New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-20
North SEA ANTIQUES.
HOW THE Willy COLLECTOR DEALS IN
FUTURES WITH THE PEASANT.

FUTURES WITH THE PEASANT
Though nearly every dealer In antiques will deny
II unless he sees that ny affirming such thing can.
tlousy he get higher price for the articles at
present in his warerJoms. it H. faci that the old
furniture marts OF New-TorlI and London-New.
York plrticularly-have been swept very nearly
c,edn. There are stll to be found f. Is true good
pieces of ancient furniture Colonial. Dutch Old Eng.
sh. French ard Spanish. here and there. but they
are dom pieces OF as fine quality and Of as GOOD
n style OF decoration It possible 10 purchase
ten years ago: while At moderate prices Il IL lmpos.
slbc buy any thing of great exec lencc by tho
barest chance To the unwary tac badly posted c5..
ectors, the old fGrnitur" mart does not show ;h.a
for the trade has been Tempered wih. and mutations
are freely sold in many quarters. Buying oil frni.
iure is now like buying japanese curios IN Japan-
must be "A keen collector not to load himself 10
with notwithstanding 'truok'
Holland especially, has been raAsackei by tho
agents of American and Engll-h dealers in every
hole and corner thoroughly that nothing remains
to he purchased. TIE wci-to-do in the towns and
villages even I'm the open country. VIII nor yed OF
course to the wllcs and persuas.veness Of the deal.
els' agents. even when very high price L. offered
within the last two or three years ihc principals
themselves OF old furniture have been visit.
ing this corner OF Europe in the hope o. l1ng bet.
ter. but they. too. have failed to pick mp mucn %
value. Il l. sad that prlc cay every cottage IN no
land Of the dkes has been gone through with dsao-
pointing results
Od Dutch furniture has such sure and profit.
able sale to-day even when the dealer himself Las
10 pay high prices for IT, that this state ~ affairs
is a most distressing one. The only chance Of
getting any specimens has 10 De be- visit
Ing the islands OF the North Sea that are Of the
line OF travel. There The dealer meets with some
success though be- has to buy In . most curious
way. He arrives a, some small village or town.
hardly known 10 the rest OF tho world and. taking
MS post AT ore 81 the tables In tho 'taproOn' OF
the litile tavern OF ~" place begins 10 smoke a
long pipe ard to quan mixture Of schnapps
About the room are seated Dutch villagers putting
away piacidly without Il word Chance Offering the
dealer peaks to ,hr olc nearest him. and an
nounccs the fact that be il DESTROYS OF buying
some sne old pieces Of furniture. The DDtchman
smokes rnedtntivc.y for fun ny" minutes teiore
he answers that he L. sorry la, De- has none 10
sell The dealer. siill sending out clouds OF smoke
from his ripe bowl and ordering schnapps
after allowing the proper number Of moments 10
pass IN silence, asks II he then docs not know Il
who might he induced to sell
Half a day has been consumed. altogether. be-
fore the villager finally answers that be- thinks he
does know Of such man. There are more pipes
and more drinking and then the Duichman agrees
to take the dealer to that man tho following after
The next day ther- Is another session %
smoke ard schnaprs in the tavern before they
start ou, At the house OF the vilager there y
another hour or two spent I'm leading up 10 the
subject. haste Of any kind being fatal in dealings
with the North sea ISLANDERS. and then after caro-
fu consideration the grizzled old head OF the FAM
fly always decides that he cannot sell his house.
hold relies
Any other man than a thoroughly posted dealee
would know he beaten and lciV" In disgust.
But IN" dealer who uud-r-tau these islands and
the ways OF their inhabitants has another card
10 play Bidding goOdhy TO the old man. he and
his guide 40 in search OF the Tho dealer while
he in the villagers house the furniture
and knows what h" wants. The son f. not 50
gold silver and hanknotes the dealer produces.
But he says. i cannot sell the furniture. II
- not mine TO sell" All the same. he looks visit
fully at the money.
Il understand" answers the dealer. 'Of course
YOU can't sell the furniture Is not yours. But
II Will be- soon. perhaps IN lees than year. Your
father u getting 20 Doc an old man. he viii die In
ID little while You are the heir when he dies the
property VIII Pee yours 10 do what you will with"
The son smoF's ON .foliny. but with n glcam OF
iinG, r-tandiug iu his heavy eyes. fio looks up mt
the dealer with great interest
Now that Gentleman goes on. II have q promo
siiion 10 make 10 YOU. MNnhrrr. Promise me when
Nour infhrr dies and you come into the estate you
Will sell M this and this and this" tIe names
several articles be- M the housed Il VIII pay
YOU 50 much for them and 20 many g'iilders down
to bind the bargain
This proposition is invariably accepted. and some
thing Ike $40 I'm gold secures these pieces OF furni-
iurc when your father dies. Mynhecr. the
lie Her continues. "you can ."t ne know. Will
send YOU the halauc" ~ the money, and you can
shin the goods to me.
II r. in this way that tie best or the old Dutcn
furniture has be- bought nowadays. So honest
are these North sea island peasants that no bill
OF sale f. made out. ana no agreement drawn up.
III. young peasant word stands and j. thought
res his end Of the bargain and sends over
"a" furniture.