CHINA FIGURES AT 1000 GUINEAS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 180, 25 April 1908, Page 11

CHINA FIGURES AT 1000 GUINEAS

A thousand guineas' seems a high' price for'.a. china ■figure; only eleven- inches high,' but'that was the'sum; recently : paid for a spocimcn of the portrait of 'tho Countessido, Koessel \.done .in, Dresden , china, and now (says the ''Daily Mail I') \tiiis. rccord may be beaten, 'for.anothor. example •of : this!' rare, tare is .'to be., offered' for- sale* at' Messrs.; Christio's; • " ; It is a beautiful example of old Dresden wbrk. '..The. lady'is wearing. ''a bodice and a; large-crinolino decorated'with daintily painted,flowers! ■ Under.-one arm she. carries' a-ptig dog,'arid;,a'notlier dogVrests at her/feet. The .pedestal loii which 'she ( stands, is 'finely: painted with small 'landscapes in Wattoau figures. The figuro is, one of- the gems of the" splendid collection" of old Dresden and Sevres porcelain which l is being-sold at the famous a'uotidri ' rooms this' week '! • The 'collection, which was made by the late Mr. "C. J.-' Dic.kins; tho' well-known' draper,' 'is' one"of ' the" finest in England, and many oxamples of French arid Saxon ware. ''Some ;idea of 'the individual value of tho pieces may be-gathered from the fact that' although' only - three .Hundred and itwentyeipht .are, being offered 'during a.sale which will extend* over.'three, Tdays, .experts expcct the collection to_ realise well into five figures. w<irp so .precious, -even! at .the time they were made, that only tho richest'could buy tlieni,, and .such vases and 'figures 'as this collection contains ivcro ' reckoned presents, wbrthy to be given by Kings to Kings. Arid the'struggle between tho Saxon and French -porcelain factories forms a! ; picturesque; bit.-'of eighteent'h-century' history ...J For. some, .time -the'■ French■ were !iiblo to make what is known as " soft paste," and it was' unsurpassed in .'bearity! of 'form. and. richness of polour. But : the softpaste was; ; fragile/ and coUld : be. very easily.broken, while: the Saxon ; wafo .was hard (and. more durable., So for, a long time tho Saxons had, so far as ■popular tasto went, the best of the struggle. Their factory atvthe Castle of Meissen was' almost'like a prison,!its secrets being - jealously guarded by,the most-solemn oaths. 'But the secret of .the making'of hard pastd finally found its way to France. ' ■ ■ r . SUFFRAGETTE SALE. Jewellery, old lace,' family opiate,-, and other gifts from self : deriying Suffragettes . were offered for sale at \the Rortman Rooms, London,- during tHe aelf-denial week by the Wo-, mein'sSocial ;ari3 ' Political Union, for the 1 good of tho cause. ' ! Several. well-known - novelists, sent 1 ' copies of; their' works, ! with .autographed inscrip-; tions. ; One guinea was' asked for a copy of • "ShipsvThat ; Pass Night," with' a; long- inscription by. Miss Beatrice Harraden,and an edition "of The 'Celibates' 'Club, f with; Mr. Zangwill's autograph, was-the. same' price'. ■ • ■■ "■ fc. 'Pett Ridge ' was'.represented-by his latest ! work," " Name; of' Garland," on the . title-page'of' which he ; had drawn a railway ticket; with the following • inscription upon it:-—-'''N.W.S! Railway. Holloway to '-Westminster.'.; First Class."- -.