Art: Mayfair Lady Missing

Since last month the ist Lady of Minto has been missing from her accustomed place in London’s Mayfair district. Her place is in the art gallery of Victor Gilbert Lariston Garnet Murray-Kynnyn-mond Elliott, the present (5th) Earl of Minto. Done in the 18th century by the masterful brush of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the ist Lady of Minto’s value as last estimated was anywhere up to $150,000. When the theft was discovered His Grace posted a reward of $10,000 for the capture of the thief, the return of his ancestress.

Scotland Yard last fortnight announced that, with such a thief at large, extra precautions were being taken to guard the treasures of Buckingham Palace. Scotland Yard added the following: the logical, probable market for the lady’s sale would be the U. S.; “There are plenty of American millionaires who would pay $50,000 for a picture they knew to be worth far more—and ask no questions.”

Last week a tip along England’s grapevine telegraph sent a cable hurrying to Manhattan. New York police wired Boston port officials. Scotland Yard had heard that the Lady of Minto had been, was being, or would be, smuggled into the U. S. via Boston.

The thief has been plundering London’s West End homes of art treasures since early summer. He is apparently a cosmopolite, a socialite, an aristocrat. He steals only valuable and famed paintings. He filches mainly during socialite functions. Garden parties are his forte. He made off with a Van Dyck—Feddinand the Cardinal—while guests of Lord Clarendon gossiped over their cups on the lawn. At the Earl of Minto’s home, besides the Reynolds, he helped himself to $100.000 worth of the Countess of Minto’s jewels.

Art and $$

Quarrels over esthetic values in art are older than Aristotle. Almost as old are squabbles between artists and dealers over monetary values—prices, commissions. Much headway may never be made in deciding relative esthetics, but last week was taken a notable step towards settling artistic money wrangles.

From the Manhattan office of President Frederic Newlin Price of the American Art Dealers Association came announcement of a model contract, defining rights and privileges of dealers and artists. Executive committees representing the Dealers Association and the American Artists Professional League drew up the agreement, agreed to abide by it. Long a worker for such an agreement was the late William Sherman Potts, president of the American Society of Miniature Painters. For as Dealer Price observed: “It is time the art business should be put on a business basis. A generation ago it was a gamble. That is not so any longer. Now it is a definite business, so recognized by the banks.”

Chief item of the new code pertains to reorders of portraits originally secured through dealers. The contract stipulates: on reorders commissioned by clients within one year after completion of the first portrait and on orders traceable to paintings contracted for through a dealer, the dealer receives full commission. During the second year the dealer’s commission on reorders shall be four-fifths of the original rate; in the third year, three-fifths ; in the fourth, two-fifths; after that, nothing. If misunderstandings arise, artist and dealer will submit their case to arbitration. The pact recommends, does not stipulate, that the art dealer’s commission shall vary “with the prominence and reputation of the artist and may range from 20% to 50%. For ordinary transactions, 33⅓% is recommended.” (Famed: artists pay less commission to dealers than un-knowns.) All contracts are to be drawn up and signed by both parties,* the price and commission stipulated and changeable only upon written consent of both.

“Proper Place”

“There will always be abundant room for outdoor advertising in its proper place, but that proper place is the commercial districts of towns and cities, and not the American countryside.”

So last week announced the American Institute of Architects, officially joining the Save-the-Scenery movement. From Manhattan appeals to 70 member societies were issued. All Architects were urged to enlist local booster clubs, civic authorities, most of all to exhort state legislatures, in whose province lie curtailment powers. At the same time William Stanley Parker of Boston was named by the Institute to aid a test case, expected to prove a precedent, now pending before the U. S. Supreme Court, in which the Massachusetts Billboard Law Defense Committee hopes to determine whether property can be constitutionally regulated.

*Heretofore, verbal “gentlemen’s agreements” have been customary. Often they have led to law suits such as Manhattan Portrait Painters Gallery, Inc. v. Howard Chandler Christy (TIME, Aug. 18).