Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-25
HUNTING FOR OLD FURNITURE.
The Difficulties Which Dealers I'm An.
tiques Have to Keep up Supply
New England Completely Worked Out
Supplies Obtained from the south.

"When the craze for antique furniture and
bric-a-brac first became epidemic, we thought
like other diseases. it would sweep over the
country and then stop all Of a sudden" The
dealer was seated on a chair which, he said, used
to belong to Benjamin Franklin, and he directed
his remarks to a STAR reporter. who was ad.
mring himself in q long glass that swung over
curious old dressing case before which Presi.
dent Buchanan used to make his bachelor
toilet.
1--WE thought SO, and bought and sold oul
goods as quickly as possible, but We were mis-
taken. 1t has remained with us. 1t Is LONG
since an old story, how we mined into the pas,
for relics OF our fOrefathers, but the curious
thing is that we are still at 1t and the demand
is great The mines are not all exhausted
though many of them have given out. New
England used to be the great place to search
for old scraps of furniture and chinaware, az
nearly every New England family of any pre-
tentions has something that was brought over
In the MaytlOwer. The stock for sale lasted
pretty well but has given out at last. and man
with an appetite for the antique would starve
has anything TO sell unless it's Imitation. But
they will buy. They are our best customers.
The field there has been completely worked out,
and Maryland. The richest deposits are now
to be found in those states and some places fur
ther south. The relies of the war-wreckcd south
will be shut Off as the old family pride comes
back with their retrieved fortunes and they be.
gin again to attach some value to the relics o
their former glory. The election OF u deinoI
cratic President has tendency to make these
things harder To get and If it not fer the civil
service law we would soon not be able to get any.
But there are still many rare antique pieces
to be found scattered here and there, some in
the possession of negroes and some held by
members OF the good old families who, in their
struggle with adversely have ceased to attach
any value to things OF this sort, or have learned
their value only to offer them in the market.
Here have u letter from a member of the Lee
ia a oil
table, with rich Mosaic top, which they would
like to sell. judge 1t is q very rare thing. 1t
years ago, by some Of their ancestors. Virginia
Is rich in things of this kind but as have said,
they are SD scattered and SO little valued that
1t takes considerable prospecting to find them.
This Is an Off season for selling. Folks don't
buy In hot weather, and we don't have such q
fine collection on hand; We keep an eye about
hand. The trade is always good in the fall.''
You seem to admire that glass;"
with ssRsa the scribe sse sada
was? It's very becoming"
not noticing the scribe's embarrassment. rare
you fond OF i ota ansssI'
ued the dealer, pointing to ' plain mahogany
desk, with spindle legs and formed on the seq.
ment of, Of circle that was one Of the INST
sat at It, but 1t was used by one OF the architects
of our government. That sofa was in Henry
Clay's Committee room. Yes, he used to lie on
1t. Most of the lying he did as the Capitol was
there. Yes, we get some curious old things,
but their value lies greatly In their having 4
history. That curious old cabinet, with gold
crowned corinthian columns, was built over
three hundred years ago to hold the valuableS
OF some old Masonic lodge in Germany. It
days All the locks and hinges you see are
hammered and hand made"
The scribe was again twisting his moustache
before Buchanan's glass, and the dealer LETT him
to answer the questions OF q lady who wanted
to know what sort Of q furniture store he kept