Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-08-30
oUTWITTINc RoTHScHlLD.
Trick Played by an Unscrupulous Dealer
in Antiquities. -

.
An amusing story, told in the
Memories of an Old Collector :,
makes clear the tricks in trade to-
which an unscrupulous dealer will
resort in order to get large sum for:
his wares. The two parties were,
Alessandro Castellani, the clever.
dealer, and Baron Adolph Rothschilds
of Paris. sjS
Castellani had managed to get hold
of superb enamelled ever, together.
with the dish on which it stood. He
knew that Baron Adolph had fancy.
for objects of this kind, but he also
knew that no Rothschild was ever So
carried away by his fancy as to pay
more than was reasonable for any
thing that pleased him. Castellani,
who in trade was what MachiaYelli.
was in politics, devised bit Of STRAIT
egy.
The baron on arriving in Rome
visited Castellani's shop and was
shown the best things the dealer had
except the enamelled dishEand ever.
When everything else had been in
spected, Casteilani drew from a hid-
den cupboard the dish, but not the,
ever. The baron was so pleased with
the dish that he agreed to buy the lot
of which it was part; for one Of the
customs of the shop was not to sellsa
rare specimen apart from the group
of which it formed the principal OBJ
iect. The baron paid heavily for the
whole, lamenting that there was no
ever to stand on the dish, and de-
parted for Florence. 81
There he was visited by an agent
who told him of an old lady who
wished to sell several beautiful
majolica pieces. He visited her house
in the country and was disappointed,
as the maiolica was not fine enough to
suit his taste. The old lady, seemingly
chagrined, left the room to order re-
freshments, and the baron say,
through the open door of a bedroom,
a ever covered by glass shade, on
which rested a wreath of immortelles.
When the lady returned the baron
asked permission to examine the ever.
It was brought out, and the baron
saw that the enamel was of the same
work as that of the dish he had bought
but he wished toibe certain that the
foot of the ever would fit into the
hollow of the dish. He inquired the
price of the ever, and was told by the
lady that it waslnot for sale, as it was
the only souvenir she possessed Of her
husband.
The baron went back to his rooms,
had the dish unpacked, and found that
the foot of the ever fitted il. perfectly.
The next dayFtheibaron sent the agent
to offer the 1old lady princely sum
for the ever. He brought backsa re-
fusal to sell. But at last the widows
scruples wFe overcome.
Castelleni, with his italian cunning,
had planned the whole affair. The
agent who called and the old lady who
was sentimental were his aids in max
ing the baron pay much larger sum
than he would have given had ever
and dish been sold together. The
Italian shopman's scheme had taken
in the ewish bankers reputed one Of
the most astute of business men.
The story will be- appreciated by
those collectors who have been taught
by experience to distrust so-called
III inds." The Arab, conducting a
parity among the ruins of an Egyptian
temple, suddenly stumbles upon o
scarab. He offers itfor sale as a gen.
uineNantlque, two or three thousand
sold. Some one buys it, for did
the Arab mot pick it up before the
eyes of the whole party? Yes, but
two daystbefore they did not see him
bury thes modern imitation in that
very spot,