The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-11-13

The reporter was greatly impressed.
That's very thoughtful young man"
he remarked; do many people buy
jewelry with special reference to--er-
future visits to their uncle?" DO
they!" replied the clerk; well, |
should litter! All show people, from
the stars down to the serio-comics at
the parks, buy jewelry as much for flu
ture collateral as for present ornament.
None of them are immune from bad
luck and very few are able to save; so
they put their spare cash in diamonds
instead of bank. 1t is really a sensl-
BILE plan. If an actor had bank ac-
count, he knows perfectly well he
would draw it out at the first tempta-
ton, and, besides, it would make him
a mark for borrowers. But hand
some diamond is something he is sure
to hang on to up to the very last
ditch, and, when worse comes to worst,
he can always realize very nearly its
actual value. To show you how fu-
ture contingencies are always borne in
mind by theatrical folks when they
buy jewelry," the clerk went on, I'll
tell you little story. Last season
popular actress, who is supposed to be
wealthy, came in and priced beautl-
full diamond medallion. There were
six stones in the setting, all blue-white,
and our price was really very reasona-
BILE. After examining it closely she
asked permission to take 1t to her hotel
to try it's effect on different costumes.
We felt almost certain of a sale, and
allowed her to do so; but, to our disap-
pointment, she returned the ornament
next day and said she had decided not
to keep it. About month later we
found out, by mere chance, what
at once as skins and sent the trinket
back.
THAT trick OF getting an estimate
from a pawnbroker before closing a
purchase is quite common in northern
cities which are centers for the theat
rical profession, and I could name one
man who was shrewd enough to turn it
enormously to his advantage. He was
running a jewelry store in the theatre
cal district, and very quietly opened a
very swel-looking loan Office, under
another name only a few doors away.
When a customer asked to take home
some article for examination the
chanhes were hundred to one that
the convenient pawnshop would be the
next place visited There was pri
waite mark on all goods in stock, and
the amount named as a loan was al {
ways within a few dollars of the price T
asked at the jewelers.. That simple ex-
pedient resulted in hundreds of sales I
at the fanciest kinds of figures-in /
fact, the man who invented the scheme
got rich at it. Of course,
many purchasers called at the pawn
shop later on to actually negotiate
loans, and would be offered only a
fraction of the sum originally named.
Yes, I know we We're willing to adj
vance more a few weeks ago. the clerk
would say in response to protests, and
the pledge is well worth it; but we
happen to be overstocked on this par
ticular line at present and really don't
want additions at any price That
would generally satisfy the visitor and
everybody was happy. incidentally,
the legitimate business of the pawn
shop betrayed its running expenses, so
the sagacious jeweler secured a great
feeder for tpade, without paying a
cent for 1t. I think you will agree that
ne had a long head. I know several
actors and actresses, by the way, who
won't invest in a diamond anywhere
Inless the house will give them a writ
zen guarantee to lend seventy-five per
cent. of the purchase price on demand
very few jewelers. are willing to make
such an agreement, because there Is al
ways danger that the original stones
nay be taken out and others of an in
erior quality substituted. I have lost
several good sales on that account my
Orleans Times Democrat.