ART TREASURES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1136, 25 May 1911, Page 6

ART TREASURES.

JEWELS OF HISTORIC INTEREST. Some valuable articles of much historia interest are at present in Wellington, and will probably bp exhibited at certain, times in the Exhibition. They are tho property of the Rev. Father Molloy, lato of Masterton, who is at present in .Wellington, preparatory to leaving for England, and, finally, America, next month. To detail- their history would be a long story, but somo timo ago they came into the'possession,of a relative of Father, Molloy's, who holds a high position in the Austrian diplomatic service. One of tho articles is a very beautiful gold and silver fob of exquisite workmanship, which was presented by .George IV-when, 'Prince of Wales, to bwartzcuburg,, tho Austrian Ambassador in Loudon, after a, State Ball held there to celebrate tho Battlo of Waterloo. The "ribbon of the fob is a quaint, arrangement of silver links, held together by tiny gold collars, beautifully engraved by hand. It is about an inch in width; and four inches in length, and the pendant from it is a gold medallion, bearing in bright relief an iniprersion of St. Georgo and the Dragon on. one side, and a galleon at sea, encircled bv the words "In Tempcstate Securitas, oil the ofter. Another article is a heavy, gold necklaco of peouliar workmanship, and a gold pendant, on which is depicted relief figures of the Madonna aud child, • surmounted by a halo of small diamonds, and over that again a half-circlo or. sapphires. This is said to have been presented by Marie Louisa (Napoleons second wife*) to a courtier in the yeai lblO. The third art treasure is a said ring of dull gold,,with the face of. "The Man of Sorrows" delicately sculptured on tho that would bo exposed when on tho iincer. The head is surmounted by the Crown of Thorns, tho thorns being rewe'ented by tiny diamonds, and the crown by tho daintiest scroll work in gold. This is said to have been the property of Mario Thorese, the Empress of Austria (KM? Father. Molloy. also has nv Ins no4e sion genuine paintings by Paul Veronox, Reubens, and Carlo Murato (1<93). The first two arc.at present to be Seen „7(i. .\cademv of Fine Arts, and tho lattr «nit Exhibited for ± time in the Art Gallery at tho Exhibition.