The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-11
VALUE OF VIOLINS.
One Pawnbroker Who Lends but n
Dollar on Any Instrument.
New Orleans Times-Democrat.

New Orleans Times-Democrat.
''On violin 1 will loan one dollar; no
more" declared a little old pawnbroker of
the local Latin quarter, replying to the
question of a casual curio hunter. who was
looking over the strange medley OF Gods
and ends that Uttered the dutsy counters.
''Yes?' said the visitor, politely; but you
refer, | suppose, 10 the general run o. Vio-
lins. When an instrument is of real value
you make an exception, of course" "Of
course / Go not!' retorted the pawn
broker sharply. ITO me violin Is a vio-.
lin. and 81 is what / lend. Oh! to be sure
they protest-often! Sometimes they shed
tears. They assure me 1t is old, rare,
worth / don't know what. Very well, L
reply; then take II to musician. Me-
am a pawnbroker, and lend 81 on fiddles.
provided they are in good order. No, 1
did not always have this rule" admitted
the old man. smiling grimly Il thought
once that L knew something about violins
myself. My father was musician and
played for twenty years In the orchestra
at the French Opera House. was brought
up, as you might say, among fiddles; but
pshaw, Let me tell you what they did:
One day a man came here with dirty
old case under his arm. He took me back
in the passage to open Ii and said: 'Sh-s-s!
it is strad" Well, to tell you the truth,
1t was a very fine looking instrument. i
examined it carefully, and II had all the
marks 1t was signed A. s. AS for the
man, he told the usual story-poverty and
SO on--but he told it well. j was more
my friend Edgardo, who had repair shop
on the next corner and was q known con-
noisseur When Edgardo saw the fiddle
his eyes stuck out. Antonio Stradivarius!
he whispered in my ear. led him into the
hall Are you sure 1t is genuine? / asked.
stake my life,' said he Well, lent the
man $500, and promised TO keep the fiddle
for him six months In week or so an
other musician in distress showed up-a
friend of the first man. He had a Maggfni
burnt-amber varnish, seventeenth century.
took him also to Edgardo, who was en-
chanted. You are in luck he said. pri-
vately; there is a colony OF these fellows,
just from Europe. They are very poor and
have magnificent fiddles. You will get them
ALL l lent $3.50 on the Maggini In a
month had three more-a Guarnerius and
two Gaglianos Altogether L advanced s575
on them. Then one day the orchestra
leader from the French opera came into
the shop. He was distinguished man and
wore the red rosette of the Legion in his
buttonhole. We got TO talking about vioiins,
and, to surprise him, / brought out the
'Strad.' / give you my word thought that
man would never get through laughing.
But was already on my way to Edgardo's,
and what do you think ?-his shop was
closed, cleaned out, for remit 1 never saw
him again, nor the five worthy musicians.
The fiddes 1 sold for IS apiece. 1t seems
there is factory in Brussels where they
make them by the gross Since then /
have established my rule-a violin is a
violin, and as collateral Ii is worth 81, IL
In good repair. When they protest 1 say:
Go TO musician. / am not a musician.
am pawnbroker.'