The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-07-24
VERY SHREIVD,
"A bundred-Pound Mefssonier Omar
Story of an American Picture -Buysr I'm

From the Detroit Free Press. ,

m6ln9OnfAF IN
London. ="
From the Detroit Free Press.l
A picture dealer in London told me
story which illustrated the ignorance
OF rich man In art matters. The
story was told me as showing that
Englishmen could be quite as cute az
Americans when they set their minds
to lt. L use 1T to Illustrate another
point. The firm received a MISSIONER
from Paris, and it was to be put on
exhibition next day. 1t was
framed and set up on an easel
III the shop and the price of
1t was to be FL, 800. Through some
error on the part of the clerk a tag
marked tlOO was put on the MISSIONER
while the Il 300 tag went on another
picture. Before the mistake was dis
covered and corrected IN American
bought the picture and had it sent to
his rooms at one of the big hotels.
When the head of the firm found that
his MISSIONER was gone, and gone for
tlOO, he nearly raised the roof. He
gave the clerk who had made the mis-
take OF the tags and the clerk who had
sold the picture to understand that If
the picture WAS not back by the next
day he would expect their sureties to
make up the deficiency. The Young
men were appalled, One Thousand
four hundred pounds divided by two
ls still IN excess OF what the average
young man gets per annum in a Lon
don art store. After abusing each
other roundly for awhile they began
to notice that this did not bring back
the picture. The clerk who put on the
wrong tag finally hit on plan.
The clerk dressed Up in his holiday
suit and called on the American.
81 am the art critic of the Daily
he said, land | was told YOU had
bought a MISSIONER. Would you
mind my looking at it ?"
Not at all, replied the buyer, and he
invited the alleged critic to his rooms.
Got that for $780," he said, way
ing his hand toward the picture.
The critic said nothing, but cyni-
cal smile stole over his face.
whats the matter? Don't you be-
lieve paid the 91OO?"
ooh, | believe you paid the 91OO."
"Well, don't you think it's worth
the money!"
of it's Meissonier-yes.
"H2 Why, the names on the cor
ner."
eyes, it usually is"
'But l bought it from Frames & Co.
Aren't they good firm ?'
"Oh, yes. Ii you have a certificate
from Frames &C.,, signed by the firm,
that it is a genuine MISSIONER, then
you have great bargain. Still Meis-
soniers are not selling in London this
season for f100."
81 haven't any certificate"
"AhW
Don't you believe it's q Nelson
Ter? If you think it isn't, why hang
it, say So"
'Now, | won't say whether there is
Meissonier or not, but / will tell
what | would do if / were you. /
would take that picture back to
Frames & Co. | would find the per-
son who sold it to me, and would
say-quietly-I believe it is customa-
ry to give certificate, signed by the
tirm-signed by the firm, mind-that
it is what it is claimed to be- If the
young man doesn't remember you the
chances are that he will admit such to
be the custom. Then produce your
picture and say that you would be
obliged to have that certified Meis-
sonier. Don't be put off by his word
that 1t is so and so, or by any bluff
about the standing of the house, its
reputation and all that. Insist on
the document. Ii he refuses demand
your e10O, and if he refuses that
threaten suit, and ! imagine you will
get your money"
"That's business" said the Ameri-
can. "Come with me, will your
"Now," said the critic, when they
were in the hanson, 81 don't care to
appear in this matter. Frames is a
good fellow personally, and always
claims that it his 1ascally clerks that
make these little mistakes. I'll stay
in the hanson while you 60 inside"
When Dives, with the picture under
his arm, came in and recognized and
was recognized by the clerk who sold
it to him, the latter became pale with
excitement, and almost tainted with
thefear that he would not act his part
as well as the other fellow had evident
ly acted his.
81 see you know me-" cried the
purchaser, "dn9 pr'han'y gOa know
why I've come back"
Haven't the slightest idea, pom
my soul | haven't, +" said the clerk, with
his teeth chattering.
ooh, yes, you have. | can see you
have. Now" placing the picture on
the easel, with the wrapping removed,
and shaking his finger at it, ''you said
that was q MISSIONER. All right. |
want written certificate to that ef-
feet"
81 beg pardon, but it isn't usual to
give that"
81 happen to know that it is"
"Only in exceptional cases, sir"
"Well, this is an exceptional case"
every sorry, sir, but we can't do 1t
in this instance"
"Well, sir, I'll tell you what you can
do, sir-what you must do, sir. You
give me back my f1OO, and be darned
quick about it, do you hear?"
When the American came back to
the hanson he said:
"See that" showing the crisp bank
notes. ~ got back my f10O."
"Thank God" said the critic devout-
ly, and doubtless the American won
ders to this day why a stranger took
such intense interest In keeping him
from being cheated.