MEMORABLE OCCASIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 522, 3 August 1932, Page 9

MEMORABLE OCCASIONS.

Recalled at Sale of Earl’* Household Effects. In view of the exhibition of antique* which opens to-morrow at the Art Gal* lery, it may be interesting to note tha extraordinarily low prices asked for the Earl of Harewood’s various household effects at a sale at Chesterfield House recently. “ Three momenta seem memorable to me after witnessing the sale,” states a writer.

“ The first was when Viscount Men* sey’s name was called as the success* ful purchaser, at 16s of an upholstered lounge seat which had decorated the ‘ Servants’ Hall,' and the second was when a deal form and three kit* chen tables of the same wood fetched 2s. The last was when the last lot in the sale—the beautiful set of four Chippendale chairs, covered with their original Soho tapestry floral designs-* caused a real auction thrill by realising £2500.

“ Although one buyer gave £lO idi the morning for illustrated portfolio* of Apsley House, Walmer Castle, and other mansions, another got away with seventy-one volumes of the old ‘ Quarterly Review ’ for only five shillings, and a bag of eighty-four issues of tho 4 Annual Register ’ for ten shillings. Cheap First Editions.

“First editions of George Eliot went for £5, but a first edition of John Stuart Mill’s ‘ Liberty ’ had to be put with some Dickens volumes to com* mand a sale of ten shillings. “ As the total realised in the morning session was £370, it will be evident that the few prints and pictures then included did not fetch much. In the preliminary notice of the sale it was made clear that the Earl of Harewood was not disposing of any of his wellknown masterpieces. Otherwise there would have been very different results from 12s paid for a Flemish school 4 Triumph of the Trinity,’ painted on copper. A portrait of the second Earl of Harewood and a picture of Johnson waiting to see Lord Chesterfield together brought £l. 44 Souvenir-hunters were busy in pick* ing up Sevres porcelain from the Marquis of Clanricarde’s collection at prices between £1 10s and £6 10s. When one piece was put up a woman bidder called out 4 Thirty bob! ’ but it fetched a final of £3. At five guineas an enthusiast bought the key used for the gate leading into the park by tha Hon John St John, between 1767 and 1767. Bedsteads and Carpets. “ After a bout of black iron bedsteads and fenders, a lucky dealer won an ice-box and a pair of folding steps, eighteen feet high, for *a sovereign. Another very cheap purchase was 15s, for a pair of Georgian centre-tables, capable of being fitted against the wall. It was nearly 4 o’clock when, for the first time, anything in the sale realised over £IOO. The large Fereghan carpet, once belonging to the Grand Duke Michael, then quickly went to £4BO, and soon afterwards Mr Harry Simmons beat Dr Borenius at £490 for two very beautifully-carved sideboard tables, made about 1730. by that fine British craftsman. William Kent. Just before this, Mr Simmons gave £BO for an attractive ship’s model of seventeenth century design. 44 In the meantime there were such bargains as well-designed English Empire chairs averaging 30s, and a pair ; of side-tables of Louis design at £4, but it was evident that the company was expectantly awaiting the submission of the four Chippendale armchairs with the Soho covers.

44 Mr Moss Harris, who had given 750 guineas at Christie’s for a Chippendale pedestal writing-table, began the bidding for the set at £750. At £1750 he gave way to his opponent—‘an unknown ’ sitting in front of the auctioneer, Major Warre. The 4 unknown * in turn was challenged by the original vendor of the chairs to the Earl of Harewood. At £2500 the latter accepted defeat. Altogether £5756 was realised by the sale’s two sessions.