The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-25

Fou-,h Avenue u, t!.e Headquarters zoe Wis.
tor,c and Pretty Secondhand Wares.

Fou-,a Avenue u. t!e Headquarters zoe Wis.
tor,c and Pretty Secondhand Waves.
Fourth avenue has become Ia" headquarters
Of the dealers in every sort OF cur.os. AMI to
such an extent havo they cstatlishc, thcm-
selves there that the avenue is lime Il long
second hand bazaar. Nearly all such trades
men in New York have gathered there The
shops hrGn near the Cooper Institute with
one which is n storehouse Of old andirons auL
hedsteads and bureaus. and they are founh 1t
the rate Of one 2r two on each block AL t!ie
way up TO the horse car trnncl at Thrty-thirl
street Among them all arc the shops o: col
lectors 81 .ngrGvings and prints. of rare old
books. OF old china and siverware. and Of
ancient furniture. These things have IL! been
furnished Mp to look as well Gs any collector
wni.ld wish then. to appear in his home.
These dealers arc themselves collectors.
Tie i'm" has gone w when men on the Look
out for such things neei 10 liant FOR prints in
the second hand book stores. for Old cabinets
and caIIics,icks il tho dirty s.orcrooms Of
buyers Of secondhand furniture. or !or colo
mia! nan.cl, and fnn.i.hts in the great yards
Of the firms that buy up Cd dwellings, tina; are
t" lie torn down to make way for business
blocks In such ways tie fathers OF the pres
cnt collectors used 10 swell their POSSES sons.
Juggling of some rusty prize That perhaps WAS
covered with verdi.rs and caadlewaX. to have
il scrubbed and polished ct homo. In these
DAYS The primary collections in this city are
made by such ,,specuintors as tho Fourth ave
nW. t"nlers. They do SO partly as the origi-
Ia! collectors used to do. and partly b. sitting
III their shops and having the curOS brought
the lave "e, n "s GuMrs
The storek"eperS purchase aS we'll sell
what They show in their windows.
They show nothing that Is time stained or
rusty iftncy can help il. Such things. rakei
out OF old cnrrets where they have been cast
compared with what can he 60, for them when
thy are made 70 look their t"st. Tho dealers
M;nrreciae this fnct. and la Sc their pr%il,s upon
now and bright handles are put on old hnicaus.
hnobs lost century aG" from lednosts are re-
inal cncs. old and worn white metal candle
snM',,Ts ana trays ar" repatei with silver;
d"reoes what rehabilitation it may. Thus
what VA Al first OF y class with old Junk Is
mahs IL t" grace Murray iilll mantelp!ec".
and whoever buys it pays FOR il accurd!n.iy.
It is p dreaht nj tnlng for n poor stranger
with al! extensive mania i"r collecting ,o fail
howary and the s ns |et al not not
cost nm u dime or oven lure him aside from
s"ll,n lourih avenue: he needs ali til" ' viii he
nnsfcsss ss e S order to save himself from the
by train. !e has been in the LA bit II cOlect'
time 2 year from the last, Hero he s"Ss II BY
come upon an old engraving, for sale once in
ten Years; AMI here he sees a.. engraymGs by
The Vest. who visited town 0 recsntIy " a an
formed his hotel bedroom into u museum OF
ancient Americana Of many sorts; FIRE tongs.
rr.. old glassware. and a dozen other sorts OF
things; ie had stumbled into Fourth avenue.
hewaled his fate 10 did so to himself. Yet
every one knew that his ventures into this
h sa' sa a Sa1 hays
living expenses while In New York.