The Washington times., 1901-11-03
LoNDoN's FAMOUS AUcT1oNEER
Mcrmaids and Mummies Among the
bargains mt "stevcns."

IL
There is a spot in London where the
prehistoric and the modern jostle each
other in a way that is at cEce curious and
amusing Everybody has heard Of ste
yens';" a fairly large slice Of the popula-
ton has visited the famous reading
rooms during the century and half they
have been established, but it has been the
privilege of few TO explore as thorouGhl!
as the writer did every nook ana corner
Of this emporium of curics IRON every
quarter of the globe and almost OF every
age And the experience was all lhe
more interesting ny reason OF the iacl
that Henry Stevens himself acted as
guide. ,--.,
i'm a collection of 400 Peruvian pots-a
Ueird-Iooking ''lct'-dug from The graves
Of Incas who fiourished matter OF tout
centuries ago. The Indians had Il hapIt
in those far-off days Of burylng thtse or
uamente with their dead. The vessels
were filed with oil and maize, ana SOM
were so fashioned that by nloNihs
through one end the other emitted
v,iIistiing noise or s~litated the human
yoicc-all this with the idea OF rendering
the dopartads journey to the h"PpH
hunting ground as little tedious as pos
Men Of mercantile mind, hearing that
IN. resting places Of these ancient IN
dams were fun Of untold treasure, form
ed bands of gold prospectors- IN one
graveyard ingots OF gold valued al ~
eral h,ludrcd thous; nd pounds were I"uilH'
rot TO mention scores of these grim sptcl-
mems of pottery, which were uiscaFd-a
as useiess .t,t.l.,t
dCubt the most extraordinary business
e.nctum in London. 1t is the olc cuII-
o.ity shop a corner Ct the British Mus
um and q section of Mime. Iussaud $
rolled into one. ~,.3-.-t
r.isrcrces the writer sat on a thair oC'u-
pied 10y the Duchess of Wellington WI
IN a visit to the famous rooms. MI.
Stevens first saw the light IN mat very
.,partment and at seventeen Vas taxing
an active part in the business. l'uilnH
the forty years that he hats occupied Inc
rrstTllIn he has sold more lois lii'1h ans
rtbar auctionecr in the country. Some
times each lot numbers scores OF dll-
frrant articles. For example, Mr. Stev-
ems has sold hundreds Of thousands "I
bulbs Under the heading of botany come
rho sale of the first WeliugtOnia seed IN
lrodIced in any quantity into this corn-
Try II was sold for "A shllngs an ounce,
and il Is possible TO grow from on" ounc"
of WcniT gtoEia sesd lo~1 giant trees
from 2oG feet to 400 feet nigh. The tree IS
common enough in California, where a
coach and -four has been driven through
i. tunnel hcwn out Of one.
No less important was the selling Of the
first male anCuha in this country. The
female plant bad been brought over from
Tai,an wears before. and botanistS We're
puzzled that it failed to bear berries.
The explanation was that the male plant
had been left at home. one was sent Tor
and Mr.. stevens sold 1t. Other male
specimens were subsequently, disposed OF
by him, and in a very short time every
ancuba in England was Frightened Win
the hitherto missing berry.
one Of the most remarkable series OF
sales the profession has Known was that
devoted to great aux : eggs. stevens
was known for time as the Great AUX
tion Rooms The eggs fetched from go
to Goo, but q stuffed specimen "f the exc
tiuct bird and its egg realized 6u suineas.
In this connection Mr. tSevcus relates
how Il Young fellow at a country furui-
ure sale, anxious to secure lot OF
shells and eggs in a basket taken from
lumber room, entered into competition
with an old lady equally desiruus of OBJ
tanning the shells for home decorative
purposes. Finally the young man became
the purchaser at 3Gs. Two Of the eggs in
cluded in his lot appeared 10 him To be
very large. lie sent them 10 Mt Stevens.
What that Young mans surprise was on
receiving a check for Gii5 can be well I'M
agiaCj.
Nr. stevens showed the writer tho
largest b!Td's $ ogg in existence. II reras'd
In a case by the side of a nest OF hum
ming bird S eggs, the smallest known
The giant spocirnon Is scientifically index
I'd as the "aepyornis maNimus. The bird
has long been extinct. 1t Is really the roc
OF the Arabian Night" rcputed to bay.
been capable of flying OF, not only with
men hut with the elephant and rhino'e-
ros The egg in possession of Mr.. stevens
Is equal to 240 OF those laid on the Lon
don breakfast table.
One of the most important commissions
unoertaken at Stevens was me selling
malls and 1.272 birds, including number
OF E.nglish-bred emus.
Mention of the latter bird recalls the