The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-02

entirely Of Irish use and manufacture
and made In Dublin not later than 100.
The third chest had all sorts Of small
pieces Of Silver-those famous pistol
handled knives OF the time of George
II. spoons TO suit each course. with the
rat-tail handles. no end OF forks Of the
carly English period. five apostles spoons
OF 1861. and one apostle spoon OF 1925.
COLLECTING ODD SILVER.
II = possible that you are not as much
interested in old silver as / am. Take
my advice. then. and do not permit your
self TO yield 20 the desire for possessing
those dear old spoons that were made by
hand. and about which many a romance
can be woven. Then. too. II your fad is
collecting old silver. you will find your
self the not thoroughly happy possessor
Of spoons or forks. or watches that are
undated. You may feel I'm your bones that
they were made IN the early part Of the
sixteenth century. but In absolute con-
tradiction 10 your bones, your common
sense will tell you that they were pro-
tably made in this country, and are
merely clever imitation. This IS one Of
the sorrows Of a collector. Another Is
that II you go 10 a bric-abrac auction
you permit your angry passions 70 arise.
and you will bid against your most init
mate friend. hating her intensely for the
time being. for an apostle spoon. which
you can duplicate six times. The pc
culiarlty Of the silver collector IS that
she not only wants n spoon or small
piece Of each period. but that she objects
to anybody else having a duplicate. The
collector IS very much OF n dog I'm the
manger: but she pays more for her hay
than the dog ever did for his. Then too.
women never really seem 10 entirely grasp
the value Of certain marks. and no w0-
man likes TO go chasing around 10 dingy
old shops. or equally dingy auction rooms
carrying a book on silver marks that
will prove that the auctioneer Is little
easy as far as truth-telling goes.
AT AUCTIONS.
I supposed would be impossible 10 be
absolutely truthful and an auctioneer at
the same time. ! have never quite UNI
derstood why / can't get some Of the Won
derful bargains that other women tell
about. i have never even had an oppor-
tunity 20 bid on a Dresden china tea set
worth two hundred and fifty dollars that
goes for ten--thats always the other wo-
mans luck Perhaps going to auctions
has the same effect on the buyers that
selling the goods does on the auctiOncor
1T makes the conscience n little lax.
II l thought that was the result. / don't
believe ] would ever 90 TO another auc-
ton. But what's the use of saying that!
! am simply writing myself down fe-
male Ananias, for while auctions fas-
cinate and / have either money or credit
/ shall probably be sold by the auctioneer
with the same courtesy that he sells the
wonderful curios 7 think We women "a
Their like 10 be made fools Oft suggests
that man has had 10 interfere-that ma
ture did not cause this state OF affairs 10
exist in the beginning Well. there Is
safety Just now for the collector. For
when the springtime comes there are no
important auction sales. and none OF those
fascinating circulars are delivered by the
postman 10 lead where she should not so
her who IS addressed as BAB.