The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-30
QUEER COLLECTIONS.
Some of the People Who Buy Articles
Merely ms n Fad.


Every piece of the two or three hundred
samples of Russian iron work on exhibit
ton in the Manufactures Building is deco
rated with a little placard on which the
single word Sold is printed in bold. black
letters.
Strewn about the showcases containing
these specimens of Russian art In iron are
the exhibits will not be duplicated.
They have gone off like the proverbial
hot cakes, and had the owners brought
with them three thousand instead of three
hundred of these iron statues, or double or
triple that number, the indications that
every single one of them would meet with a
purchaser.
In this sudden passion for art in minia-
ture ironwork dealers who feel the public
pulse and know how 1t throbs find odd
Illustration of the idiosyncrasies of con-
noisseurs. These people who have given big
prices for a small chunk of pounded iron
must be connoisseurs, it is inferred. be,
know nothing about the Russian art till
some one versed in 1T pointed out its strong
qualities. But beyond this the business men
engaged in Ctudying the erratic tastes and
habits of people who have money to spend
for fancy knickknacks know no method at
prefers one thing and will and must have
it and tomorrow wants entirely differ
ent thing with the same vehemence.
Every has heard of Mr.. George w.
Childs's collection of clocks and how the
great editor prizes them. And who hasn't
heard of the Germans collection of stuffed
spent a fortune in old tapestries and his
chief literary opponent. Emile lola invests
thousands every year in old furniture of
Louis XIV and Louis XVI periods and in
stained glass of any period.
More whimsical yet is the fancy of the
old Marquis st. Armand, who is possess I'd
OF 200 pieces of china. silver wood and
other manufactures decorated with lighting
cocks. 1t took him his lifetime TO secure
this collection and ii cost him a fortune.
a Russian nobleman Is said to have a col
lection of silver drinking-cups that. con-
sidered as old silver alone, is worth $780,.
coo. And recently one of the most remark
able collections of articles set with dia-
monds was displayed In the window of q
New York jeweler. Walking sticks and
razor an1 toothbrushes were encrusted
with diamonds. All objects in the oollec-
ton were entirely foreign to the class that
is improved in any way sanctioned by good
taste by the addition of gems and, as IL
of an eccentric Englishman, whose CHIEF
end in life for a dozen more years was
to become possessed of all sorts of odd
articles set with diamonds.
a German gentleman, IL is known, has a
collection of over 1000 beer mugs, no two
of which are alike, and the story goes that
his private practice is always TO drink out
of these vessels his favorite NAL. beverage
only he never makes use of the same cup
twice till he has used every one OF the 2, J00
But il was always with collectors
Cleopatra's pearls were famous. The great
mogul's diamonds and rabies excited the
cupidity of the world and from ancient
times TO the present day wealthy men and
women have been persistent collectors of
| what pleased them most, a few as connois-
| seurs and many as dilettanti.