U.S. IMPORTS OF ANTIQUES

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 June 1937, Page 9

U.S. IMPORTS OF ANTIQUES

75 P.C. SAID TO BE FAKES

WASHINGTON, May 1. Americans, whose enthusiasm for antiques is notorious, received a severe shock to-day when the Treasury Department declared that at least 75 per cent, of those imported by the United States since 1906 were fakes. Stating that most of these imports came from Great Britain, the Department. declared that it would not be difficult to prove, on the basis of the number of wealthy families in the British Isles, and in view of the allowances which would have to be made lor destruction by breakage, tire and other accidents, that most of these imports could not be what they weie supposed to be.

The total value of such imports during tho past 28 years is estimated at L 128,000,000.

GIFT OF ART COLLECTION

NEW YORK. May 1. One of the finest private art collections in the United States, it was learned to-day, has been presented to the Slate of New York by Jules Baciu.-, the New York banker, who sailed in the Normandie yesterday for a holiday in England. The collection, which is valued at several million pounds, includes 77 pa iaiin- ■, among which arc some of Hi.-, by i known privately-owned verbs <>f L'l-mbrandt. Raphael, Titian, \ -i.i/'im Vermeer, Goya and Botticelli. These, treasures, which Mr Bache has gathered together during the past 25 years, will be exhibited at his pi- ‘h-;!venue home, which is included in the gift.

Among the trustees of the foundation created for this purpose is Lord Duveen. It is hoped to open the museum to the public during this year. Many of the paintings have been exhibited in London in recent years.