The Livery Companies And Art Treasures.

THE LIVERY COMPANIES AND ART TREASURES .

LIKE many others , Ave think tbe folloAving account of tbe recent exhibition at the Mansion House , by the Avise invitation and with the wonted hospitality of our distinguished Bro . the Lord Mayor , Sir F . Truscott , J . G . W . of England , ought to be preserved in tbe Masonic Magazine . We haA'e to thank onr contemporaries the Times , City Press , Standard , Daily News , and tbe Antiquary , for their clear and interesting notice . Tbe subject was alluded to as fully in tbe Freemason .

THE companies represented Avere tbe Armourers and Braziers , the Barber-Surgeons , the Blacksmiths , Broderers , Butchers , Carpenters , Clockmakers , Clothworkers , Coaclxmakers , Cooks , Coopers , Cordwainers , Cutlers , Distillers , Drapers , Fanmakers , Goldsmiths , Grocers , Haberdashers , Innholclers , Ironmongers , Joiners , Leathersellers , Mercers , Merchant-Taylors , Needlemakers , Painter-stamers , Pewterers , Saddlers , Salters , Shipwrights , Skinners , SpectaclemakersStationersTallow-chandlersTilers and BricklayersVintnersand

, , , , , Weavere . * Tbe Fishmongers' Company were the only prominent guild unrepresented . Tbe articles comprised magnificent loving-cups , punchbowls , tankards , epergnes , flagons , ladles , rose-Avater dishes , salt-sellers , coffee-pots , ewei's , snuff-boxes , apostle spoons , and beadles' staves . In the centre of the Egyptian Hall stood a great glass shoAV-case , in and on Avhich Avere . disposed the plate in use at tbe Mansion House , Corporation plate , and picked specimens

from the more massive articles sent b y tbe Companies , the result being a really wonderful trophy of gold and silver Avork . The gems of this collection were the wonderful helmet-shaped eiver and the great salver , both lent by the Goldsmiths' Company , of Paul Lamerie , and tbe best examples of the goldsmith's work . Tbey are of the elate 1741 , a century at least later than the bulk of the articles exhibited , ancl the style of art is more ornate and showy than that of the AA'ork of the older smiths ; but in workmanshi p it yields to

none , and there is a boldness ancl a vigour AA'hich pdace the salver ancl ewer quite alone among tbe many hundreds of pieces of massive plate . The Corporation exhibited a number of charters granted by the Kings of England , commencing Avith tAvo charters of William I ., and including the charter of King John granting the shrievalty of London ancl Middlesex to the citizens of London , and dated 1199 . A second charter of King John , dated 1214 granting tbe citizens of London the ri ght to elect their Mayor was also

, shown . Amongst the other objects of historical interest were books , pictures , and drawings of old Loudon ; autographs , including a deed signed by Sbakspeare ; and an account of the christenings ancl deaths during the year of pestilence , 1665 . The Corporation also exhibited the City jewelled sceptre , tendered to Sovereigns on the occasion of Royal visits to the City ; the City purse , symbol of tbe cash of the City ; and the plate in use at the Mansion

House . The Bohemian astrological clock , fabricated at Prague by Jacob Zecb , A . D . 1525 , was lent b y the Societ y of Antiquaries . The Barber-Surgeons ' Company appear to haA'e launched into the luxury of silver plate at an earlier epoch than did most of the other corporate bodies , or , if it did not do so , it has at least been more fortunate in preserving its distinct plate . The grace cup and cover , silver-gilt , presented to the Company by Henry VIII . ( hallmarked 1523 ) , and the Royal oak cup ancl cover , in silver , presented to them