ANTIQUES EXHIBITION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22225, 27 September 1935, Page 3

ANTIQUES EXHIBITION

HISTORICAL AND RARE VICE-REGAL INTEREST It was with a feeling of astonishment that many of the visitors to the exhibition of antiques, which was opened in a warehouse in High Street yesterday afternoon by Viscountess Galwav, wandered >er the three floors on which the collection was housed. J hat so much that was beautiful and rare could have been collected from one city alone made them wonder how much more there must be tucked away obscurely in many of the homes in the Dominion. It was a deeply-rooted instinct that made the pioneers take with them those things that belonged to the homeland they were leaving, for with theni still in their possession there were left those intangible influences that even to this day make the New Zealander talk of the Mother Country aa Home. Add to that the instinct for collecting, which seems common to most people, and such an exhibition as the one which is now taking place becomes possible.

Many periods in time and many countries have added their quota to the display, and some of the exhibits are of great historical value. Among them are the pardon granted to Edmund Prideaux by James 11. after the Monmouth rebellion, obtained by the payment of £15,000 to the notorious Judge Jeffries'; the chair made in Scotland about 1525 in which Mary, Queen of Scots, and James VI. of Scotland (her son) sat, and which, since 1740, has been in the possession of the present owner's family; and a letter, written by Lord Nelson to a friend. To come nearer to our own time, there is to be seen the hall chair used in Government House in Auckland in Captain Hobson's period of Governorship. Vice-Regal Exhibits Naturally the selection of silver loaned by the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, attracted a great deal of attention and admiration, and so, too, did the miniatures which Her Excellency had sent in for exhibition. These included miniatures of several Royalties and famous personages. Some beautiful old lace. Paisley shawls, samplars ancl needlework pictures, a panel in petit point, and some wonderful rugs ancl prayer carpets, were another source o:f interest to feminine eyes. Among the books and manuscripts are one or two with most intriguing titles, such as "The Female Repertory," "The Young Ladies' Guide to Virtue, 1808." It was very tautaiising not to be able to turn the pages. Other exhibits of interest are a "800 l of Costumes," published in 1813 for the Prince Regent, and a leather-bound recipe book dated 1835. To people interested in ceramics and porcelains the display of Captain Hum-phrevs-Davies will afford endless pleasure during the time that the exhibition is open. The Formal Opening Viscountess Galwav, who came, from Wellington specially 'to open the exhibition and so show her interest in the joint cause for which it has been organised, the Girl Guides' Association and the Plunket Society, was received on arrival by- Sir Alexander Herdman (president), Mr. A. H. Champion (chairman of the executive committee), Sir George Wilson, Mrs. R. J. Coates, representing the Girl Guides' Association, and Mrs. J. C. Allan, representing the Plunket Society On her arrival the Mayoress, Mrs. Ernest Davis, was met by Mr. A. H. Champion, Mrs. J. C. Allen and Mrs Bruce Mackenzie.

Her Excellency was wearing a wedgewood blue woollen suit, a blue felt hat to match and cream fox fur. Mrs. Ernest Davis was in a black tailored suit, a black taffeta stitched hat with elusfter of fruit in the front and silver fox fur; Mrs. J. C. Allan, a black coat and skirt and black velvet beret; Mrs. R. J. Coates, navy blue coat over a floral patterned crepe frock aud navy hat; Mrs. Bruce Mackenzie, Lido blue frock with white collar aud cuffs and blue hat. Mrs. A. F.. Purvis, who accompanied Her Excellency to Auckland, wore a navy blue suit and smalj navy hat. A bouquet of shaded flowers was presented to Her Excellency by the little daughter of Dr. and Mrs. S. Kenrick, who was a charming little figure in a period frock. During the afternoon, tea was served, the conveners being-Mrs. Hugh Kirker and Miss Ruth Roberton. Assisting them were:—Mrs. C. Heather, Mrs. E>. Myers, Mrs. J. Russell, Mrs. L. J, Shrubsall, - Mrs. Clifton Webb, Mrs. S. Chambers, Mrs. H. H. Campbell, Mrs. A. St. Clair Brown, Mrs. D. Poison, Mrs. Dawson, Miss E. Roberton and a number of guiders. Among those present were:—Lady Sinclair-Lockhart, Lady Mackenzie, Lady Wilson, Lady Horton, Lady Herdman, Mrs. F. Seccombe, Mrs. N. Duthie, Mrs. Anthony C'arr, Mrs. C. Brown, Mrs. H. 0. Nolan, Sirs. Ambrose Spong, Mrs. T. H. Glendining, Mrs. Mc-

Clatchie, Mrs. Cuthbert Mitford, Mrs. Douglas Gray, Mrs. St.. John Clarke, Mrs. A. M. Ferguson, Mrs. Axford, Mrs. H. Tiarks, Mrs. Scott Wilson, Mrs. H. E. Vaile, Mrs. J. M. Carpenter, M rs. H. H. Partridge, Mrs. Bodle, Mrs. do Courey, Mrs. .1. Watson, Mrs. D. Ogilvie, Mrs. T. Derrick, Mrs. Howard Thomas, Mrs. A. L. Foster, Mrs. P. A. Lindsay" Mrs. S. Ken rick, Mrs. Norman Haima, Mrs. T. C. Buddie, Mrs. J. Anthony Carr, Mrs. Arthur Rhind, Mrs. Cedrie Herman, Mrs. T. F. Handyside, Mrs. John Hill, Mrs. Harry Horrocks, Mrs. Kirkby Wilson, Mrs. Harold Bull, Mrs. D. Bingley, Mrs. C. E. Lawford, Mrs. Curling Lawford, Mrs. H. Corbett, Mrs. T. W. Wilkin, Mrs. H. A. Wootton, Mrs. J. G. McLean, Mrs. Morley Bell, Mrs. Cruickshank, Mrs. Geoffrey Henderson, Mrs. Tosswill (Malay States), Mrs. M. Savage, Mrs. Aitken Commons, Mrs. R. Griffiths, Mrs. Sydney Thorne George, Mrs. J. Vogel (Wellington), Mrs. Drummond Holderness, Mrs. Leo Horrocks, Mrs. R. Burns, Mrs. N. L. Macky, Mrs. fc. B. Gunson, Mrs. S. Hanna, Mrs. Cocker, Mrs. C. M. Rout, Mrs. John Farrell, Mrs. A. Goldie, Mrs. R. Buchanan, Mrs. V. Usher, Mrs. W. Manning, Mrs. Lewisham, Mrs. Hugh Wright, Mrs. John Reid, Mrs. T. C. Webb, Mrs. Peter Savage, Mrs. W. B. Brittain, Mrs. George Bloomfield, Mrs. Pat Hanna, Mrs. R. Coleman, Mrs. A. I. Johns, Miss Edith Isaacs, Mrs. C. R. Keeble, Mrs. T. H. E. Oakes, Mrs. W. 0. Somers, Mrs. J. H. Woods, Mrs. W. J. Napier, Mrs. Stuart Boyd, Mrs. Mingay, Mrs. Vallentine, Miss F. Murray, Miss Muriel Darling,. Miss Lesley Waller, Miss Ruth Spencer, Miss Carmichael, Misses Colegrove (2), Miss Mappin, Miss Jocelyn Bloomfield, Misses Goldie (2)", Miss Lorna Towle, Miss Alison George, Miss Lesley Waller, Miss Margaret Wright, Miss * Cussens, Miss Mere Vaile, Miss N. Lush, Miss Doris Shrubsall, Miss Elizabeth Virtue, Miss Marjorie Shrubsall, Miss Jean Carnegie Brown, Miss Ruby Coleman, Miss Marye Savage, Miss Helen Fraser and Miss Barbara George. The ladies' committee in connection with the exhibition comprises:—The Lady Evelyn Drummond, Mrs. J. C. Allen (convener of the committee), Mrs. Gillies Borrie, Mrs. A. H. Champion, Mrs. McCosh Clark, Mrs. R. J. Coates, Mrs. Paul Cropper, Mrs. Alan Donald, Mrs. J. F. Ewen, Mrs. Brian Hewitt. Mrs. M. Horton, Mrs. Bruce Mackenzie, Mrs. John Macky, Mrs. F. C. Mappin, Mrs. Charles Nathan, Mrs. CunlifFe Parker, Mrs. Mervyn Reed, Mrs. E. H. Roche, Mrs. R. P. Towle, Mrs. H. W. Wilson, Mrs. W R. Wilson, Miss Cooper, Miss MeCulloch and Miss Russell.