The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-13
AUCTION ON MURRAY HILL.
Selling the Household Furniture Of n Late
Collector Of the Parf Of New York.

|
The Messrs. Leavitt, auctioneers, adver-
tlsed the sale of the household furniture belong
ina TO Thomas Murphy, late Collector Of the
Port. Ia bis homo at SO West Thifty-ninth street
| yesterday. IL should have been B,st Thirty
ninth street. The three hundred tn person tn I
rung the bell at the house wrongly advertised
was astonished to see the door dy open aud dts
close a wrathfu maid servant, whose eyes flash ed
| fire as she i'd "'raint this house at all. I'm
kert mindnG the door TIL Pm sick Of the sound
OF the bell. Mr.. Murphy don't live here at all (;
| he lives the other side of Fifth avenue. Cant
yer see there's no auction herer' The nrst story
| Of the house wherein the auction was really
| taking place wus crowded from the rear wall TO
| the lowest OF the front steps, and women
screamed and fought for breathing room and
| men swore and pushed and strugse ed as they d o
In The Stock Exchange on a busy day. The auc-
iinneer, at tine foot Of the great wide staircase,
strained his lungs and his patience 10 trying TO
| watchch In and looked like a man VINO was try
ing to seem Indifferent and couldn't when.
ever lull In the struggling and cushing occurred
some one asked, why IL Tom hurpny selling
outT The answer ALWAYS came, Hes hard
pushed for money. lie lost his fortune In real
| estate speculatioas."
| he careful REL orter needed an authority be-
| fore he would make any such record on his
note book. aud as ne saw Mr.. Ell Perkins, the
M ost veraciOus historian Of modern times,
piouRnina ms tow rd the fr9nt door, he IN
! Hes strdpped--ain't got n damned cont"
| said the historian. and al who heard him knew
| finally md beyond dispute why the sale was
made.
ov,r the waving heads ef the multitude on
| everv hand were immense mirrors. cut-giass
chandelier, rare old pictures, and costly
bronzss. Out of sight, but yielding rest to tired
feet. we're T. ok, 80 carpets that A: =. Stewart
| selected and purchased at MIR. hurphy's special
quest. one OF these containing sixt,-hve
! iquaro rds, and purchased for more than
| thousand dolltia, was sold to Fifth avenue
gentleman for t2,0 Hypher and Heckler md
Harper, VINO keep furniture ana art stores, were
the largest purchasers. and To them were
| knocked down rare statuettes, pictures, pedes-
| tails, ind costly furniture. at fdbulousiy low
| rates.
| bought tlack walnut hatstand. IL feet high,
that cost $500. Tor $40 :lMOzeres famous marble
statue OF viRil Of hizDah. for which Mr.. Murphy
paid $500, ne bought r fl,uO: and OF pictures,
he purchased for t2i0 ianuscape ana cattle, by
II. y lvry, Brussels a winner scene, by Hart
wicke; two Indian scenes, bv an unknown
artist; and crayon that Mr.. Murphv has never
| allowed to be duplicated-pctures that we're
worth nearer 5000. A dealer got CbickerinR
grand plano for $3.50 John Bnmons. the rich
gruoe., bought a beautiful bronze Venus Tor
| tl05, for which Mr. Murphy paid 500; and a Mr..
Brewster, for f1b5, bought two beautiful bronze
vases that Mr.. 1iffanv said were the finest ne
| ever Imported. my wife begged me not TO sell
them" said Mr.. Murphy, half to himself and
| half aloud. l.. NJ. Bates Of AL broadway paid
| only $3.50 for an angel in marble, by Miss steb
| bins Of Rome.
| The arAndest piece OF furniture in the house.
an etaeere OF rosewood and gold, 10 feet high
| and feet wide, went to dealer for $3.50 II
cost 5000. A cabinet OF rosewood ana ebony,
with bronze panels, mirror. and PEDESTAL
went 70 DR.. Henry for $500. Mr.. Murphy said II
cost t2 90.
| Mr.. Murpby said, sadi, " IL cost 900 to buy
this furniture, aud ts all going for quarter Of
the SUM-" Once, wnen $50 was bid Tor "A rare old
painting, that cost tS,OOJ and again, when a del
about to 90 for $40, the auctiooeer lost his tenn
per, and ordered tue things put by.