APATHY AT AUCTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20372, 28 September 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

APATHY AT AUCTION.

DORCHESTER HOUSE SALE. 50-GUINEA STAIRCASE. "NO BID " FOR OIL FRIEZE. S(.artlirig]y low prices were realised at the recent Dorchester House sale in London, of what the auctioneers called tho " embellishments, decorations, fixtures, etc." There were many visitors, but they came sightseeing. Few had money in their purses to buy massive samples of Victorian grandeur.

The Roman hand-traced tesselated tiling of tho entrance hall could have been bought for a few pounds, but no ono would bid even shillings for it.

Thcro were nearly thirty mantelpieces in tho house, tho famous examples beinj; those of Alfred Stevens, whose work is now recognised as the best of his time. Tho first lot, tho sculptor of which i:s not known, brought £llO and went to Mr. A. Spero. The Stevens mantelpiece eventually went for £315, and it wan bought by Sir Robert McAlpino and Sons Beautiful oak-panelled doors went for less than three guineas each. A biy; stretch of oak flooring, 30ft. by 2Cft. went for £3l 10s, and another lot for eight guineas.

Some of the fittings sold will cost almost as much to remove as the price paid for them. For a couple of Louis XV. carved marble chimncy-pieces only 26 and 16 guineas were realised, but a carved light Siena mantelpiece brought £73 10s.

Tho big thing of the Bala waa the grand staircase of marble and alabaster balusters. It measured 35ft. square, rising to the first floor in solid marble steps, Bft. wide, round throe sides, of tho square.

It was a piece which would fit the British Museum, tho National Gallery, or Waterloo Station, and it must, have cost thousands of pounds to build. The auctioneer hopefully suggested " Threo or four hundred guineas for a start." Silence. A hundred T Still no answer. Then 50 guineas was bid—and at that figure the famous staircase waa sold.

Marble pillars and surroundings of this magnificent structure were marked for sale as separate lots. So also were the balustrading to the first floor balconies and their marble pillars.

But even this did not stimulate interest. The entire staircase —marble linings, balconies, pillars, and marble cornice—together realised only 273 guineas. Some marble flooring brought £42, the bid of a woman, and 26 guineas was paid for marblo wall linings. A panel picture on canvas in the staircase went for 18 guineas, while a friezo painted in oils was withdrawn without a single bid being registered. Thirteen semi-circular oil paintings were sold for a total of £BO, and eight others in the.lantern of tho roof of tho ground floor—two of them attributed to Sir Coutts Londsay—fetched only £49.