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KERAMIC STUDIO 
THE COLLECTOR 
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matter, we will establish a 
will be able to make exchai 
the Collector's Department of practical value to col- 
are collecting old and rare china to send us any notes 
find enough subscribers taking a real interest in the 
I exchange column, so that any one having duplicates 
THE ART OF COLLECTING 
Mrs. Carrie Stow Wait 
THE "gentle disease" of collecting comes upon one "ere 
he is aware." The seeking habit turns the eye wistfully 
towards the window of every antique store and even robs a 
pawnbroker's establishment of its unsavory qualities. The 
desire to have and to hold rare bits of porcelain, old pewter, 
quaint copper or brass objects, usually commences when the 
fancy is caught by some little thing of personal interest. If 
the attraction comes to a person of intelligence he leaves no 
stone unturned until he possesses the treasure and afterwards 
informs himself as to its relation to other things. This is the 
usual development of the " collector's fever," but admiration 
and fancy are soon held in check by knowledge and the 
pleasure of acquisition declines if it does not stand Keat'sTest 
"as a joy forever." It may be kept by the law of selection 
and exclusion if it is an oddity or rare. 
1 remember well when the subtle charm of collecting 
stole upon me, brought about by a little piece of blue Staf- 
fordshire, which was in some way connected with the associa- 
tions of childhood. Turning it over I found the words 
Adams, Warranted Staffordshire. I little thought then that 
that small saucer would later take me across the water and 
land me in the "black country," where for ten miles the chim- 
neys mark the spots where much of our rarest and daintiest 
household ware was and is still created, the home of Josiah 
Wedgewood, who made the potter into the artist and a trade 
a profession. 
My advice to all collectors is first to study the potter's 
art that the pastes and glazes may be quickly distinguished. 
This is best done at good potteries, where entrance is usu- 
ally easy and one can make observations at leisure. As a 
rule collecting begins without much information, and as a 
result one soon needs to cull out much that is undesirable. 
In reputable shops one usually finds the dealer reliable, but 
in America we are not liable to find as large a variety of old 
porcelain as we do in England, nor the display of pewter or 
copper that is shown in Holland. But the selection is often 
choicer, and if one is looking for a special curio he is pretty 
sure to find it somewhere in New York. To buy in the shops 
is often cheaper than in rural homes, where false values have 
been assumed. Of course one sometimes chances upon a bar- 
gain in the country, but this often results from a desire for 
money, ignorance of value, or preference for new things. I 
well remember the dear old white-capped mother at Laren, 
Holland, who parted with her Delft cups at a small price but 
wept bitterly when the buyer dropped one upon the tiled floor. 
She was willing to receive the price but not to witness the de- 
mise of her cups. 
In a recent trip to England I acquired in the old town of 
King's Lynn the silver lustre tea-pot here illustrated. It is 
about ten inches high. No photograph can give any idea of 
its beautiful tone. So perfect is it in design and coloring that 
it is difficult to persuade my friends that I have not an antique 
silver pot among my porcelains. I have no idea of its age 
but have traced it to the early part of the century. 
The lustre is upon a soft red clay. I learned its fragile 
quality by a sad experience. Even the dealer could not pack- 
it securely and it arrived in America with a hole in its side. 
SILVER LUSTRE TEAPOT 
Another piece of lustre in my possession is most unique. 
It is a harvest pitcher. The body was white glazed porcelain 
upon which was printed in delightful disregard of perspective 
or arrangement, in true Japanese fashion, a blue grain field, 
hay cart, scythe, Ruth and Boaz in rare confusion —each 
separated and left upon the white background, all the remain- 
ing surfaces being covered very evenly with a brilliant silver 
lustre. I have never found another specimen at all like it 
although I have made many inquiries. 
The copper lustres are more common and some of the 
pitchers have white bands around them upon which are poly- 
chrome decorations, occasionally with raised figures after the 
style of Capo di Monte. 
The pitcher shown is about ten inches high and upon the 
white band are colored decorations. The roses are in pink 
lustre. 
COPPER LUSTRE PITCHER 
The Doulton pottery, at Lambeth, has recently pro- 
duced some fine designs in dull finished copper. They are 
excellent models of old tankards. One in my possession is a 
perfect copy in design of an old leather jack. So well is the 
work done that the seams which are banded and fastened with 
imitation nails easily deceive by their slight green touches for 
corrosion. 
This piece is said to have been designed for the World's 
Fair and was surely a successful representation of the Lam- 
beth art. 
At the recent Marsh sale one unusual piece of silver 
lustre deserved special attention. It was evident that a dealer 
knew its value, for he paid sixteen dollars for it, and doubtless, 
he will sell it at a good advance. It was a spoon holder, quite 
unique in design, being urn-shaped ydth two slender handles 
on either side. It was fine in color and delightful in lines. 
Another piece that brought a good price, showing how much 
copper lustre pitchers are sought for, was very like the speci- 
men illustrated, although not more than half its size. It had 
