The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-01-08
manitomoe pilot.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1885.
Indian CuriOsities.

Anew leisure moments of q representa-
tive of the Day were improved this
forenoon in looking over the array of
Indian articles of warfare, toilet, lux
ury and general utility, exhibited for
sale in the show windows of a popular
business house of St. Paul. There
were war-clubs, tomahawks, bows and
arrows, necklaces of elk's teeth and
bear claws, stone pipes and moccasins
OF every description, so arranged as to
attract the attention of the relic hunter.
Where do you get those things?"
| inquired the Day representative.
We'll, said the merchant. 1--WE get
them from Indians, trappers. post
traders and sometimes from amateur
travellers and adventures who have
started out on small means. and after
reaching St. Paul, on their way home
from the West, find it necessary to sell
their relics, in order, sometimes, to OBJ
tain meal. 1t is astonishing how
many people 60 West thinking they
will make a speculation in procuring
Indian toys and selling them in st.
Paul. These people usually find it
hard to sell their specimens at any
price.
Post traders and trappers often
come to st. Paul expecting to realize
handsome profits, but they are gener-
ally disappointed l remember trap
per who came to my store four or five
years ago trying to sell me rare spec
linen of Indian workmanship. He
stated that it was made by one of an
extinct tribe, and the only relic left as
d memento of the race. l learned af-
terward that he had tried to sell it to
several dealers both in St. Paul and
Minneapolis, but had failed. He had
started out asking the exorbitant sum
OF $500 for the specimen, but had
knocked off at each successive store
until the price asked was only SO.
looked at the man moment and lis
tened to his story, about the rarity of
him: My friend, that's very pretty
story you're telling; but you see !
shan't be able to make any one swallow
it, and the fact is I'll have hard work
to get 20 cents for the trinket.
"'Well, hang it, said he, give me
drink of whisky and take the cussed
thing. This is the only house in the
Nor west that haven't tried to sell it
to, and I'm broke and dry as powder
horn. Take it along, stranger, and
gimme drink, quick and call the deal
squar.' l gave the man good flask of
whisky and cigar, and he wandered
off apparently happy"
"'Well. how much did you get for
the toy?n
''Oh, happened to De in luck" said
he, with twinkle in his eve; IAN En-
glish lord came along, and | told him the
story | had learned from the trapper,
and think | got about $3.50 for the
specimen.
do you sell many of these goods?"
Yes. a good many; but nearly as
many to Americans as | do to Euro
peans. OF course, Eastern people buy
them; but we nave to be very moderate
in our prices in order to sell to this
class. We can get fancy prices for TIE
goods from Europeans, and particular
ly from English and Scotch people.
During the summer season our sales
upon these goods to Europeans amount
up to thousands of dollars, while to the
Americans they scarcely reach into the
hundreds"
''Are these goods genuine-that is,
made by Indians for their own use?"
''Well, no; not all of them. A large
portion is made by the Indians express
ly to sell to white people. Such goods
would never answer the purposes of an
Indian"
Here the merchant showed the differ
| ence between practical war club and
a fancy one, a practical tomahawk and
a poetical one. The Indians, half
| breeds and some of the frontier whites
make many of these toys expressly to
sell" said the doctor. But then, you
see, 1T S not necessary to mention thatfact
to foreigners. The cheats bring about
as big price as the genuine articles"
st. Paul Day.