New Britain Herald Newspaper, November 5, 1926, Page 30

Al L A A G0 Dr. Martha B. Huson, of New York City, owner of the famous Napoleon Vase which will be re- turned to France if her plan for selling it is carried out ASHIONED by the hands of a king and inextricably mixed with the loves and hates of the con- queror Napoleon and the dynamic Cath- erine the Great of Russia, the famous and valuable Napoleon Vase, flung by destiny into the possession of a New York woman physician, is about to change hands once more. In its restless course, che vase has been the symbol of a great woman’s affection and a great egotist’s rage, and wherever it has gone it has drawn the excited interest of the world's lovers of historic art. Now for the first time since it rose from a heap of clay to a thing of rare beauty plans are being made to return it to France, where in a museum it will no longer so personally touch human lives. Its present owner, Dr. Martha B. Huson, of New York City, estimates its value at $250,000. An art expert of standing has affirmed, in a signed affi- davit, that it would be worth at least $100,000 at a public auction. After owning it thirty years, Dr. Hu- son, wishes to have it returned to France whence it came. She proposes to offer it for sale to Cecile Sorel, the famous French actress, or to another woman famous on the French stage, Mille. Damia, tragedienne, who follows the footsteps of Sorel and Bernhardt. Either of these two women could pur- chase the Napoleon vase, Dr. Huson be- lieves, and win herself immortality by presenting it to her country. The famous work of art has not left untouched the life of Dr. Huson. Though it lays in the safe deposit vault of a New York City bank, it influence spreads beyond the narrow limits of its steel resting place. Dr. Huson very recently was threatened with a legal suit in which the vase might have been lost to her, but this danger is understood to be over and Dr. Huson is continuing with her plans for its The Napoleon prominently linked with the romantic lives of King Ferdinand of Spain, Catherine the Great . Count Cobenzel of Austria con Bonaparte. Regarded as one of the finest pieces of ceramic pottery now in existence, it ) by King Ferdinand as a present to C Ferdinand’s own hands molded its shape. A portrait of Catherine was painted on the vase by vase is was made in 17 erir one of the great f the day. Thus it became one of the prized pos- sessions of Catherine’s cc S i turn gave it to Count Austri favorite n Ambassador, one Coby Austria, where, } him to ping to work bring an end to tt r between France and Austria, he present of it This was just t re the le the conqueror a conference On the conference, going his , seized the and hurled for the tre mber 2 1 Napoleon, finding po Formio Sept precious vase from the ti it to the floor. A dred aped it br a hun- picces, he turned tc fearful group and said: “Well, the truce is But War is before an end declared. remember, the Dr. Martha B. Huson of New York Would Sell Cecile Sorel, Famous French Actress, the $250,000 Relic . Presented in 1759 to Catherine the Great of Russia by King Ferdinand IV of Spain and Later Shattered by the Fiery ~ Napoleon When It Was Given to Him as a Peace Offering A reproduction of a rare old print which depicts the dramatic smashing of the vase by Napoleon on September 26, 1797, with the exclamation, “Well, the truce is at an end. War is de- clared. But remember, before the end of autumn I will shatter Austria as I shatter this porcelain!” end of autumn, I will shatter your mon- archy as I shatter this porcelain.” Joseph, Napoleon’s brother, picked up the fragments, pieced the vase together and later brought it with him to the United States, where he lived in Borden- town, N. J. Before he returned for France Joseph gave the vase to David Adam Logan, a prominent lawyer. Logan was engaged to the beautiful Mary Albertus, the sis- ter of the then famous banker, and gave the vase to her. Logan died before the marriage and iss Albertus, cut off without money, cared for for twelve years by Dr. Huson, her physician. After her death, Dr. Huson came into possession of the valuable work of art. The history of the Napoleon Vase as written by Dr. Huson and treasured in an illustrated leather bound volume thus tells the amazing story of the piece of pottery “The history of the Napoleon Vase distinguishes it among all the porcelains in the world. tiful in design, perfect in work- ship, it is unique in its royal lineage and famous for the startling incident that has forever associated it with the “The vase is a very graceful Capo di Monte porcelain about twenty inches high and about thirt x inches in cir- with Greck, Roman and yptian decorations in delicate gold tracery that forms an exquisite setting for a remarkably life-like portrait by Nattier of Catherine the Great of Rus “The history of the vase recites that as presented by Catherine the Great to her favorite Ambassador, the Austrian Count Louis de Cobenzel who brought it with him when he lled to take part in the con- with Napoleon in negotiations for the treaty of Campo Formio “In paintings pertraying this confer- ence the vase hown as standing on the table fragments on the floor of the cumference, ¢ it w was, 1ddenly c ference conference and also confer- after oleon had snafched d dashed it to the ence it from the table floor. room “As the ence was thus abruptly ended, Napoleon’s brother, Joseph, gathered up the fragments, had them reassembled, brought the mended vasg with him when he came to the United States, and is said to have re- garded it as one of his most valuable possessions. “During Joseph’s residence at Bor- dentown, N. J., he formed a close friendship w it h Adam David Logan, a leading member of the New York bar and an earnest stu- dent of French his- tory. When Joseph Bona- parte was about to return to France he gave the Napoleon Vase to his friend, Logan, saying: “ want you to take this beautiful memento as a relic of my brother’s greatness and my reflected glory.” “At that time Mr. Logan was en- gaged to be married to a very beautiful member of New York society (Mary Albertus), the sister of a leading inter- ional banker. Mr. Logan gave the ase to his fiancee a: token of their engagement, but he died before the date set for their marriage and she kept the vase for a long time as a remembrance of him. “When the lady’s banker brother died (about 1884), she was left destitute, lie had willed all his property to a person notam ber of his family. The double shock of bereavement and sudden pos undermined the lady’s health, but th family confer- erty physician supported and her until she died about twely (This physic present cared for thereafter. Dr. Huson, vase.) “Before her death, she gave this vase to her owner ysician, as being the dearest expression of her affection and gratitude Copyrignt Cecile Sorel, the famous French tragedienne to whom Dr. Huson would sell the historic and valu- able vase that Napoleon’s brother, Joseph, brought to America after Bonaparte’s downfall for the loving care that had been be- stowed upon her during her long years of illness, and the vase has ever since (for more than thirty years) been in possession of the physician. “Merely to state the royal line of descent of this remarkable vase is to demonstrate that its histor, insepara- bly intertwined with the lives of one of the greatest and one of the greatest men that this world of ours has ever produced. “The Capo di Monte pottery itself where this vase was made had as two of its most enthusiastic workers a King of Naples and his royal consort. In view of the fact that this vase bore women Johnson Features, nc the portrait of and was destined as a gift to one of the greatest women of all time, Catherine the Great of Russia, the con- clusion is unavoidable that the royal potters actually assisted with their own hands in fashioning this royal gift. “Bonaparte strikingly illustrated his determina- tion to crush Austria by shattering this vase which his brother, Joseph, re- garded so highly that he gathered up the frag- ments and brought the re- stored vase with him to this country, although it may be understood that he was able to escape from France with very few personal effects.” Other pages in Dr. Hu- son’s story of the Na- poleon Vase cite the ver- sion of several historians on the dramatic smashing of the vase at the conference at Campo Formio and an affidavit by M. Frederick Savage, a resident of New York City, said tv be an authority on pottery. This affidavit, signed and sworn to be- fore a notary public, sets forth the fol- lowing opinion: . Frederick Savage, sworn, deposes and says: “That he has carefully examined the Capo di Monte vase made to the order of King Ferdinand of Naples and finds that the mark is genuine of the period of 1759-60, the vase being of the highest type of ceramic art of the latter part of the eighteenth century. “The vase was broken by Napoleon Bonapart to emphasize his demands on the Austrian representative at the treaty of Campo Formio, signed October 16, 1797. “The fragments were preserved by Napoleon’s brother, Joseph Bonaparte, and repaired by him as a relic of this celebrated event. “After the fall of Napoleon, Joseph came to America and resided in Borden- town, N. J., bringing the vase with him, It was sold after his death, together with being duly A remarkable photograph of the Napoleon Vase first owned by Catherine the Great of Rus- sia, smashed to bits by Napoleon in a fit of rage and pieced together by his brother. The cracks are plainly noticeable in the famous piece of pot- tery which may go back to Europe Catherine the Great of Russia to whom the Napoleon Vase was given by King Ferdinand of Spain in 1759. Ferdinand is said to have assisted in making the work of art America may soon lose the contents of his residence. Its his- tory can be traced to its present owner, Dr. M. B. Huson. “As a historic relic and a specimen of ceramic art of the eighteenth century this vase is invaluable. In my opinion an equivalent of one hundred thousand ($100,000) dollars could be realized for it if placed at an auction in either Lon- don or Paris, where the competition for historic treasures is keen. “In New York City, if this historic treasure were offered at any high class ;:rt sale during the season, it would ring a high figure, prq e 4 probably over The woman owner of the famous valuable piece of porcelain, the gift of a historic king to a celebrated queen and the object of the tempestnous will of the great Napoleon, wants to return the vase to Europe where it was the center of royal intrigue and favor. *Will Cecil Sorel, the great French tragedienne, or Mlle. Damia accept Dr, Huson’s offer and take the Napoleor; Vase from America where it has re- mained all the years since Joseph Bona- parte brought it here after the fall of his brilliant brother? 23\