Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-05-06

4'
ness However, once in awhile, one
does SEQ the presents sent to some nice
girl with WHOM one is we'll acquainted,
and this was my good fortune the other
day. took no interest in the wonder
full rings and brooches, tho strings Of
pearls. the tiaras of diamonds, but all
my thought was concentrated on tbrea
wonderful chests They were of oak,
carved in the most elaborate manner.
bound with brass, and filled with bits
OF antique, Irish and English silver.
In ono chest were SIX silver trays; the
Smallest a tiny card tray, and the
largest a huge tea tray, all of them
having been designed and made before
George the First was King. Then there
were two SAUCE boats, engraved by
Hogarth for the celebrated silpersmith
Paul Lamerie. There were four won
derfnl candlesticks, having upon them
the English crest and some odd notices.
and these were made as far back as
1898. There was full tea set, queer
little wine funnel, which was credited
with being engraved by Hogarth, a
two handled cup that had stand and
cover, nnd wonderful beer mug,
made in London in 1716 and originally
the property of member of a Beef
steak Club which used to meet in Fleet
street, and among whose members were
many well.known and titlad men, bit
terly opposed to the administration of
the then Prime Minister Walpole. Tho
motto of the club: "Beef and Liberty, -
and Long Live the King" are en-
graved on the face OF the mug. The
second chest had queer old Irish salt
cellars such as the silversmiths made
in the time of George II; a pair OF
wonderful tea caddies. such as were
used by good Queen Anne; a wine
taeter one and oneh half inches in
diameter, chased and gilded and made
in London in 1890. There were all
sorts Of bonbon dishes, punch bowls,
salad bowls, cake baskets, fruit baskets.
fruit dishes. and curious old potato
ring, an article unknown in this coun-
try, entirely OF Irish use and manu-
facture. and made in Dublin not later
than 100. The third chest had all sorts
of small pieces Of slver-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 early English period, five
| apostles spoons OF 1861, and one apostle
spoon Of 1925.
1t is possible that you are not as
much interested 10 old silver as am.
Take my advice, then, and do not per-
NIT yourself to yield to the desire for
possessing those dear old spoons that
we're made by hand, and about which
many romance can be woven. Then,
| too, il your fad is collecting old silver,
you will find yourself the not thor
oughly happy possessor OF spoons, or
/ uufa thnf nm lot
You may feel in your bones that they
were made 10 the early part of the ak
| tenth century, but in absolute contra
tiiction to your bones, your common
sense will tell you that they were prob
ably made in this country, and are
merely clever i'm itations. This is one Of
the sorrows of collector. Another il,
that IL you 60 to hric-a-brac auction
you permit your angry PASSIONS to
arise, and you will bid against your
most intimate friend, hating her in
tensely for the time being. for an
apostle spoon, which you can duplicate
six times. The popularity of the silver
collector ia that she not only wants a
spoon or small piece of each period. but
that she objects to nybody else having
duplicate. The collector Is very much
of dog in the manger; but she pays
moro for her hay than the dog ever did
for his. Then. too, women never really
seem to entirely grasp the value of GER
tain marks, and no woman likes to go
chasing around to dingy old shops, or
equally dingy auction rooms. carrying
book on silver marks that will prove
that the auctioneer is a little easy as
far as truth-telling goes.
l suppose it would be impossible to
be absolutely truthful and an auctioneer
at the same time. Personally, do not
object to auctioneers. / suppose they
have right to live, but have never
quite understood why can't get some
Of tho wonderful bargains that other
women tell about. have never even
had an opportunity to hid on Dresden
china Tea set worth $3.50 that goes for
Si0-that's always the other woman's
luck. Perhaps going to auctions has the
same effect on the buyers that selling
the goods does on the auctioneer-il
makes the conscience a little lax. II
thought that was the result, l don I
believe would ever go to another
auction. But what's the use OF saying
that! am simply writing myself
down female Ananias, for while auc.
tions fasGinate, and / have either
money or crsdit, shall probably be
sold by the auctioneer with the same
courtesy that he sells the wonderful
curios. think we women rather like
to he made fools Oft suggests that
man has had 70 interfere that nature
did not cause this state of affairs tc
exist in the beginning. Well, there il
safety, just now for the collector. Fol
when the spring time comes there are
no important auction sales. and none o.
those fascinating circulars are delivered
by the postum TO lead where sht
should not go her who is addressed al
g Bah,