Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-08
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
DISTRIBUTING ACCOMMODATIONS AND
REDUCING THE SURPLUS
Rich Folks Weary OF Keeping SiIverware.
How They Dispose of It-Dupiicate We'd
Woman Paid for Her Diyoroe

NEW York, Tho manager OF one
Of the large safe deposit institutions says that
there is very much less silverware stored in
the vaults under his charge now than there
was ten years ago, and he has reason to be-
heve that this is the fact in all similar places
In New York. He says: II do not suppose
that there is any less silverware in the COM
munity than there used to he On the CON
trary. know that there is more, But it is
more distributed now than it was formerly.
There are fewer large accommodations by
wealthy families You see the cere Of
quantity Of valuable silver is "A serious matter.
Ii kept at home it is temptation to theft by
servants, and an almost irresistible induce
ment to burglars If put in storage in a safe
depoeit vault, only to be withdrawn for dis
play upon state occasions, n heavy expense is
incurred And that expense, running on from
year to year, mounts up rapidly to big total,
and in time Is likely TO make the owner very
weary OF It. ! know Of several wealthy
families who have disposed of tiss bulk OF their
slverware-thousands of dollars worth in
each instance-just TO put stop to storage
expenses How do they dispose of itf Well,
there arc several possible ways, II can
always be given away, but that I not popu-
lar method. 1t may be sent TO the melting
pot, as knew was done by one gentleman
who had old fashioned notions about his
personal belongings and things that had been
presents to him passing into the hands of
strangers; but It seems pity to convert into
dull bars Of metal, worth only eighty-f1ve
cents per ounce objects that exquisite art
and patient skill have made worth ten times
that much II may be sent to the auction
rooms, but is not likely to bring more there,
without il happens to be rare antique work,
than o.. 10 to Oh. 50 per ounce Probably the
most profitable way is to send it to the
duplicate wedding present firm, where
silver always commands fair price, and that
is what is generally done when family de-
termines to unload Its silver In any case
there is nee ssarily an enormous deterioration
from the original cost have known OF the
duplicate wedding present firm Of which
| spoke selling for 81 100 rcpousse dinner
service Of solid silver that originally cost
5000 when bought from the manufacturers.
No; 1t was not q wedding present. That Ia Q
sort Of elastic title, I believe,
The head Of the frm corroborated the safe
deposit manager in regard TO the sale Of large
aocumulations Of silver By rich persons who
had got tired OF the care and cost Of keeping
it, and being asked by what latitude Of fancy
such ware came under the peculiar head that
distinguishes his business replied:
ITO answer that l mus, tell you bow came
to originate this line of trade which started
as long ago as 1874 and have enjoyed a
monopoly of ever since Business bad been
very dull that season. and while Was cudsel-
ing my brains one day TO invent some way Of
enlivening IT the idea occurred to me that 1t
might be q good thing to offer to buy brides
presents and sell them again ut small ad-
vance What should call them TO convey
the idea clearly of whit | was after, and vet
avoid shocking delicate senibiltiesi 'Duplf-
cate wedding presents flashed upon me. l
had An advertisement In the next mornings
paper and met such immediate and abundant
responses that In ninety days had entirely
revolutionizel my business. Up to that time
l had not sold more than one solid silver tea
set per ainiun, but In the first year Of the
new departure | sold thirty and within three
years over one hundred. Bought them and
sold them again. you understand. OF course.
1t would be absurd to suppose that that many
entire sets bad been duplicate wedding pres
ents, but TINT was as good q name as any
other for them to so by. The fact was that
sumo came from people who wished TO unload,
- your friend phrases it, and more from
ul6nuIaftuIefs OF A0u dealers IN Slvefware,
In this city and elsewhere, who had as an &C
communication. bought accumulations-poe-
Sbly originally purchased from them-which
they did not deem il polite or In good form
= re-exposs for sale subject to undesirable
reeogritions, in their own stores We have
bad Glverware sent to Us for sale from all
parts Of the country, from New Orleans to
Ottawa, and from Bangor to Oshkosh
The real duplicate wedding presents are
almost always individual articles, Of incon-
ceivable variety, everything Indeed tina. it Is
possible 20 make In silver, and the number Of
them brought to Us might amaze you We
have many time bought as much as three
barrels full per diem Of such things Proba-
bly, they were not all duplicates. Sometimes
young couples have more use for c5ined Sill
yer than for silver pitchers and epergnes
and come to US to effect the transformation.
We pay more for the articles than any other
dealer would, and still sell them again for
about one-hak Of their original cost That
diminution In value dos not apply. however,
tn the case Of genuinely antique sslv~, which
b ofsen vsry costly. But ts d not I'll buyane
md sling. We do erns daal n $780,
~ duplicate wedding proan A yu9se
via hss no particular use foe uF0G }surs