New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-03
AUCTION ROOM TRONS.
PEOPLE WHO BUY THINGS JUST BE
CAUSE THEY ARE CHEAP.

SOME OF THOSE WHO FREQUENT THE SALES
THE BEST WAYS OF BIDDING-RELTcS OF OLD
TINE FINERY AND TRICKS OF THE TRADE
There are three sets OF Brooklyn people who are
busy at this season Of the year-the young house
keeper Of moderate means who would settle her
self for the coming winter the swallow OF health
and fashion who would fly TO the South De'ore the
DAYS OF frost and snow. and the auctioneer. 1t is
some time before the snow flies but the migratory
housekeeper must take advantage Of TIE season,
and II she wishes to stay in the North n while
longer she may go 10 her friends TO some motel,
for her household goods will sell better within the
next two months than they will later
There are a number OF auction houses in Brook
lyn two near the City Hall and one further mp-
town. in the neighborhood that is called ION the
HILL" TO say nothing OF South Brooklyn and the
Eastern District. one of these places mentioned
has been established many years. The house is
well known all residents OF Brooklyn as a re-
spectacle. old-fashioned. conservative firm Any
one acquainted with the auctoneer would not hest
tate to say TO him. MI. ----, | would like TO bid
on 10; No. 90 bu: have not time 10 wait for the
sale II II doesn't go too high. VIII YOU bid IL IN
for me-" and then 20 away. with the utmost conn.,
dence tina, he would fare as well and perhaps bet
Ter than If he had remained to do his own bidding.
Nor is there in this arrangement any dishonesty
to the person whose goods are sent 10 the place LOT
sale. A man who has been In the buying and sell
ing of such chattels from his early youth until
he has grown gray has pretty correct ideas both
of what his good worth and what they Will
bring. provided there are not TOO many hoNlces
there who get excited and bid more for second
hand goods thar they could go to the store ana
get perfectly things for. In such case there
IL nothing do but 10 let the over-anxious person
have what his heart Is set upon. ana repent al
leisure.
Auction stores. like every other store get their
own class Of customers and of goods. 1t Is both
amusing and instructive to walk through these
places before the day Of sale and at the time lhe
sale IL going on. In Of those near the CITY
Hall. II you wander around among the old fur
niture before the day Of sale. you VIII see many
n,eces of od-style furniture. handsome sometimes.
but ike the who once bought IL, the "orio
of progress has travelled on and left them ana
their elegance behind Elegant old pier glasses
relics of the days before mirrors were deemed a
part Of the house and put in by the builder. pianos
with pearl keys and funny-looking legs,
all Of the grand square concert grand style mat
were ornaments 10 the old-fashoned homes whose
halls and rooms were wide and large ana lortV'
now driven TO the auction-room by the upright.
their old homes TO be divided off into little rooms
for a double decker" Italian tenement. Both
bouse and furnishings are in their own way,
knocked down to the highest bidder.
And on the day Of the SALE watch the auctioneer
He has as much dignity Supreme Court judge
He never INDUCES in any fppant remarks about the
selling them. His voice Is soft and low. but has
carving qualities in 1t that enable all who really
wish 10 hear, know what he Is saying.
Abou, good way as any, II you WISH 10 lurhish
your house by buying at auctions Is not 10 be IN 100
big a hurry about It, Go 10 the sale. get as close 10
the auctioneer as you can. watch how things are
going then when something is being sold that you
want wait until the bidding begins 10 lag, AID the
auctioneer Is saying going going then raise the last
bid a sum that is larger than the average of raises
has been II you only raise the amount trine ne
somebody will thinking that for a similar trle he
could ge: IT, raise your own bid. In this way things
are frequently up 10 prices out of proportion to
their value.
Storage warerooms seem to be about natural
auXiliaries 10 the auction business coal and in
surance the real estate. The auctioneer buys
the entire belongings OF house ii IL = the dul!
season for him. h. must put some OF these pur-
chases in storage. against the time when business is
Their. may be businesses that have 10 tricks in
them, but the auction business Is not one or them
There are many men who conduct auctions with the
same honor thai those same men would manage
any other affair buI there are few businesses in
which 1t j. possible TO put up more 1ob5 II Is
said 10 AFFORD splendid chance for the dishonest
these las, The weekly payment is in ngh favor; II
the goods sold carpets. price Is asked for them
a. great a deposit It is possible TO get is required.
The carpets are made and laid. and II after week
nets are seized Tin he name OF the commonwealth"
They are then sent 70 the auction rooms. where they
taking good care. by those he mas to cross bid"
that they bring al hey are worth
In the SELLING OF furniture slightly different plan
Is followed. Furniture does not wear rs much In
proportion as carpets hence # Is better 10 wait until
he furniture nearly paid for, then seize ii upon
the frs lapse OF paymena Nothing from legal
point Of view be done There was a contract but
that has been broken and II opens a wide door for
those who bsleve IN the letter OF the bond.
There il also frequently an arrangement made
with the manufacturer OF furniture to allow him TO
send such pieces from his factory a. he may wish.
placing price below Which the auctionrer may
go. both parties sharing In the advance profit
beyond thi' minimum. This Is the time when ii IS
necessary have members OF the firm In the crowd.
The dealer In secondhand goods, who systematic
cay attends auctions fights shy Of such sales as
these At these sales the aucioneer Is wit OF the
first order, in his own estimation To distract the
attention of his buyers Is OF mis- aims. he
tells witty stories and gets his audience laughing
IL H. curious study Of character to watch these
people. You pick out the combative person,
the tyranncal and the "swayed- by the upper
crust" one one man does not really want what ne
IS bidding on, but he has spirited opponent who
arouses his fight. so now he Will have IL whether or
no A woman ~ bidding "A piece OF parlor furni-
ture that she has saved and scrimped ever so long
10 get, and II will be Of little to her when she
has IT, But she has seen something nearly like II
at a house above her social standing. and she
hopes when that piece Is In her own little drawing
room her friends Will think that she Is above them.
And there any number OF those who buy
simply because they think they are getting a bar
gain The purchase OF "A thing below its actual
value enhances the article thus got In the esti-
nation OF many. 10 far more than II Is worth To
buy y good thing and TO buy II cheapy makes life
pleasant TO many Of the regular patrons OF the
auction room.
TO CELEBRATE JEWISH HOLIDAYS.