The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-01-30

THE craze for antique furniture and
bric-a-brac is not as great as It was
few years ago" remarked a well-known
dealer in antiques STILL" he continued,
Il know a great many people who think
that the very finest OF modern furniture
cannot be compared with the old styles.
and such persons are willing to spend any
amount OF money. 10 say nothing OF time.
In the effort 10 add TO their collections
this or that piece which they have heard
OF as being for sale in some distant State
IF you have noticed the prevailing
makes OF the newest furniture you know
that the highest-priced and most beauti-
full Bullets, tables, beds, and dressing ia
bles are mostly in mahogany and modelled
after the famous designs Of the Colonial
period. The reason for this is that the
genuine antiques are becoming so rare
that there are not enough OF them on the
market to supply the popular demand.
Then, too, prices are much higher than
formerly.
when the antique fad first started, my
agents throughout Virginia could pur-
chase valuable pieces for a mere trifie,
but that time has passed never TO return.
At present even the most insignificant
fully aware of the demand for antiques.
and has in consequence set such a high
price upon his Colonial possessions that
we cannot afford to buy them Virginia
country towns are full of this beautiful
old mahogany. which has been handed
down from generation to generation and
is still in good condition. and l must say
that the owners do not seem TO appreci-
ate the historic value Of their furniture
until they discover that some one wishes
to buy IT,
II have slept IN rare old beds in South
erri towns and yet been obliged to leave
without bringing one with me. Such beds
are almost invaluable. and in several in
stances l learned that the present owners
had purchased them for five or six dollars
at sale OF household effects. / know OF
the wife of Congressman who paid 500
for a bed which could not compare with
the one which had been bought for five.
yet the Representative wife thought she
was getting a bargain.
The Source of Antique Furniture,
where do We get our antique furni-
ture and bric-2-brac? From all sorts of
places and in various ways. 1 have men
on the lookout for me all through the
South. 1t is their business to let me
know of any pieces of rare furniture
which they think may be bought They
either buy IL for me. or / go myself to
purchase II.
Then l keep my eyes open for auction
sales Of antiques, although / do not often
buy from them, because auctioneers, as
a rule, possess an excellent idea of the
value OF the articles for sale, and il is
seldom that the dealer in antiques Sc
cures a bargain. Often, too he is out
bid by the owner of some private col
lection. who is determined to secure the
coveted article at any price. / have seen
ladies and gentlemen pay the most ridicu-
lous prices for old furniture, just because
they felt that they must have It. Much
old family furniture is distributed around
in this way, and always finds ready pur-
chasers. Sometimes the effects OF a
Georgetown family are sold, and then
what a treat it is for antique lovers; for
we all know that there is about as much
old mahogany and fine silver TO be found
in Georgetown as in any place in Vir-
ginia, and il is just as difficult to secure
Although the Southern people apparently
treat their rare old possessions as a mat
ter Of course, and, handed down In the
family, you know still they have a feel
ing of respect, a deep sentiment for their
belongings. / think 1t is this more than
anything else which causes them to re-
fuse to sell.
"Once in a while the secondhand stores
get hold of a treasure, which may be
purchased for reasonable sum. Then,
the pawn shops handle a great deal OF
brse-a-brac. which the owner only parts
with through dire necessity. We often
y.rfaaiago baIrlnafnc he. axryf,-
brokers.
THAT pair of andirons. there" he con-
tinued. pointing to a magnificent pair OF
solid brass andirons, the tops of which
were balls at least six inches in diameter,
came from a store On the Bowery.
Judging from the style they no doubt be-
lOnged to some old Southern family. How
they ever found their way 10 the Bow
cry is a question, as the dealer from
whom bought them knew nothing what
ever OF their history. He had purchased
them from a woman for a mere trifie. he
said,
al do not expect TO own them very
| long, for they are too handsome not 10
| find a ready sale. You know brass and
irons are as much In demand now as
they were In the old days when every one
burned immense logs of wood instead or
COAL and all the house and its visitors
lowered around the big fireplace.
some Brie-a-brae Imported.
Brass sndirons may be bought for any
price from s. up, but what i difference In
| themi The antiques sell for as much as
the new kinds, but the majority OF peo-
pie prefer the old timers when they may
| be had"
Side by side with the Bowery andirons
stood another pair from Virginia. and ex-
cept for size they were enough alike 20
have been made at the same place. Near
| them was q pair brought over from Eng
land.
I'VE often import our bric-a-brae." said
| the antique man. ''In fact. / have men
| In several countries who keep me Inform
| ed about articles which ! might Ike 10
| buy, Not long ago ] was fortunate
enough 20 become the possessor OF some
old dinner plates used during the French
revolution. | will show them 70 you"
There were a half dozen or 50, and er-
/ cent for their authentic historical i'm
7 por;ance, nc lover OF china would care 20
possess one. They are OF the most pc
cuIisr ware. ali cracked and showing age,
and the pictures on them were OF the
mos, extraordinary design and drawing.
| one REPRESENTED three good citizens or the
| republic greeting the "bonns eityonne
/ Hruuel and the figures were almost as
assular as the old familiar Egyptian men
:.C.rr glass 81 not OF much value in my
/ husinsss.' remarked the dealer. because
oia c,lt glass Is 50 much inferior 70 the
/ .,oaeTn aesigas. In olden times the glass
1ss NOT as vel made and vas generally
mfIch elumsisF. and The cut was not 80
e.. ard OF such intricate design as a.
Z ~ 6Tsssnt time. There IL 30 httle sale
( Snr he Old Kind that / pay no attention
I "a n unless / run across a decaDter or
I xafef bottle from some historic person,
/ ,ThSn n only sells for this fact and not
/ bscsiise OF It's beauty.
ssTbsra 10 one art which the moderns
have meyer ezcslled. In my opinion. and
80, O. me making % silsefware. The cid
/ si,,er was undoubtedly of the heaviest
/ ,.a,-h, and the purest silver. and the de-
I 800 were beautiful for simplicity and In
I ,,Ieats work. One Old piece Of silver Will.
! in nv opinion. outlast any amount OF tho
~ nave curiositlea from all over the
xnria1 Genuine delft, silver chateiaines
"a Rag holders from Italy; old china and
! fsu' slry from France, furniture from Eng
/ "a ana odds and ends from other