Omaha daily bee., 1900-10-18
PLEDGES IN A CURIO suor.
Unredeemed Articles that Have Becn
Sold by a PHwnbroker.

PLEDGES IN A CURIO sHor.
Unredeemed Articles that Have Becn
sold by a PHwnbroker.
outside Of London and Paris, SAYS the New
York Times, there is probably not a city in
the world where such varied and unique col
lectlons can he found as in the shops OF the
curio dealers OF New York who make a
business OF buying up articles at pawn
brokers' sales II the pawnshops contain
silent evidences OF family and individual
woes. the house of the curio dealer has them
multiplied many fold, and with them untold
family histories, romances, and even crimes.
odd phases OF human nature are often
revealed In the character OF pledges, and
one of the oldest OF these is often the
seeming indifference displayed by nu-
merous class who for various causes have
| parted with gifts which have their names
engraved thereon. Just how and why most
OF these articles find their way to the curlo
! dealers shop before redistribution to the
| general purchaser, once more to go on their
! travels, is n mystery which no man may
| fathom.
In Bowery shop near Houston street
where the proprietor NJ. Rosenthal, buys
| anything from suit OF clothes to family
relics, heirlooms and diamonds, are pledges
in one shape or another from all parts of
the world. and some OF these date back
TO the time OF the Egyptian kings. But,
coming back to modern life, one OF tho
features of the collection IL the number OF
trophies won by sporting men and athletes.
whose names are more or less familiar.
and who have become separated from their
property once proudly worn as evidences
OF strength or skill.
shining and conspicuous article in the
bo iatIe No1A Ia n oh
pion belt once belonging to Prof ODonovan.
now instructor in athletics at the New
York Athletic club. The belt is a heavy
solid silver affair. bearing in front at the
clasp an American shield, fanked by the
American and Irish flags and suitably in
sclbed
The belt started on it's wanderings some
| years ago. About three months ago tho
! professor. who IL is now explained spells his
name Donovan, heard that II was resting in q
Bowery show window and sent some friends
down to enter into negotiations. They de-
parted saying they would call again"
Subsequently the professor denied that the
belt belonged to him
Many athletic trophies are to he found
In the curio shops. One OF these is a gold
and enameled medal won by j. W. Kennedy
in dumb bell lifting contest. The trophy
records that Mr.. Kennedy lifted a thousand
pounds George Whistler. who won fame
as the champion water walker OF America.
deposited his property on the counter Of
Bowery pawnbroker, who sold It when the
law allowed. Badges for marksman and
Masonic embems appear In goodly numbera
How they got into the hands Of the pawn
broker might furnish many an interesting
and pathetic story, but whatever the reason.
no owner ever called. Among the marks
mems trophies is Valentine Lorz's gold
Kings medal presented to him in 1899 by
the Harlem Independent Schuetzen corps
One of the most curios things in the col
lection Is German badge, from fifty to
sevcntyfve years old. II is of gold. show
ing star in the foreground and In be-
tween the points. as background is rep
resented the German eagle. remarkable
circumstance about this decoration that
has found its way across the ocean only to
rest among other pledges is that 1t is be-
slowed only upon members Of the royal
family or upon renowned generals OF the
empire who may win IL by deeds OF unusual
valor. On one star point is crown and
underneath a letter "F," supposed to stand
for Frederic The decoration also bears
this inscriptions Pour lie merte."
A pledge of equal or even greater rarity
is a large medallion of jefferson Davis in
scription, Confederate States OF America,
% Feb, 1862" and "Deo Vindice." Only
enough Of these were made originally 10
supply each member OF jefferson Davis
cabinet before II was broken up.
Back in 1873 the officials and citizens OF
Clyde, N. Y, presented to the fire depart
ment Of Lyons, in token OF generous aid
rendered, a finely chased and carved speak
ing trumpet The presentation was made
on October OF that year and bore the
name OF the chief engineer OF the Lyons
firemen. His name was carefully erased
either before or after the trumpet started
on its torturous journey among strangers
and today the trumpet Is one OF the old
soldiers in the shop.
A heavy silver backed mirror left Or
ange, ~ j.. some time within the last ten
years. In 1890 the Orange Lawn Tennis
club held an open tournament. The trophy
was for women's singles, but the winner
never had her name carved in the space
set apart to indicate that she was the sue
cessfuI player. OF feminine ana mascu
line silver ornaments won at cohtests anu
given as presents there are legion. fallen
from their estate into the hands OF the
businesslike pawnbrOker only to be sold
IN the biggest bidder when time was up
Even the insignia OF law Ia not sacred
IN the pawnbroker, as Is evidenced by the
solid gold badge of Frank Wolf, one time
deputy sheriff in this city. The near
neghbor OF this badge is diamond afrair
presented to Captain Frank Gregory by
Company ID, Twenty-second regiment, away
back in 1880. Hugging this latter closely
Is the insignia in gold and precious stones
of Sir william II. Heck, past eminent
commander OF st, Mary's commandery.
No. SO, Knights Templars whose home In
,.hn ,a ,aI In
phia. That city is also represented In the
badge OF Past Eminent Commander Sir
]. Spencer Smith OF Corinthian Chasseur
commandery No 53 knights Templar.
OF college fraternity pins there are
dozens, many Of them bearing their