CURIOUS COLLECTIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1899, 26 June 1890, Page 36

CURIOUS COLLECTIONS.

The rage for acquiring curiosities in any shape ot form has at times assumed various peculiarities, and altogether the desire to possess bric-a-brac or choice specimens of various articles still occupies the minds of many at the present time. What the various crazes are and the dimensions which have characterised them, doubtless everyone is perfectly cognisant, and to what end they can serve is beyond our comprehension. The schoolboy is particularly fond of gathering together choice odds and ends, and were he asked to turn out his pockets a curious collection of heterogeneous substances would be brought to the astonished view.

The inquisitive in search of curiosities needs only to pay a visit to our large and public museums and his sight will be regaled by articles answering to this type. It seems the end and aim of these institutions to secure something out of the common, and \ his desire is shared by not a few private individuals, to a much greater extent than is commonly supposed. If a tradesman can make a collection of articles whose peculiarity is their only recommendation, and exhibit them in his show window to attract chance custom, he considers that the trouble is well repaid by the advertisement which he receives. Often has the writer stopped to view these various collectims as they are spread as a bait. One is often desirous of seeing a collection exhibiting the advancement made in the manufacture of an article, and they often afford amusement as well as instruction. Just fancy the striking feature in the case of cycles ; what a strange sight to see the old boneshaker, and the various stages to the present silent, swift, and elegant cycle of to-day. With what satisfac- • tion would the smoker view a collection of pipes with all the multitudinous devices, thapes, and kinds, and so on ad infinitwm.

Old curiosity shops are very plentiful, and a cursory glance at the stock contained therein only reveals to one the fact that on numerous points there is a great deal to be learnt. But irrespective of the above, we would draw the reader's attention to a few collections which have been notified from time to time, and which come within scope of this article.

At Warsenstein, in Germany, there is perhaps one of the most curiously original collections of books extant. This consists of a botanical collection. Outwardly, the volumes present the common appearance of a block of wood, and that is the first impression ; but a minute examination reveals the fact that each is a complete history of the particular tree which it represents. At the back of the book the bark has been removed from a space which allows the scientific and t he common name of the tree to be placed as a title for the book. One side is formed from the split wood of the tree, showing its grain and natural fracture ; the other shows the wood when worked smooth and varnished. One end shows the grain as left by the saw, and the other the finely-polished wood. On opening the book it is found to contain the fruit, seeds, leaves, and other products of the tree ; the moss which usually grows upon its trunk and the insects which feed upon the different parts of the tree. These are supplemented by a well-printed description of the habits, usual location, and manner of growth of the tree. In fact, everything which has a bearing upon that certain tree secures a place in this wonderful, useful, -and valuable collection. Here is a precedent for the various botanical societies to adopt, and although doubtless expensive, yet it will certainly repay it in utility.

There are at present some very valuable curiosities in the shape of cherry stones, and were they collected in one locality, it would doubtless enhance their value. In the Salem Museum reposes one which contains one dozen silver spoons. The stone is of the ordinary size ; but the spoons are so small that their shape and finish can only be discerned satisfactorily by means of the microscope. But a more curiou3 cherry stone is that upon which are inscribed 124 heads. This no doubt forms the most curious collection yet known, and the naked eye can easily distinguish those belonging to popes and kings by their mitres and crowns. It was bought in Prussia for 15,000d0l and thence conveyed to that home of curiosities, England, where it is considered an object of so much value that, its possession was disputed, and it became the subject of a suit in Chancery. However, a toymaker of Nuremberg endeavoured to eclipse this specimen by enclosing in a cherrystone, which was exhibited at the French Crystal Palace, a plan of Sebastopol, a railway station, and the " Messiah " of Klopstock. How far he succeeded we leave our readers to determine.

The most curious collections, however, are to be found made up ot coins, and we have seen many of this kind ; but the most extensive is undoubtedly to be seen at Nottingham at the present moment. It consists of a huge pile of perfectly new jubilee halfcrowns made up as a lighthouse-shaped pyramid. The whole is comprised under a glass case, and measures in height 6ft ; while the base is sft Sin round, and the number of coins is 100,806. The weight is 1 ton 83wfc 141b 3oz, and the value is £12,600 15s. The banker's receipt for the payment of the money lies near the case, being conclusive proof of the authenticity and genuine' ess of the collection

But the foregoing illustrations are nothing when compared with the miscellaneous collection of Scotland Yard. There, every housebreaking implement reposes in solemn grandeur from the faithful jemmy to the dark lantern, and all the accessories of the modern Charles Peace are to be seen. The contents of that museum are too numerous and too varied to ba described, and only a visit, secured only by a few, can give any adequate idea of the scope and variety of the articles collected by the authorities.

[ Ingenious tradesmen and speculators are always on the gui vive for such curiosities as can be secured, and when they have obtained them, tli6y turn them to good account for advertising purposes. We can only recommend our readeis to look around and use the observing faculties they possess, and it will astonish and surprise them to what an extent they exist. The numbers of collections of curiosities which we have seen by thus keeping our eyes open would form an exceedingly long article, too long, in fact, for the present ; and we can confidently assert that much amusement and instruction are to be derived in the search. — Chambers' Journal.