The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-25
BROKEN AUCTION IDOLS.
a STATE OF IFFIIRS FEAT HAS
MADE SOME FoMEN SAD.

aaA@A-A AAANNA AAAI bt ANfAA
going about the shopping district In these days.
They pass genuine Oriental rugs with a chast-
ened spirit, and antique furniture with down
cast eyes. When their friends tell them Of
diamond necklaces at S1.9s bought at the bar
gain counters Of the department stores. or OF
teakwood stands at 10 cents. or OF vernis Martin
cabinets at 81. 63, they no longer exclain. What
eNtrnvagance. Why don't you buy such things
at the auction rooms You would save ever so
much money. besides getting absolutely I'M
heard-of mngnifcence. You never saw such
things as they sell why. only. the other day
there wns a The tale represented by the
dash is familiar; it used TO be told with spark.
ling eyes and glowing animation. and was
listened to with breathless semi-incredulity.
This change in demeanor has been brought
about by the long. persevering campaign Of
education that has been carried on by the shop
Keepers who have been fighting some OF the
auctioneers. They have been endenvoring to
educate womnnkind in this town up To the degree
of knowledge which Is expressed by the principle
that you can't keep on selling things at a 1.-THE of
their value for year after year and grow rich by
the process. The campaign has not been bril-
liantly successful so far; but something has been
accomplished and The result is that the shopping
district is dotted with broken idols. These idols
were sncttoneers. For many years they taught
women that this world was composed Of bargains
and nothing else. The women belle we'd them,
and appearances and common sense were SIM
ply NOT in it-hud no part in the affairs
Of this life within the limits OF the auction room.
The shopkeepers contemplated the delusion
with sadness. To combat the auction craze
they first tried moral suasion. Then they mar.
shalled plain facts and elaborate statistics.
Still the belief in the bargain theory Of the com-
position grew and expanded and waxed fe-
rocious. Lastly, with a sigh, they opened their
pocketbookS and hired lawyers and detectives.
As it has been said. the campaign has not been
brilliantly successful so far; but the something
that has been accomplished represents, neverthe-
less, two or three years OF strategy and CAM
~paiguinE and hard work by the shopkeepcrs. the
lawyers. and the detectives. The something
consists OF the Indictment OF several auc-
ttoneers on charges OF engaging in fraudulent
practices. This accounts for the humbled de-
meanor OF the women. Now. for the first time,
some are beginning TO admit the possibility that
fraud may exist ut an auction with the tlirest
appearances And the warmest protestAtions that
everything is exactly as represented and the
blutfest manner on the part Of the auctioneer.
Up 60 the time the Grand jury acted thew would
not make such an admission. Now they mourn
lhe i1ceittulness OF man.
10 you really believe that So and-So can be u
fraud r they Are asking one another. sadly
hoping against hope, and yet with the pleasant
thrill impaired by \ species OF excitement en-
tirely new.
Even now. though. many women are still
clinSing 10 their favorite aucrioneer with the
same faith and devotion that are exhibited
sometimes by members OF L congregation to a
pastor under charges.
1T is all envy. malice. and hatred. they snv
Indignantly. The shopkeepers are jealous be-
cause they can't sell things Al cheap as the auc-
tons and the auctions are .aking al their Gus
toners away. The auctiuneerg don't care Cow
cheap they sell things. They lust give them
away. So-anG-So tells you frankly. I don care
what | sell this for! [ get my commission.
That's al | want. Take it for ANYTHING YOU
want 10 pay! WAY. only last Friday-' and
men, as a rule. arc apt TO avoid the subject OF
auctions lust At present.
GERS against whom the shOpkerpers are proceed
ing form a class by themselves. There are in this
and general lines. who are OF the highest charac-
ter. and whose standing il unquestioned in the
business world M suspicion has ever arisen
concerning the methods OF these men. The auc-
rioueers under nre seek a different class ot
trade. Formerly they or their predecessors used
TO Inli perennial a~uctions OF cheap iewelry along
the Bowrry. or Of marble suatrlrT IN Broadway
shops. The auctions were distinguished for the
rerklessness with which the shabby young men
sitting around used ~ begin 10 make bids AZ
soon a. a stranger appeared On the scene. AZ
other times these auction"ers would cOnIuct
neyer-euding sales at a sacrifice OF the furri-
ture OF n gentleman giving up hnMsekeepinS
here and about to 20 to Europe. Their wlles
pruspered for a time. but business was getting
worn to a pretty threadhn. e condition with them
when exiles from Armenia began 70 arriv = in
this country with bales OF rugs. People didn't
understand rugs so we'll then AZ they do now,
and the exi!es had difficulty in dispensing ot
their bales quickly. because The demand Tor
rugs wa small. II was a golden time
not begun 10 invest their prodts in power looms.
to set up the latest American weaving ma
chinary in their native villages, and IN rurn ont
| yanuina hand mazda luripna Fuya hy .FnAm ny
wholesale. The rugs brought over were those
collected in the natural course Of trade before
IL wac necessary 10 scrape the Orient with A
rugs sold here by the regular dealers were high
in price and the Armenian eHilcs could make
al enormous profit by selling theirs at much
lower figures. 50 the rug auctions Eor started.
Joys and delights and prizes OF auctions. There
were many ine prizes to bepicket mp az these
auctions, 30 many. in fact, that numbers Of men
who were fortunate enough to have a knowledge
Of rugs bought and bought at them till they had
rnss. u they Intended "a keep iii the sup
ply OF rugs became UNEQUAL TO the demand and
prices went away mp. These rug auctions had
a profitable de!d in this city for auctions OF Inc
household wares. and they made more women
familiar with auctions than ever before.
Several salesrooms were opened which catered
especially to women customers. Their methods
OF business might be classed a. good. bal. and =
mixture Of the two. Those % the last class had
perhaps the widest popularity among women,
because their bargains seemed more astonishing
and their guile was hidden. The rooms in many
ca1es we're beautifully decorated and furnished
with rich draperies and objects Of art and hand.
ONE pieces % furniture. Attempts were made
to winnow the customers. People who were
Thought 10 he undesirable were made 10 under,
stand that they were not wanted, while good
buyers or even people OF merely good appearance
whose presence helped. the atmosphere Of the
place were encouraged to come regularly by
attentions Of various kinds. Gradually each
auction room gpr its regular patrons. The Gus
toners came 10 recognize one another, got TO
chatting among themselves in the intervals be-
tween, and grew chummy often. Doubtless the
freemasonry that thus established itself was OF
service 70 the auctioneer in helping 10 dirfuse
extraordinary pieces of gossip among the
women. One constant subject OF gossip was the
identity OF the persons who gathered in I'M
mense quantities OF articles at low prices.
Who is that r. one woman would ask.
or that's Mrs. Fifth Avenue" would b ths
reply.
Every successful auction room had A certain
number Of star customers. people who didn't
care mach what they bought 80 long as the time
passed quickly, and Mrs. Fifth Avenue was one
or these. She was there almost every auction
day and the way she would raise every bid when
she felt like il took away the breath OF other
plungers. No price seemed TO stagHer her when
she got really Interested in the game. Her style
OF playing with the limit or was a great thing
-