£31,500 FOR MUSEUM

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 768, 14 September 1929, Page 6

£31,500 FOR MUSEUM

MILLIONAIRE’S FREE LOAN TO PRESERVE TREASURES It was disclosed recently that the anonjzmous friend who has lent the British Museum £31,500, in order that the famous 14th century Luttrell Psalter may be retained by the Museum, is Mr. Pierpont Morgan, the American millionaire, says the ‘‘Daily Mail.” Mr. Morgan, who is at present 1 England enjoying the amenities of his English home. Wall Hall, near Aidenham, Herts, has also bought the Bedford Book of Hours, and is holding it for the Museum, which has the option of raising £33,000 to buy it. The British Museum therefore needs to raise the sum of £64,500 within 12 months to sftve these two treasures for the nation. Mr. Morgan, who lent the £31,500 free of interest for 12 months, in order that the Psalter might be bought from Mrs. Alfred Noyes, its owner, paid a visit to the Museum not long ago, and saw both the books, « hich are on public exhibition in the Granville Library. None of the visitors who gathered round the case containing the books and eagerly scanned their beautiful illustrations recognised the famous American.

The millionaire made a long inspection of the Psalter, being fascinated by its vivid pictures of life in Merry England 600 years ago. “It should certainly be kept here,” he commented.

Mr. Morgan also saw the Bedford Book of Hours, which was bought for him by Mr. Quaritcb, the expert dealer in old manuscripts. He expressed a keen desire to keep this book in his own possession, but, nevertheless, arranged with the Museum authorities that they should have an opportunity of buying it during the netx 12 months at the same price at which Mr. Quaritch bought it. Both books are to stay in the Museum in the meantime.