Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-19
ROGUs RRIC-A.BRAC.
How Relics are Made and Imposed Upon
CreduIous MiIIionaires.

Credulous MiIIionaires.
AsIwas going into the Wardour street
shop Of an acquaintance who deals in
bric-a-brac, says a London letter, 1 was
passed by a rough looking man max
ing a rapid exit. My friend was in pas
sion. OF course, 1 inquired the reason.
did you see that wretch leaving as
you entered:'
Yes"
'sWell, he's the worst fraud in England
in the matter of curios."
''Ah! inyents bogus bric-a-brac, does
hep l gently inquired.
$40, but he's the agent for those who
make it in France and Spain and try 70
foist 1t on the dealers here"
Show has the man rufHed your l
asked.
"Ruffied. Why, this is the second time
ne has tried to play bad business on me"
said the dealer. You know what a
diptych is, don't you -
l confessed l did not.
s'Well.'' said the dealer in old trash, ga
diptyeh is a couple Of ivory tablets put
together, and they were used by the old
Greeks to write upon"
Nv hats the good Of 'em:
They're cu-iOsities." he replied.
There are few in existence. The British
Museum has two, said 10 have been in use
in the time Of Moses"
"Did that old guy get one Of them?'' 1
asked.
"Why, that old guy, as you call him, is
rolling in money! said the dealer.
"a piece Of rare brlc-a-brac himself
them" 1 remarked. s'You wouldn't
think these things, human or otherwise,
one meets in your place. are worth any
thing at all, and yet they command for
tunes-fr0m fools"
THAT man who Just left" continued the
dealer, ''came here a year ago. and with
great secrecy produced from under his
coat what seemed to be a rare diptych.
He wanted $500 for it. I'd bought It If ne
had said $500, but $500 was like Offering
Buckingham palace for the price of a
villa. This made me suspicious. / ex-
amined it closely, and found il a patch
work Of carved ivory, but the work was
new, and consequently bogus. l said
nothing, but refused to buy. The man,
who is a good actor, begged that would
not betray him, saying that he had stolen
ii from a monastery in Pavia."
you didn't buy %
NO"
''Then why this rage:"
''Wel, only two weeks ago 1 was sent
for by millionaire to value some prop
eTty he had bought in SaxOny. I went to
his residence, and the first thing my eyes
III on was this bogus dIptych, Which my
disreputable visitor had mauaeed 70 sell
at last, thus cutting into my business
IBID you betray the fraud:"
mo; that would discourage the mil
lOnaire all through, and the genuine
bric-a-bTac trade would anguish"
land that fraudulent dealer:"
"Oh, haC il out with him. He came
back to-day, as you saw. This time he
had a twisted sword, manufactured in
Sheffield, which he wanted to sell as an
old Damascus blade, but I gave him a
piece Of my mind, and he was glad TO
skip"
But he'll sell the Damascus blade,
suppose:7 said 1.
"Of course he viii, and to the same
millionaire, my old customer, perhaps,
and l dare not show him up. Isn't it an
Outrage?" exclaimed my furious friend.
1 did not feel much pity for him, but
heard enough TO entertain a wholesome
suspicion Of the integrity and antiquity
Of old curiOs, and this conversation may
be turned to profitable account by Ameri-
cans who are bric-a-brac hunting in
Europe at the present moment. TeT5um
set SeDieRti.