£2750 AN INCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8062, 14 July 1904, Page 2

£2750 AN INCH.

I » ■ ! REMARKABLE PRICES FOR RARE RELICS. ! COSTLT SNUFF-BOXES. Christie's rooms were the scene of a .sensational incident on May 13, when a miniature of Holbein realised the enormous sura, of £2750, nearly three times the sum ever given for a miniature at auction. This rare little work of art i a delightful portrait of Frances Howard, Duchess of Norfolk, slightly over an inch across, immediately aroused keen bidding, £470 being the opening offer, and then without a stop the leading dealers vi-ed with each other to secure the dainty object, Messrs Duveen, making the record bid. This may be considered an extravagant price for so minute a work of art, but at the same time it must be remembered that prices are to a great extent ruled Tiy the scarcity of objects, and that Holbein, who may well be called the father of miniature portrait painting, has remained unrivalled to this day as regards sheer beauty of delineation and. delicacy of brush work. Very few authentic examples of his miniatures have come down to us, but there -are three or four brilliant examples in his Majesty's collection at Windsor Castle, two or three in the Duke of Buccleuch'e, and one in the Duke of Norfolk's collections. It is doubtful whether any others are to be found in private possession. A pair of oval miniatures of children by an unknown artist realised £1000 at the same auction. Interest was next centred in some splendid Louis XV. and XVI. snuff-boxes, one alone, a Louis XVI. gold box painted with Teniers' subjects, making £1650. NELSON'S LAST LETTER, At Sotheby's room*^ too, the same day, i there was an electric air of keenness, the occasion being the dispersal of a large collection of autograpjh letters, including some valuable missives 'from England's greatest heroes, Nelson and Wellington. The most notable item wae the last complete letter written by Lord Nelson to his friend Lady Hamilton, which also made a record in prices. Mr Stevens, the American, book agent, manfully bid against a Mr Hamilton until £1010 was reached^ but on this bid being capped by £20 Mr Stevens retired from the field. ' * - It is a" four-page letter, dated September 25, 1805, and reads: — "I am anfcious to join the fleet, for it would add to my grief if any other man was to give them the Nelson touch, which we say is warranted never to fail. I havelread, my Emma, with much interest your letters which I got at Merton, but I must have many others afloat. Ido feel by myself what you must have felt at not hearing from m« from January 29 to after May 18. I fancied that they had" been stopt by the Admiralty on account o| Sir John's order. I mention all these circumstances that my dearest Emma should never think that her Nelson neglects or forgets her for one moment. No, I can truly say, you are always present whereso ere I go. I have this letter ready in case I should fall in with anything from Lisbon homewards steering. May God bless you my best sonly beloved, and with my warmest affections to Horatio, be assured I am for ever your most faithful and affectionate." Wellington's famous letter, , written a fewhours after Waterloo, in 1 which he emphasises the total defeat of Bonaparte "by; the British Army," fell to the same bidder' for £101. ' ,