THE exhibition of the curious collection of antiques made by the painter Escosura attracted more attention in New York than any other similar sale of the season. This was due in part to the friendships which the owner had formed while on a visit to this country some years ago. This, it is to be presumed, was also the reason why the collection was brought to New York for sale; but another reason may be that it would have made much less of a sensation at the Hotel Drouot than here, if, indeed, it would have made any sensation at all in Paris. For New York, where only rich amateurs fill studios with costly bric-A-brac, more or less antique and more or less authentic, but undoubtedly picturesque, the sale was a remarkable one. It included a vast variety of objects-arms and armor, tapestries and embroideries, ivories and bronzes, furniture and paintings, old gold and silver, books, costumes and musical instruments-all selected mainly for their artistic merit and their value as “properties” to a painter of interiors. Mr. Escosura being a Spaniard, it was to be expect ed that his collection would be rich in Spanish antiques.
Such was the case. A considerable number of good specimens of Hispano-Moresque pottery, mostly plaques, and some with fine copper reflections, were disposed rather high upon the walls of the outer room at Bucken’s gallery, where the sale is to be held. Several were evidently mended, and, knowing the difficulty of obtaining good unbroken specimens, and the fact that to an artist a mended plaque is practically as useful as a whole one, amateurs will be shy of bidding for them. It should, however, be known that even fragments of this ware are of value. The decorations in most cases were animals, inscriptions, and very free and rude arabesques. Much of the goldsmith’s work was made for ecclesi astical use. A large Gothic custode, or monstrance, had evidently been patched up from an old chalice which was used as base and the open-worked top of a mon strance of which the base had been lost. Of the works intended for profane use, one of the handsomest was a jewel casket in silver repouss6 with tourelles at the angles, all four sides being formed by plaques with fig ures in relief and the cover surmounted by a little statu ette of Diana seated. There were several curious pieces of jewelry, including some with enamelled settings, and some fine pieces of rock crystal, carved and engraved.
Of tapestries there were several pieces of no great size but of striking Gothic design. The collection of stuffs and embroideries was very large, and included many valuable specimens of old cut velvet, silver and gold brocade, church embroideries and the like. Many cos tumes of the eighteenth century and earlier dates had doubtless served to clothe Mr. Escosura’s models. Among the furniture, a small fauteuil for a child, of carved and gilded wood, with pink velvet cushion, and a small pair of bellows of buhl-work, catalogued as “{carved wood,” attracted attention. Among a number of paintings ” by the old masters” there were some of remarkable merit. The catalogue states that the owner vouches for the authenticity of these paintings, which include a ” St. George and the Dragon,” attributed to Raphael, a ” Young Girl,” by Velasquez, and a beautiful head of a Madonna, ascribed to Leonardo da Vinci. The collection certainly includes several very interesting specimens of various old schools. partic ularly of the Spanish and Dutch. A number of the artist’s own pictures, such as used to find a good market in this country, were also put on exhibition.
