The sun., 1883-11-04
ARTISTIC ODDITIES.
Tricks or Bric-a-brae Mshers-Celieetors
who vaiue Only tho FnntastieaLi

"The customers who visit US most fre-
auently." remarked a dealer in bric-a-brao.
are those who have a passion for the quaint
and odd In art playthings. We aro careful to
call their attention at once to any oddity we
may pick up. Each OF them seems to infer
that no alone has had q sight OF 1t. and II we
can show that 1t is as unique as 1t Ia odd we
do not have to wait long for a customer
DO you often meet with articles which arc
really uniquop"
No. we do not. Practically. in this busi-
ness. an article Is suni1ue when. tho demand for
1t not being large. we do not ofton run across
1t. People often believe. II they have bronze
article differing In some striking point from
others Of the sort that it Is the only ono OF It's
kind. They do not know that elastic moulds
are used for certain kinds of quaint bric-a-
brac. The maker casts his first figure as the
mould stands: then by altering tho mould
slightly after each cast he produces q large va
riety Of figures, Some makers do not use
OF their specialties and ship them 70 various
points in assorted lots. not permitting more
nan dnzen Of kind to go ,S any
"A man showed me one Of these Quaint and
The Morning BI,h agd r,S tic IrGnze Y, was WAS
been dug up in the Campagna. Incrustations
of soil we're to be seen here and there; the
metal was oshzea ,h in paSss ,hn and yGrasr
Of to-day. the soil was of New York origin. and
the s ss and ry If
little bronze was the fact that y boy In tho
piece had the legs OF a satyr. Otherwise the
design. qualify which would have ruined it
for searcchers OF The queer in art.
healthy ones Not when il is .carriei as far as
it Is by those who make it n specially l hnd a
SY hs spsy s hsS b in art baT wn a1d
my window very curious old print of Abra-
ham and Isaac. on account Of slip Of the
enormously large, as to interfere with the
solemn nature of his intentions touching his
by this | PICTURE H hsi at proSiSitory @ pree
So. He 5eterlnipcd ned to buy the Print and de-
p9.ted s23 on it. begging G me to hold it for hm
has been bnyins ~ things Hing of Rat a~ daS nd ever
Aman used to sell old snufl boxes 10 dates
him large metal bowl. which he still regards
as the gem of his collection. 1t Is n basin about
animals who are engaged in swallowing each
other; whale with his tail bent upward 80
as to f form RI, haGdG is taking in crocodile
donkey; the latter animal is making way with
gorilla. who is siraning. every nerve to swal
to goose who Il sojbiine p up p" i1 snake. IKE who Who
consoles himself by hoisting in a frog. A young
which is written: 'Ye big fishes swallow ye
little This piece cost its owner 81. 800.
This person had an old punch bowl OF
Yungchlng ware. on the edges of which there
sat astride number OF curious figures in
appeared about topplng over into the howl
another had fallen over on the outside. but was
preserving his neck by hang ng with one too
caught on tho edge OF the article
Another OF my old customers carod most
for oddities which included some kind OF a
Fighting Their idea of u knock out was
pulling each other around by the ears. which
which he paid $500. This man had a little old
baintng which was more than quaint or odd.
II Ihe design. MS It appeared three het away: WAS
dressed. was charmed with the effect. and
withdrew for better perspective. As moved
away. tho magnited draperies merged into a
dull mass Of color. and / could distinguish
through all the tlnery the bones Of a skeleton
occupying the place of the figure. II was a
very skilfll piece Of painting, and cost the
owner 81. 700. He bought it in Antwerp"