New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-22

in itself has no definite value. 1t may be worth
500. and it may not be worth the paper 1t Is
written on Experience gives the dealer certain
knowledge which he does not propose to give
away TO the INEXPERIENCED who come to MN
In the capacity Of sellers. 1t is knowledge
that has been acquired by years OF obscrfa-
ton and study and. however cleverly handled,
ITO brings comparatively little financial return
Take an ordinary letter Of John Hancock. Tor
example 1t is worth So A letter signed by
him on the day of the Declaration OF lnde-
pendence is worth $3.50. IL the latter IL offered
to a dealer by a person ignorant Of its value
the dealer will probably give him 81 for IT.
man brings d dealer letter OF Thomas Jefcr-
SON. The dealer knows that there are thou-
sands of jefferson letters to be had for triiic'
He looks at this specimen and notes the date.
II was written on the Sd. jefferson died. say
on the 18th. In all probability this Is the last
letter jefferson wrote Sentiment gives II a
fictitious value Had the seller known that dif-
ference in date was difference In value he could
have asked the dealer so for 1t. and he would
have got it,.
UNKNOWN NAMES OF GREAT VALUE.
peculiar feature Of the trade. niue suS-
pected by the outsider. is the fact Tat names
scarcely known bring tn highest prices VINO
can recall a member Of the Continental Army
Whenever the autograph OF any such turns up
it brings almost any sum. Who ever heafu
Of Thomas Lynch. jr? letter Of this almost
unknown man would bring to-day hundred
times money than a letter or George
Washington. Lynch was sgner OF the
Declaration Of Independence He was a native
Of South Carolina. Brief was his public life.
At an early age he was lost at sea. only one
! letter Of Lynch Is known to exist 1t - IN the
Lcnox Library. Its value is 5000. Any sigma
lures Of Lynch in collections or on the market
have been cut from books taken from bis IL
bray.
| is there a dcmlnd for American literary
cclcbritics?" was asked.
For the dead yes The living. no Holmes.
Lowell Whittier and Emerson are not scarce
Longfcllow Is good seller here and abroad
Hawthorne and Walt Whitman are growing
scarccr. and bring good prices. Poe is rare
An ordinary letter Of Poe brings $2E anything
special much more
Have contemporary writer's no value
VERY little. Like artists. actors actresses
and singers they are too easily obtained. The
d-ath Of contemporary often creates A de-
mand Eugene Field wasn't worth quarter
living Since his death there has been steady
demand"
FUTURE OF TIE BUSINESS
IF the b-s; historical matter Is almost
unattainabe. how are dealers to continue th'
business with profit" "A veteran vas asked
They must encourage the collection ~ avail
able autographs was the reply, autograph:
/ that will be valuable In time. The fact tina
/ Dewey's victory changed in "A moment th'
worlds equilibrium. making a prime factor
In it, viii give great value years from now e
letters from Dewey any Of the officers IN
gagged in the Manila victory Lists ~ Prcsl
dents of the United States Governors ~ th'
States Speakers Of the House Supreme Cour
Judges and municipal authorities Of New Y ori
are easily obtained In time they viii be scarce
Mckinley Governor n author u the Me
Kinl"y bill had some sale. Since he has be
come President the price has gone up
What is the present demand for?'
Union and Confederate soldiers 81 the civil
War. particularly the generals a good let,e
Of Grant brings so. War subjects are SAT-
Investment. Letters Of Abraham Lincoln ar
rare and very valuable. They turn up at tn
rate of three year.
"Apropos Of Lincoln "A recent catalogue o
William Evart benjamin states that AT tn
present time there no specimens Of Lin
coin in stock. Fall autograph letters ar
worth from 500 To So each. according to in
terest Of contents. size and appearance. Lin
coin. like Edgar Allan Zoe. seemed never Il
touch a pen to paper without saying some
thing Of interest. His letters not in rcalit,
scarce; plenty II them exist know Of on
lot Of thirty. and another lot Of eighty speci
mems Those who possess them treasure them
and viii not part with thcm. The strong human