TREASURES FOR AUCTION

Hutt News, Volume 16, Issue 14, 2 September 1942, Page 5

TREASURES FOR AUCTION

Women are doing their part to- ; vhird the success of the Churchill Auction. In the Wellington area, lier Excellency, Lady Newall has set an example by giving an autographed copy of the autobiography of Lord Bir(|wood, which she received from Lady Ossley Shore. Lady Newall presented this valuable book through Mrs. R. Goddard, wife of Ihe Chief of Air Staff. Mrs. Goddard is president q£ Air Force Ke- ; V' I; i t'i, > < : lations and the sum raised by the sale of Lord Birwood's autobiography will be ear-marked for the work of A.F.lt. ■ Among | the ; steady stream gift?" flowftig itfto the office <$'£ m|;. Pat Lawlor, originator and lionortrfy organiser of the auctions, are first: editions, origiryaL valuable china, coins, letters, embroidered panels and engravings. Mrs. D.„ H. S. Riddiford. of Longwood, Featherston, has contributed a ; three-volume first edition of du •ilaurier's Trilby These books have already done "war work - ' They were auctioned at Christies| at a wari and at that time brought in £4*o for'the Red Cross funds. , Mrs Riddiford has also given several original drawings from Punch. , A remarkable collection of more than 200 coins has been donated by Mrs. T. A. Hunter, of Heretaunga. These include two very rare New Zealand pennies, a s.et, dated 1881, of Maundy money in a case, and many early Georgian silver coins. Lady Elliott has contributed several autograph letters, including letters by W. G. Grace, J. K. Jerome and Victor Trumper. Still engravings in Hogarth frames have come from Mrs. E. Qlphert. These engravings of Welsh castles were published by Boydell in 1775. Artists are represented in the col> lection by a series of signed art books presented by Mrs Murray Fuller, who» by the way, is one of the committee chosen to select gallery pictures for safe storage during the war. The treasure among these art books is perhaps that of Sir 'William Orpeii. A beautiful ovftl bas.ket with wrought brass catches and handles contains the gift of Mrs. Frank Hay. This is a Chinese teaset, very old and of exquisite workmanship. Chinese embroidery forms the donation of Mrs. Dorothy Crombie, who has given a delicately worked panel with, two Chinese figures on a background of rich gold thread. The little needlework picture is bordered Willi a floral design in soft old blue, and rose.

I There are several autographei books and photographs ol' Winston Churchill, but the photograph- pre sen ted by Mrs. John Gerard is unique in that it is a picture taken during the present war. One section that is sadly lacking so far is that of New Zealand authors. Eileen Duggan's poems are represented by several volumes, including the rare first collection of which there are only half a dozen in the country, but so far there is nothing of Katlierin Mansfield's. By the Churchill Auction it is hoped that not only will a large sum of money be raised, but art treasures will be brought out of obscurity and put into 1 ' circulation again and new collectors will be created. ' Residents of the Hutt, Valley can leave gifts* at the King George Theatre in charge of Mr. Maurice Ralph, the local honorary organiser.