FORGED ANTIQUITIES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVII, Issue 120, 23 May 1903, Page 4

FORGED ANTIQUITIES.

An Express representative who was on the look-out for forged " antiquities," had an interview with an official of the British Museum, who said: — " I don't think there are any really good forgeries in the market at the pre&ent time. Mr J. Pierpont Morgan practically cleaned up the last big output. It was shocking tho way Mr Morgan was induced to pay small for tunes for forged works of art. I am told that quite an embarrassing 3itua tiou arose when Mr Morgan recently pro en ted some of tbes* ' treasures ' to the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York, he being a trustee of that institution. Some experts detected the frauds, and were io the unenviable predicament of countenancing tho acceptance- of bald forgeries or ungraciously refusing the gifts o f a trustee, who hud paid thousmefs of pounds for them. I believe the matter has nGt yet been settled. Mr Morgan throws his money around so lavishly that other collectors, who perhaps know a little more about autiquitjes, bub posspaa a littje. Jess, flash, cannot

compete with him. Tho British Museum cannot afford to spend enor mous .sunni as Mr Morgan has done. We fire not justified iv wasting thj public funds in such a manner, unl dealers 'often say, when they quote an enormous price, ' Mr Morgan paid so and-so, and we cannot be expected to let things go for less than his market price.' "