minutes the situation is tense as the
bids mount higher An si4 Inch
Staffordshire tray brought sl.S00. on
! another occasion a suit of armor sold
| for sI5.4o0.
Buying In Secret.
| Some collectors have agents to do
! their bidding or buy under assumed
names TO protect themselves from
thieves and an avalanche Of letters
1 from all parts of the world. For once
| it becomes known that q person has
| acquired a valuable object, 1t becomes
| subject to the attention of art lovers
| who desire information and thieves
! who desire more than information.
To one who has witnessed horse
| sales and land auctions, where the
| auctioneer talks like a machine gun
and conducts himself with dignity
| common TO a three-ring circus, the
! appellation "auctioneer' appears as a
misfit for the conplacent and quiet
| hammered salesman who offlciateS In
; art auction pulpits.
| But, regardless of surroundings an
auctioneer is an auctioneer, and no
| movement for a change in the art
| auctioneer's title Is evident.