Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-05-15
OLD GOLD AND SILVER.
How the Melting Pot Is Supplied viii
Precious Metals.

How the Melting Pot Is Supplied with
Precious Metals.
BEST prices paid for old gold and
silver is sign that can be seen from
the windows OF Third avenue elevated
cars, painted over the door of gloomy
looking shop not far from the entrance
to the East River bridge, A reporter
entered this place one day last week,
and as he did SO a cracked-voiced bell
over the door made such q jangling
that il woke up a red-headed parrot on
perch behind the counter and made
him screech in sympathy. A little.
elderly man. the proprietor of the
shop, then came forward to inquire the
visitors errand. The reporter ex-
planned that he wished to find out what
sort of people sold old gold and silver
and what kind of articles they had for
sale.
There are so many kinds Of people
who deal with me-" said the shop
keeper, "that | have never attempted
to classify them. My customers are
rarely from the weather. classes. You
would naturally reply, OF course not, )
but wealthy people become pressed for
money at times, and when they do
their jewelry or plate generally goes
first. The pawnshops get more OF thi
class of trade than we do, for pawn
brokers will pay more us u rule. There
is one characteristic of my patrons
which is very noticeable, and that is
that all of them invariably believe
they should get twice as much for their
articles as they are worth. They al.
most always sell, but generally look
as if they thought they were being
cheated. We sometimes get hold OF
articles the workmanship of which is
exquisite, costing originally many
times more than the metal itself I'm.
less, however, we are pretty confident
that we can sell them at good price
on account Of their beauty and antiqui-
ty, they go into the melting-pot with
the rest. Once in Il while keep an
article which it seems almost pity to
melt. Such one is the scabbard of
sword which gentleman brought in
here one day. 1t is solid silver, and
most beautifully engraved and chased.
He told me that it was a family heir
loom, which had descended to him
from his t-great-grandfather Alb
solute necessity compelled him TO part
with it, he added but he begged me to
keep it awhile, as he hoped to be able
TO redeem it. He seemed TO feel
so strongly about it that | prom
Used. but he has never been after it.
although ii was five years ago that he
brought it here. paid him about $50
for it. its value rs old silver although
il must have cost between 800 and
$500. | suppose / shall melt il up be-
fore long now"
''Do you keep intact much of the
stuff you buy?'
Not much Sometimes "a friend
asks us to save Il set of spoons or forks
for him; but usually every thing goes
into the melting pot. Sometimes, in
buying lot of ola silver. plated ar
ticle' are mixed in among the real. but
we are not often deceived that way.
| can tell you, though. that some of
the plated spoons our grandmothers
used would almost take in an expert,
50 thickly are they coated with silver.
They made things to last in those
days, you know"
How can you tell whether an article
is silverp"
''By its weight, principally, and its
general appearance. When one has
handled gold and silver for any length
of time, it is pretty hard to deceive
him. Gold articles are tested with
acids Most of our customers are men
that is to say, they are the ones who
bring us any considerable quantities.
Women naturally bring more jewelry
but, even when they have that to dis
pose of, they will send "a man with it
in nine cases out Of ten. IN. Y. Even.
inc Post