Mountain Home bulletin. (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1888-1889, 1889-04-13
OLD GOLD AND SILVER.
How the Melting Pot IL Supplied with
Precious Metals.

''Best prices paid for old gold and
silver" is a sign that can be seen from
the windows of Third avenue elevated
cars, painted over the door Of u 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 Il cracked-voiced bell |
over the door made such jangling |
that 1t woke up Il red-headed parrot on
Il 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 cx-
planned that he wished to find out W hat
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 wealthier classes You
would naturally reply, 'Ot course not
but wealthy people become pressed for
money ut 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 rs 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. Tn.
less, however, we are pretty confident
that we can sell them at a good price
, on account OF their beauty and antiqui
| ty, they go into the melting-pot will
the rest. Once in a while l keep al
article which it seems almost IA pity t
melt Such one is the scabbard OF q,
sword which gentleman brought il
here one day. 1t is solid silver, ant
. most beautifully engraved and chased
He told me that it was a family heir
loom, which had descended to hin
! from his great -grcat-grandfather Alb
I, solute necessity compelled him to par
: with it, he added, but he begged me t.
9 keep it awhile. as he hoped to be abl
!. ! TO redeem it. He seemed to fee
o so strongly about it that l prom
t ised but he has never been after ii
!. although it was five years ago that h
Q brought it here. paid him about SS
i for it, its value rs old silver, although
it must have cost between 800 an,
;, $500. l suppose shall melt it up be
fore long now."
..Do you keep intact much of tn
, stuff you buyP'
:. Not much Sometimes a fricn
asks us to save II set of spoons or fork
= for him; but usually every thing goe
! into the melting pot Sometimes, i
buying Il lot OF old silver, plated al
= ticleI are mixed in among the real, bu
= we are not often deceived that way
! can tell you, though. that some {
= the plated spoons our grandmother
used would almost take in an exper
:, SO thickly are they coated with silver
They made things to last in thos
= days, you know"
.How can you tell whether an artic
:, is silverp"
- "By its weight. principally, and i
: general appearance. When one h;
handled gold and silver for any lengt
% of time, it is pretty hard to decei'
II him. Gold articles are tested wit
:. acids Most OF our customers are me
= that is to say, they are the ones WI
:, bring us any considerable quantitie
!. !. Women naturally bring more jcwelry
~ but. even when they have that to di
= pose Of they will send "A man with
. in nine cases out OF ten. IN. Y. Eve
m ing Post.