New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-26
LONDON DEALERS.


HAND DEALER IN ANTIQUE PLATE
MR. LABOUCHERE AND MR..
MUNDAY-SPURIOUS ANTIQUE
WHO ARE THE HONEST
DEALERS?- MR.. VAN
DERBILT IN LON
DON
London. May 9.
The season is near when the net OF the London
tradesman Is again spread for the American
bird-not the eagle only. but every ornithoiogicai
variety which takes wing from New-York and
hovers for while during the summer over these
islands Already the West End shopkeeper-ior
he II is who fattens on this prey-s rubbing MS
hands The papers announce that the Eastward
migration from the American Continent is to be
greater in numbers than las been known Tor
years The last two years have been lean. Ihere
have been a good many visitors but they have
come to economze not TO spend. They nave
bought clothes and such things. That Is one
favorite form Of American economy. But the
picture dealers and the dealers in antique silver
plate in bric-a-brac of all kinds. in jewels and
so on have seen little of their faces and mad no
opportunity to put their hands very deep into
these American pockets.
As times have also been hard here and money
scarce the absence of the yankees Is doupy
fc, As Yankee is in England nickname and
rather a WORKOUT one and used here in a as
paraCing way. 1t may not seem very civil OF the
too enterprising trader TO insult the victim whom
he Intends to fleece But. as rule ne does IL
behind his back II rude TO the face OF MS GUS
tome il is only after the fleeing operation has
proted less successful than was hoped. But even
f. an American the British shopkceper will
in
could give you the name Of highly eminent
West End tailor who announced coram populo-
l. e. In the publicity Of crowded shop-that for
his part he wanted none Of that damned
Yankee custom" Asked afterward whether he
really refused to take an American order. ne an
swered with alacrity: "Oh no do business or
100000 a year with Americans. Then. after
pause: but If l am asked, always deny It,
The reputation of having American business
does us no good l pursued the inquiry why
not?' Because, excepting ourselves and one or
two other frst-cass houses. the firms which get
the American West End business are advertising
firms And YOU know what an advertising tailor
IN London is like" This was obviously an in
complete explanation. / think could fill 1t out
but | prefer 10 leave the matter where he left It,
You will be likely to infer that the houses when
Law themselves out for American custom are not
limit the remark to tailoring and drygoods.
When you come to jewels and old plate. mat
tiers are little different. Some of the largest
jewellers take every conceivable pains to get
hold of Americans. They may not care much for
the average traveller from the West-the phrase
is no slur upon Chicago or Denver II includes
Ney-York and the Atlantic seaboard. But they
seem to have agents on the other side of the At
lantic who advise them of the movements of emf
nent millionaires. and these they do not scruple
70 track down in their hotels or elsewhere-some-
times even board ship, arriving or departing
/ have known a homeward-bOund customer to be
followed by the dealer TO Queenstown, with the
rubies ne wanted to sell. and with success. Nor
Is the American In such cases always victim.
He often understands Jewels, and even the
teweller and his ways. very well. He often gets
costly necklaces and such things at tolerably
fair price 1t is his habit Of paying cash which
makes him such a prize to firms whose books are
50 many records OF long credit and bad debts.
Mr.. Labouchere has just been showing up a
dealer in antique" plate who had been de-
tected in selling spurious antique plate to large
amount Mr. Labouchere is at his best In such
exposures He sits the facts, takes legal ad-
vice has courage and money. and, when he Is
satisfied that there has been a fraud, is willing
10 risk libel suits or prosecution. The dealer In
this case was one Munday, Of Great Portland-st.
Mr. Labouchere published circumstantial ac-
count Of Mr.. Munday's proceedings fortnight
ago. No defence or denial answer OF any
kind has been made. Mr.. Labouchere naturally
concludes that tradesman who sits down in
silence under such an accusation has no de-
fence He directly accuses him Of "utterng
forged plate. but not Of utterng it knowingly.
There his characteristic shrewdness or his law
yer steps In. He only alleges so much as he Is
prepared to prove legally. 1t is long and In
teresting story,-in substance. that Munday had
sold plate as antique to a very large amount
TO a certain customer who was presently ad-
yised that 1t was spurious Having a written
guarantee OF its genuineness and that the marks
were what they purported to be. he brought an
action to recover the sums paid. amounting TO
some $4,000 Munday paid the whole claim with
interest at per cent from the date OF the pur-
chase lie has also paid large sums to the Gold
smiths Company who proceeded against him
for penalties These, believe. he need not have
Maid 10 he would have disclosed the name OF
the person from whom he obtained the stuff
He preferred to say that he bought 1t over the
counter from persons unknown
II Is no new thing that modern plate, manu-
featured with intent TO deceive should be sold
as antique London Is full OF plate with forged
hall marks" said an expert 10 me last year.
a gentleman who is perhaps unrivalled In his
knowledge Of such matters among amateurs
The dealers themselves are often taken in II
may not be uncharitable to suppose that the
private buyers are deceived still more often
There is a brisk demand for plate Of the period
OF Queen Anne and the first three Georges; dowr
10 the time when the head Of George III appears
az part OF the hall mark. 1884 Where there is a
demand. political economy requires that there
shall be a supply. Adam Smith is. to that
tent. responsible for Munday and for that Other
very large and well-known deaer-he still deals
who sold very well-known lady $4,000 worth
NJ freshly manufactured silverware into which