The lot number of the Chinese Statue was 103. Read summary of The Chinese Statue
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Sir Alexander Heathcote, a gentleman, had been exact from an early age, as became the only son of a general. But unlike his father, he chose to serve the Queen in the diplomatic service. He progressed from a shared desk at the Foreign Office in Whitehall to third secretary in Calcutta, to second secRead more
Sir Alexander Heathcote, a gentleman, had been exact from an early age, as became the only son of a general.
But unlike his father, he chose to serve the Queen in the diplomatic service. He progressed from a shared desk at the Foreign Office in Whitehall to third secretary in Calcutta, to second secretary in Vienna, to first secretary in Rome, to Deputy Ambassador in Washington and finally to minister in Peking.
When he was invited to China, Sir Alexander Heathcote had taken some considerable time to look through the art of the Ming dynasty. An opportunity to observe in their natural habitat some of the great statues, paintings and drawings was always welcomed by him.
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in the swinging sixties, when casinos opened in Britain, Alex Heathcote was convinced that he had found the ideal way of earning a living without actually having to do any work. He developed a system for playing roulette with which it was impossible to lose. He did lose, so he refined the system andRead more
in the swinging sixties, when casinos opened in Britain, Alex Heathcote was convinced that he had found the ideal way of earning a living without actually having to do any work. He developed a system for playing roulette with which it was impossible to lose. He did lose, so he refined the system and promptly lost more but he didn’t try to stop and work hard to make a living anymore.
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Being an exact man, Sir Alexander Heathcote wrote a long and detailed will in which he left precise instructions for the disposal of his estate, including what was to happen to the little statue after his death. He bequeathed the Emperor Kung to his first son requesting that he do the same, in orderRead more
Being an exact man, Sir Alexander Heathcote wrote a long and detailed will in which he left precise instructions for the disposal of his estate, including what was to happen to the little statue after his death. He bequeathed the Emperor Kung to his first son requesting that he do the same, in order that the statue might always pass to the first son, or a daughter if the direct male line faltered. He also made a provision that the statue was never to be disposed of, unless the family’s honour was at stake.
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According to the old Chinese custom that when a stranger has been generous, one must return the kindness within a calendar year. So in order to reciprocate the old man’s generosity, Sir Alexander Heathcote planned out a surprise for him. First he transferred his funds and then with help and permissiRead more
According to the old Chinese custom that when a stranger has been generous, one must return the kindness within a calendar year. So in order to reciprocate the old man’s generosity, Sir Alexander Heathcote planned out a surprise for him. First he transferred his funds and then with help and permission of the Queen, executed his plan. Almost a year to the day the minister, accompanied by the Mandarin, set out again from Peking for the village of the Ha Li Chuan. On arriving there, he requested the old man to accompany him on a short journey . They travelled for two hours up a thin winding path into the hills behind the craftsman’s workshop and only stopped when they reached a hollow in the hill from which there was a magnificent view of the valley all the way down to Ha Li Chuan. In the hollow stood a newly completed small white house of the most perfect proportions. Two stone lion dogs, tongues hanging over their lips, guarded the front entrance. This was gift, sanctioned by the Queen, given to the old craftsman for his generosity to Sir Alexander.
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The Chinese tradition mentioned by the Mandarin was that when a stranger has been generous, one must return the kindness within the calendar year. Read summary of The Chinese Statue
The Chinese tradition mentioned by the Mandarin was that when a stranger has been generous, one must return the kindness within the calendar year.
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This answer was edited.
The narrator called Sir Alexander Heathcote an exact man because as well as being a gentleman, he was an exact man in his behavior. He was exactly six foot- three and a quarter inches tall, rose at seven o’clock every morning, joined his wife at breakfast to eat one boiled egg cooked for precisely fRead more
The narrator called Sir Alexander Heathcote an exact man because as well as being a gentleman, he was an exact man in his behavior. He was exactly six foot- three and a quarter inches tall, rose at seven o’clock every morning, joined his wife at breakfast to eat one boiled egg cooked for precisely four minutes, two pieces of toast with one spoonful of Cooper’s marmalade and drink one cup of China tea. He would then take a hackney carriage from his home in 11 Cadogan Gardens at exactly eight-twenty and arrive at the Foreign Office at promptly eight-fifty-nine, returning home on the stroke of six o’ clock.
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When the statue finally reached into the hands of Alex Heathcote, he proved out to be a foil to his great grandfather, Sir Alexander Heathcote. Alex turned out to be a selfish, spoiled little brat. He could never hold down a job for a few weeks and when casinos opened in Britain, Alex was convincedRead more
When the statue finally reached into the hands of Alex Heathcote, he proved out to be a foil to his great grandfather, Sir Alexander Heathcote. Alex turned out to be a selfish, spoiled little brat. He could never hold down a job for a few weeks and when casinos opened in Britain, Alex was convinced that he had found the ideal way of earning a living without actually having to do any work. He thought he would solve all his problems by winning but he lost. He kept on losing yet he didn’t stop gambling. Finally the worst came to worst, Alex had gambled away all his money and was in a great debt. To pay back the debt, Alex caved in and decided to sell the family heirloom, the Chinese Statue. It was the “family honour at stake” which compelled him to sell the statue.
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Alexander Heathcote acquired the statue from an old craftsman in China. He was so fond of the statue that he wrote it down in his will that the statue must be passed on generation to generation and mustn’t be sold until and unless the family’s honour was at stake. After his death, his first-born, MaRead more
Alexander Heathcote acquired the statue from an old craftsman in China. He was so fond of the statue that he wrote it down in his will that the statue must be passed on generation to generation and mustn’t be sold until and unless the family’s honour was at stake. After his death, his first-born, Major James Heathcote came into possession of the Ming Emperor. The colonel was not a man to disobey his father so he, too, wrote in his will following his father’s wishes about the heirloom. After the colonel’s death, the statue was bequeathed to his first-born, the Reverend Alexander Heathcote. He admired the Ming statue and before his death remembered to write clear instructions about the statue in his will. It then passed on to Captain James Heathcote, whose untimely death passed the statue into the hands of his then two-year old son, Alex Heathcote. Alex was a good-for-nothing, spendthrift and a selfish person who gambled away all his money. Unable to overcome his debt, he decided to sell the statue as his family’s honour was at stake. This was how the statue found its way to the auction room where the narrator bought it.
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The Chinese Statue, acquired by Sir Alexander Heathcote, was regarded as a family heirloom and was to be always passed on to the first born in the family after Alexander’s death. Fate changed when the statue finally came into the hands of Alex Heathcote, the great-great grandson of Alexander. Alex wRead more
The Chinese Statue, acquired by Sir Alexander Heathcote, was regarded as a family heirloom and was to be always passed on to the first born in the family after Alexander’s death. Fate changed when the statue finally came into the hands of Alex Heathcote, the great-great grandson of Alexander. Alex was a spendthrift who gambled away all his money and to get out of his debt, sold the statue at an auction, from where the narrator bought it.
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