Evening star., 1938-07-31

"The Dream OF Pope Sergi
OF the Mortimer L. Schif coll
Bernard van Orley's Legend of ST
Martin" which brought 1900 guineas,
record price for this master; Johann
Koerbecke's Presentation in the
Temple" for which New York and
London dealer paid twice that amount
Lucas Cranach's little portraits, only
about by 8 inches in diamensions,
of Johann Friedrich I, elector of
Saxony, and Sibylle Won Cleve, his
wife, fetched 1000 guineas. while the
portrait of Jacquelin de Rohan, by
Corneille de Lyon, brought 1,75O
guineas. The last was circular panel,
less than S inches in diameter. But
from first to last the Schiff collec-
ton was one of masterpieces.
Attesting to the present popularity of
drawings. interest is found in the fact
that for two, ''L'Assemblee au Salon"
and "L'Assemblee au Concert" by
LAWRENCE, M. Paul Jonas of Paris
thought it worth his while to paw
$3.50 guineas. These were illustrated
in the catalogue of the sale, together
with the paintings mentioned and
others. and also one of a series of ex-
quisite drawings by J. NJ Moreau and
several by Wattau. Nor is this all.
N FACT, the major portion OF the
Sch1f collection was made up-not
OF paintings and drawings or even
sculpture, Of which there were some
lovely examples-but of tapestries,
rugs and furniture. All were appar-
emily selected with equal care and
astute judgment, and brought high
prices. For instance, five Beauvais
tapestries, a series called italian Co.
tesques," sold for 1900 guineas: Louis
XVI marquetry table brought 1850
guineas and Savonnerie carpet of
the Louis XIV period, 2,10O. The
Limoge enamels alone increased the
total by nearly 1900 pounds.
N THIS country the largest figure
realized for any one collection
sold at auction during the past season
was s535,220, brought by the sales
OF parts one and two of the library
OF the late Cortlandt Bishop, who was,
1t will be remembered, also a collector
OF jades. The sale of this library,
comprising Illuminated manuscripts.
fine as we'll as rare books, French
and English and also American, and
an outstanding collection OF manu-
scripts and printed Books of Hours"
was the leading auction event OF the
season When the balance of this
library is sold next season it is thought
that the total return will be more
than half million dollars.
In the field of art, the V. Everit
Macy collection, including rare and
important examples Of art of the Near
East, brought Sll4.47950, the highest
amount for single sale of so-called
art property at the American Art
Association- Anderson Galleries during
the 1878 season. This sale is said
to have surprised both collectors and
dealers, when single miniature of the
Persian school, 14th century, brought
$500 and two others OF the 18th CEN
tury fetched $500 and $500 respec-
lively. At the NJ Hawley McLanahan
sale in these same galleries fragment
OF Gothic animal tapestry, woven
before l477, The Unicorn Purifying
the Waters" brought $4,000.
In the Jay F. Carlisle sale in the
Parke- -Bernet Galleries high prices
were paid for art and literary proper
ties, but 1t was at the sale Of the Fran
els Ralston Welch collection that a
landscape by Corot-"Le Passeur de
Lille Saint-Ouen n'-brought $16 900, the
largest amount paid for painting by
this artist at public sale in the last
five years. 1t is interesting to note
that In these same galleries a little
portrait by Meissonier, "A Noble We
netian; Portrait Of the Artist" brought
$4,000, for this master has not been
in favor for some time and his works
have fallen more in value than those
of any other of equal contemporary
fame.
ON THE other hand a careful re-
viewer Of the list of sales prices
during the past season cannot fail
to recognize as straws in the wind
the very modest sums which portraits
by the great men of the English school
have brought Raeburns, Gainsboroughs
and Romneys having been bid down for
from $2,100 to $500 which. if worthy
examples, Is but a fraction OF what
they would have commanded 20 years
ago. Further exploration reveals the
fact that a landscape by Courbet,
Passage; Environs dOrnans". was
brought for $4.000-incidentally by
Capt. Daniel Sickles-and Vibert,
"Au Regime" by Frank Schnittjer,
for $4,000. Strange comrades-the
one ushering in the modern, the other
Of the meticulous 1850 school.
But perhaps most astonishing are
the prices that have been paid for
prints-not merely those by the great
masters Of the past, but by contem-
porary and In some instances living
printmakers. Dawn" an etching by
James McBey, was sold to M. Knoed-
Ter & Co., for 1850: Muirhead Bones
Spanish Good Friday" also . cele-
J