The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-08-16
The Trade In Wedding Presents.

THE New York World of q recent date
copies from daily of that city jewel.
er's advertisement, offering to purchase or
make exchange for duplicate wedding
presents, and says:
A World reporter called upon Mr..
Johnston yesterday at his store, and
found him willing to talk. A jeweler
by trade, Mr.. Johnston is q man of
many resources, and one who brides
himself upon his knowledge of human
nature. He is, moreover, q man of good
education, and entertained Walt Whitman
at his house when he was in this city. In
answer to the reporters inquiries Mr..
Johnston said that the jewelry business is
dull just now, but the traffic in "duplicate
wedding presents" is particularly lively.
He receives numerous answers to his I'd
vertiscment, some of them from people
we'll known in society; he visits them at
their houses, appraises their goods and
buys them if they wish to sell.
"What do you pay for goods and how p
asked the reporter.
"FOr silverware," was the reply, :"
,,ay by the ounce, say from 81 to g an
ounce. For jewelry I pay what / con-
slider fair market price, according to the
value of the articles. What do do with
my purchases? Why, I sell them again,
either to the customers of my store or to
dealers at small advance on the purchase
price, and always for less than they could
possibly be bought for in the regular way.
Here, for example, Is q fine silver kettle
bought at half its actual value and put in
the window. Yesterday one of the firm
that made it called and offered to buy it ri
my own price. He said he did not want
it kicking around town with his mark on
it. Here is lot of silver which recently
figured among the presents ct fashions
BILE wedding. 1t cost $3.50, and weighs
$50 ounces. paid $500 for it, and will
sell it tor $3.50. And here il solid sil.
yer tea set that cost 500, and l can sell
it for $40 and make good profit"
"What class of people sell their wed.
ding presents ?"
"All classes, especially in these times
Money Is too valuable TO be locked up in
useless silver kettles and urns that you
have to pay for keeping in . safe deposit
company. Whenever I read of . stylish
wedding somewhere, look ct the list OF
presents, and know that shall have q
customer before long. They al claim to
sell only duplicate presents, Of course. II
is none Of my business to ask where the
duplicates are. I buy whatever can sell
at q profit, Voila tout. OF course, my
business is confidential; I am q silent
a. the tomb. I have to be, for mutual
confidence u IN essential Of the business. u
A recent purchase Of Mr.. Johnston's il
beautiful pearl necklace, which, he
says, recently adorned the neck of bride
whose marriage was . society sensation;
another IL pair of bracelets valued in the
market at 81 200, and still another il IN
eightcarat diamond, for which he ask
$1,000. "You have no idea Of Tie ex-
tent of this business" said he, showing
these articles: why, there are families
in this city who have been living, evel
since the panic Of 1873, upon their rlate
and jewelry, and keeping up appearances,
too. See that solid silver pitcher; thai
was presented, years ago, to . well.know
gentleman By A. T. Stewart, william l.,
Astor, Brown Fr0theGs and Others. &c
died some time ago, and the pitcher passed
into the hands Of some relatives or friends
who got hard-up, and hare it 10. ! win