The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-26
NORTH SEA ANTIQUES
HOW THE Willy COLLECTOR DEALS
IN FUTURES WITH THE PEASANT.

secure Specimens of Old Dutch Furni-
Sold to Collectors Who Are Not Posted.
Though nearly every dealer In antiqui-
ties will deny 1t unless he sees that by af'
flrming such thing cautiously he can
get higher price for the articles at pres
emit In his warerooms, 1t Is tSst that the
old furniture marts Of New York and Lon
don-New York particularly-have been
swept very nearly clean. There are still to
DO found, 1t is true, good pieces of ancient
furniture-coloninl, Dutch, old English,
French and Spanish--here and there, but
they are seldom pieces of as flno quality
and Of as good style Of decoration as 1t
was possible to purchase ten years ago,
while at moderate prices 1t Is impossible to
buy anything Of great excellence, save by
the barest chance To the unwary, the
badly posted collectors, the old furniture
mart does not show this, for the trade has
been tampered with, and limitations are
freely sold In many quarters. Buying old
furniture Is now like buying japanese Gu
rios in Japan-one must be keen collect.
or not to load himself up with plausible
seeming truck"
Holland especially has been ransaoked
by the agents of American and English
dealers in every hole and corner SO thor
oughly that nothing remains to be pur-
chased. The well to do in the towns and
villages, even In tho open country, will
not yield, Of course, to the wiles and per-
suasiyeness of the dealers agents, even
when very high price is offered. Within
the last two or three years the principals
themselves of old furniture concerns have
been visiting this corner Of Europe in the
hope of doing better, but they too, have
failod to pick up much Of value. 1t Is said
that practically every cottage in the land
of tho bikes hos been gone through, with
disappointing results.
Old Dutch furniture has such sure and
profitable sale today, even when the dealer
himself has to pay high prices for 1t, that
this state Of affairs Is most distressing
one, Tho only chance Of getting any speci-
mems now has como to be by visiting the
islands Of tho North sea that are off the
limo of travel. There the dealer meets with
some success, though he has to buy in
most curious way. He arrives at some
small village or town hardly known to
the rest of the world and, taking his post
at one of the tables In tho "taproom" of
the little tavern Of the place, begins to
smoke long pipe and to quaf mixture
of schnapps.
About tho room are seated Dutch vii
layers, putting away placidly without
word. Chance offering, tho dealer speaks
to the ono nearest him and announces the
fact that no ia DESTROYS of buying some fine
old pieces of furniture. Tho Dutoh1nan
smokes meditatiyely for full five minutes
before he answers that he is sorry, but he
has none to sell. Tho dealer, still sending
out olonds of smoke from his pipe bowl
and ordering more schnapps, after allow
ing tho proper number OF moments to pass
In silence asks II he then does not know
of some one who might be induced to sell.
Half day has been consumed altogoth-
er before the yilager finally answers that
he thinks no does know of such man.
There are more pipes and moro drinking,
and then tho Dutchman agrees to take the
dculer to that man the following after
noon. The next day there Is another SEES
zion of smoke and sohnapps in the tavern
beforo tlcy start out. At the house of the
villagor there is another hour Or two spent
In leading up to the subject, haste of any
North sea islanders, and then, after care
full consideration, the grizzled old head CT
She family decides that he cannot sell his
household relics.
Any other man than thoroughly post.
ed dealer would know he was beaten and
lcave in disgust. But the dealer who I'M
derstands these islands and the ways OF
their inhabitants has another card to play.
Bidding goodby to the old man, he and
his guide 90 in search Of the son. The
dealer whilo he was in the villagers house
saw the furniture and knows what he
wants. The son Is not SO obdurate. He
likes the clink and the rustic of the gold,
silver and bank notes the dealer produces.
"But," he says, II cannot sell tho fur
niturc 1t Ia not mine to SELL. All tho
same, ho looks wistfully at the money.
II understand" answers tho dealer
"Of course you can't sell. The furniture
Is not yours But 1t will be soon, perhaps
IA less tlun year. Your father is getting
to be an old man. He will die in little
while. You are the heir When he dies,
the property will be yours to do what you
will with. "
Tho son smokes on stoldly, but with
CLEAN of understanding in his heavy eyes
iIc looks up at tho dealer with great inter
est.
Now that gentleman goes on, II
have u proposition to make TO you, myn-
hcer Promise mo whcny your father dies
and you come into the estate you will sell
nc this and this and this" tile names
several articles no saw in the house,) II
will pay you so much for them, and SO
many guiders down to bind the bargain"
This proposition is invariably accepted,
and something like $40 in gold secures
these pieces of furniture, "When your ia
thcr dies, mynheer," the dealer continues,
"you can let me know. will send you
tho balance of the money, and you can
ship the goods over to me"
1t is in this way that the best of the old
Dutch furniture has to be bought nova
days. So honest are these North sea is
land peasants that no bill of sale is made
out and no agreement drawn up. The
young peasant $ word stands and is thought
efficient. When he comes into the estate,
DO carries out his end of the bargain and
sends over the furniture. New York Trib-
une