Evening star., 1932-11-06
A PARADISE OF ANTIQUES
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Collectors and others who have pas
sion for antiques, either because Of their
age or because of their beauty, would
find in London today as fine a collec-
ton as probably ever has been assem-
bled. The Art Treasures Exhibition Is
being held at Christie's great rooms and
there have been gathered some of the
rarest gems OF antique art available
1t is an exhibition arranged by pro-
fessional collectors and dealers AS
London has long been regarded as the
world capital Of such antiquities, it is
needless to say that the exhibition is
transcendent. The finest things which
the men skilled in the business have
been able to find have been brought
together at this one great show
1t was the great PruSsian general
Blucher who, on first visiting London,
looked about him and exclaimed, What
city to lootl" In one sense, London
has been looted and the plunder placed
on view at ChristieS.
Year after year of depression has
made 1t necessary for many families,
possessed Of priceless relics. to bring
them on the market. The decline in
trade, the falling off in dividends and
security values and all the other events
which have contributed to making the
class described as the new poor have
had the effect of bringing cut articles
Of value which have long been treas
ured in old families. Unable to main
tain their usual standard of living, able
in few cases scarcely to live at all.
persons once rich have been forced to
sell their heirlooms This has brought
onto the market and into the hands of
the London antique dealers ARTICLES
which. in other times, would not be
available to public view and certainly
not offered for sale. So, In a certain
sense, the hard times have looted
London.
The art treasures exhibition Is held
under the direct auspices Of the British
Antique Dealers Association. An ad-
mission fee is being charged to see
the collections, the proceeds going to
the Artists General Benevolent Associa-
ton and the Art Collectors Fund.
A Rare Occasion.
What makes the exhibition OF special
interest is that every piece put on
view has been required to pass every
possible test to insure its genuine status
as what 1t claims to bean ANTIQUE.
It Is declared that there is not a posi-
bility of any fake antique or modern
piece being included. This constitutes
an unusual guarantee for the buyer.
Everything in the art treasures exhi-
bitlon Is for sale. 1t is quite probable
that, as a result of this show, there
will be new influx of priceless works
OF antique art into the United States,
for. while there also is a class of new
poor in America, there still are enough
millionaires to insure good many pur-
chases
The catalogue of the exhibition shows
no less than 1880 separate items When
one considers that often a single an
tique represents small fortune. the
wealth reflected by these hundreds OF
pieces appears staggering. In ordinary
times no amount Of money would buy
certain of the pieces. Adverse fortune
Is debating REIMBURSEMENT of most of
this old property.
wide range is covered by this aggre-
gate OF collections. From both the his
torlc and artistic point Of view-and
historical association and art are the
vital constituents of an authentic an
tique-certain relics of the great Queen
Elizabeth have as great interest as
any other items. One is the throne
which was especially produced for her