OLD MASTERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 441, 27 January 1933, Page 7

OLD MASTERS

TRRILLS OF DISCOVERING WORKS OF RARE ART. "HAIR STOOD ON END." ■ 1 | The discovery in an auetion room 1 of four pictures by Turner, valuecl at ! £5000, is not unique. i In niuch the same way, Mr. S. Holden, of Sydney, has found at varij ou times several valuable worlcs, in- | eluding a Guido Reni, and others by ' Williani Huggins, J. van de Velde and | Munkasany, each of which was con- | sidered to be even more valuable than any one of the four Turners. I It was Mr. Holden was restored ) the latest Turner finds, and he states ; that, when he commenced his work, : and discovered their real worth, he was thrilled. i "The hair of my head almost stood [ on end," he exclaimed, "and I eni joyed the sensation of nervous ex- | i eitement, up and down my spine, that j nearly brought ears to my eyes. [ "It was a rare moment of joy to ! toueh again, and make elear, these | four brilliant works of art." Wives Ignorant. j Another Turner was discovered in |S Sydney by Mr. Holden. He also * about 23 yeai*s ago, cleaned three others that were found in the bases ment of the National Art Gallery, 1 London. ] Commenting on rare works found | in anterooms and auetion marts in 1 Australia, Mr. Holden said that most 1 of them were unknown to their own- ] ers, because the original purchasers i wero afraid to tell their wives the ] sums paid ' for them. ] Mr. Holden 'tells this dplightful i story: — l A Sydney solicitor, now dead, was 3 a great collector of rare china and j plate, but he could not face the or- | deal of telling his wife the prices he I paid for his favourite pieces, and^ en- | during her scorn for apparent wilful I extravagance. \ One day Mr. Holden visited the j collector's home, and his attention was j drawn to a small shrub in the garI den. He was asked to admire its « hahit of being heavily foliaged down ; to the ground. His Greatest Friend. i "My greatest friend," whispered the solicitor. "Whenevey I bring home a costly bit of plate, I hide it under the shrub until the wife goes out. Then I pop it into the ease, where it remains till dusting day. Usually the wife than comes out and6says, ' J ohn | have you been buying more rubbish? ! I have never seen this hefore.' | "Oh! Yes you have, my dear," the j solicitor said, he replied, "I got that at a year or so ago." And that story was successful on 42 occasions! | Where husbands, for the peace and harmony of their domestic life, conceal the real value of pictures, Mr. Holden considers that they should at least disclose the truth in their wills, so that the national will not lose its rare masterpieces.