THE ART OF HOARDING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 45, 22 February 1901, Page 2

THE ART OF HOARDING.

As everyone is l>orn n collector, many perhaps of specimens of modern comage only, which they at once place at their oredit at. the bank, it: Is only those whose ingenuity in choosing objects-to collect Is above the average who are interesting and who contribute to the art of boardiug. A Grand Dnke and a Royal Prince mar, and do, colloot .stamps, but stamp collectors are so much .1 part of our every-day existence that , they ciiunot be regarded with extra interest , on thiit account, except by the inner circle of collectors, whereas the gentleman who makes a practice of acquiring ni every opportunity the small pieces of tombre material which constitutes the "'black caps" assumed by judges on certain trying occasions find the enthusiast who makes a point of purchasing a few inches of the rope thnt forms a part of the natural corollary to the assumption of the aforesaid headgear, gruesome though their quests may be, are nevertheless not uninteresting. , Neither of the epithets "gruesome", or i "uninteresting" can be npplled to some of the royal collections (says a writer in the ; '.'Globe"), purchasing relics of the early Smarts may be said to he Her Majesty's hobby, and in view of the fact that she pntd as much as £160 for Prince Charles Edward's walking-stick at the Culloden sale IT MUST HIO SOMEWHAT EXPENSIVE. No one can rival the Duke of Saxe-Cotmrg's collection of silver nefs, as the very elegant table decorations in the shape of models of ancient ships are called; the Duchess of Connaught's collection of lace, Carmen Sylva's ('Queen of Rnnmania) dolls, the Qneen of Italy's collection of famous people"s footgear, the Princess of Wales's clocks, and the Duchess of York's fans, are all said to be among the first flight in their own particular class. Of aristocratic collectors, Lord Russell is reported to have a larger collection of snuff - boxes than any judge who occupips a scat on the bench; and Mr Justice North, who recently retired therefrom, has a fine collection of butterflies, moths, and beetles—his is especially rich in beetles—that vies-with Admiral Dewey's valuable collection of butterflies, which is insured for £1200. Lord Allngton's hobby Is the collection of birds and beasts, whose hue renders them elidible to become inmates of his "white" farm at Crlehel, Wimborne. The Hon, Lionel Rothschild, who Is the author of numerous articles on zoology, keeps a staff of curators employed at Tring arranging his unique collection of insects., which are said to be worth £10,000. It is interesting to learn that the insect cabinets, 80 in number, cost £60 each, and that the silver pins used in keeping the specimens in position cost T/6 a thousand. The Earl of Lonsclale also collects natural history specimens, many of the animals to be seen at Lowther Castle hav'ng been secured during his Arctic and Egyptian travels. Doubtless the gallant yeoman will bring further specimens back from South Africa in due course. The Earl is also credited with possessing an extremely FINE OP HISTORIC WHIPS, some of which have been valued at £200. Other interesting collections by celebrities are th-e pinees-nez and monocles of famous men which, with their autographs, Miss Ellen Terry stores in her cabinets—those, by the way, of Mdme. Patti are said to contain many and interesting daggers and other sharp-pointed weapons, a taste the prima donna is said to share with Mrs Brown Potter. In scientific (circles Dr. Lays, of the Salpetriere Hospital, recently presented to the Faculty of Medicine his collection of 2200 brains, the result of 30 years' Investigations; but as far as we know J)r. Eurt G. Wilder, of Cornell University, still retains his similiar collection: indeed, he is credited with having persuaded 50 of bis friends to swell his store by bequeathing their brains to it. Finally every one j will trust that Professor Wilson, of New i York, will continue to keep a strong hold upon his collection of bubonic microbes, of which he was said some time ago to posj sess sufficient to devastate a nation.

A barrister and member of Parliament is stated to be the proud possessor of 3000 menu cards. Details, howeyier, are not forthcoming as to whether he still reta'ns his digestion unimpaired. This species of the collection mania has only once been eclipsed. A elt'zon of Brooklyn, we learn, possesses 4000 specimens, embracing all sorts and conditions of bills of fare, varying between the cracked slate of a mining camp "dug out" to the elaborate menu issued on I lie occasion of THE CZAR'S CORONATION. It must be admitted that this collection would bo considered preferable by most pooplo to one of Bradshaw's Railway Guideij, footballs used in famous matches— for one used in the course of a famous match in 18DS £5 was given—or the late Mr Riirniche's collection of 24,0f10 unhung pictnreß. It was this gentleman's daughter, It may be recalled, who was wnnt tx> deck the statues in her garden in summer with foliage, and woollen garments In winter, when not. otherwise engaged in being wheeled round her native village in a wheelbarrow propelled by a female servant