5 JANUARY 1929, Page 30

Anyone who cares for old silver should not fail to

secure the admirable Catalogue of the loan exhibition of silver plate belonging to the Oxford colleges which was held last term (Clarendon Press, 10s. 6d.). The colleges loyally melted down most of their plate to fill King Charles's war chest in the Civil War, but they possess some wonderful mediaeval and Tudor silver and a great amount of post- Restoration English work of the finest sort. Mr. W. W. Watts indicates in a good essay the main features of a wonderful collection, and there are seventy-three photographs. Even Oxford dons must have been surprised at the variety and excellence of the college plate.