ANTIQUES TESTED IN COURT.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1923, Page 3

ANTIQUES TESTED IN COURT.

M.ETII YI.A’I El) SIM II ITS. COLOUR CH-AIES OKU. LONDON. Jan. 2(5. Demonstrations by all expert were the lealure of the further hearing before Sir Edward J. Bollock, the official ro-I','-ei', yesterday, of tlie dispute concerning furniture, for which .Mr Adolphe Shragcr, of Wo-Lgato-on-Sea, alleged he was induced to pay :31 I 1,10.5 on tin* repro?dilation that it was genuine aut ique. The defendants ;m . Basil Dightmi. Eld., Savilo-row, W.. Mr B. L. Dight„,i. end Mr 11. \Y. I.awramc, direetofs. They (uunreielaiii.cd for b20,31)J alleged lo he due, ami denied any fraudulent representations. All- Herbert Cescinsky. an exp.ert on English furniture, said that the "Chippendale eanlte.hle with original mvdlew„rk covi r,” which tost C2ti(), had been rucnii•* 1 rut'S “(1. An :\ilumiiul h.uT la-e.i made to give It the app.sir-am-e of wear by gu-hiug with a kuiie. The trade jn-iee ol the article was b >-’■ The two cream lacipier labincts. which cost C1.25(1. were not antiques. They were well-known articles ol commerce by wholesale makers oi ‘Takes. One portion mii-t Imve keen made by :, shop hoy. If he touched it ",th methylated spirits the colour would liy. AH- Ceseinsk.v asked it he might make the lest.

Mi- \Y. J. Histurnal (for Mr Shrager) : Would it do the article harm' Mr Cesoinskv said that the colour could easily I e replaced. id” applied a nr. sii urated with spirit- to the lacquer, and showed the court the result: of his dcmon-tiration. Tlie cabinets, ho said, were worth about IHS. trade price. Regarding a "Queen Anne red lacquer bureau," bought at CBO9. Mr Ce- 1 - einsky said that the experts for ib'-‘ ,: >‘- fenee- —who were beside him on the hetu-h- —doubted ii he could take iit Hoe lacquer with methylated spirit on one particular part. Mr Cescinsky applieJ a moist cloth to the article. A ted slain was produced, and Mr Cescinsky exhibited the result to tin* court. Mr Disturnal : It has come oil all right. (Laughter.)

Mr Disturnal: Are there methods of producing worm holes artilically Mr Cesoinskv: There are, but they an* verv clumsy, because cm* has to bore straight holes, whereas the worm duos not. The best way i> to spend a little more time and cultivate the real worms, i Laughter). It is not difficult.