The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-24
TRADING IN AUTOGRAPHS.
raIs COUNTRY AFFORDS FINE
v,RKET FOR RARE SIGNATURES.


uovers in Great Religious Crises
Foremost Generals. ETC., when
zach Series Is Complete, Fetch Big
priceS-Curious Irregularlty in tn,
ysIue of the Autographs of the
sicners of the Declaration of In
eeuendence-Genuin Letters by
Famous Folk That Are Worth Lit
tie or Nothing.
New York. Feb. 22.-She looked so pref
~ and important as she was ushered into
the autograph brokers' private office. and
che talked so much and so fast about he
difseulty in finding the place. her being
unused to business dealings and so on.
that the proprietor was puzzled as to
whether this visitor came on a buying or
a selling errand.
oOb. These dear old papers. she ex-
claimed. motioning toward the rows OF
shelves stacked with manuscripts
and folios Anything mildewed AMI
worn is delightful You repair old auto
erapbs. I suppose, those that can hardly
hang together"
The broker replied that he got an ex-
pert to repair them for him. "And that
bpre,ar-proof safe! l expect you have
priceless papers in there?
The broker admitted that he had valu-
ahles in safe keeping. "Wellv' opening
me reticule which hung from her belt and
ta5is out a packet, i've brought you a
treasure A letter that came into our pos
session through a great aunt, relative
nj the statesman. We wouldn't think o
u IL 3RaAa
keen thing of such universal interest
hid away privately. Mother said nigh
mart with it to a person who truly under
stood its value, for $50.
srNhose autograph is IT," said the brok-
er Let's see it. I can tell you it's
worth at a glance"
"Henrv Cl4ys. Two pages of note pa
per Glossy written, date and all com
plete. But" still k-eping hold of 1t
'you Il be sure to give 1t back to me If
you don't decide to take it"
Certainly" said the broker. Auto
graphs are frequently submit ed to me by
mai. 1t is a point of honor to return
them If not wanted"
IT'S fine, isn't it?' the young woman.
asked after the letter had been scanned.
ITS rather in err sting" was the an
ewer TN give you 81 for it."
1.-TWO dolars!" she extl lined, reaching
for the treasure. Are you in earnest?
quite. Two dolalrs is al the letter
is worth to me"
"But people get $500 and $500 for great
mems letters. And CT was a famous
orator. He was Secretary OF State. H
was"
ayes. He was famous. but he wrote
a great many letters. His a. tographs
while not a drug in the market are suf-
ticiently plentiful to make dealers indif-
ferent about securing Them
There was further II formation on mat
tiers governing autograph quota lions. but
evidertly to unhee1ing ears, for when
the young woman rose to go, she aid. in
the tone of a person offe ing ano her. the
fine chance at a bargain: 80 you won't
give $50 for my Clay letter. And had to
be again assured that the market price
was 81.
Some Authorizations.
People have many hallucination about
the value of autographs" said the broker
On another occaei n. 1.-THE business is OK
tending, and there is increased demand
for autographs of al the various lines cf
celebrities, the country being richer, ana
more attention is paid to research But n
such money value obtains as is commonly
believed. Complete sets of signatures, or
autograph letters, re'a ting to any partic-
ular epoch in history bring big prices. For
Instance. the colonial governor. the chief
iustices, the prime movers in a great re-
Hgious crisis. or the foremost generals an
hld marshals in a great war. The auto
Eaphs of persons unknown to fame, but
Who assisted in the signing of some i'm
lortant state paper. also bring good
Fices. But the single letter of a person
age, however great or antique, If 1t has
10 such associa ton, seldom brings over
3D. Even the original manuscripts of
lerses stories, or music score or WELL
mown writers and musicians have slight
market value. An autograph poem of
lean Ingelow brings 50. The MSS. of
Nuhenberg's 81 Would Not Live Always"
old al auction lately. when many COLES
tors were present, for SIS. o. w. Holmes
Old Ironsides" MSS. brought only $45.
The signatures of quite eminent actors
and politicians can be had for 10 and Is
cents. Yet people constantly apply to me
who expect fabulous prices for their au-
tograph wares. They value an engraved
portrait of a celebrity, If it's fifty years
old or so, at price sufficient to pay their
Aouse rent for a year. Recently a man
offered ten-line note from Sarah Bern
hardt for $40. / showed him a longer an
better one written by her which brought
EO. Somebody arrived with a letter
from Jenny Lind's husband. written about
her at the time of her marriage, and
Wtn was held to be worth s25. 1t sold
precise old party tongue-lashed me
iefibly lately because l offered her $3.50
Il q signed document OF Hopknson, one
q the Pennsylvania signers of the DecS
IFauon OF Independence. He did little
Use noteworthy besides signing that pa
per, and his autograph is more common.
Fith one or two exceptions, than the au-
ltographs of any OF the Sc commissioners.
ret she calculated on getting $40 for her
letter Never mind, young man. she
saio, with particular ire. "You think !
dont know about these matters and can
Dc Imposed upon. But only the other day
the signature, the naked signature of a
slgner written on the title page of a book
mat was found somewhere, brought $3.50.
AND l should like to know IL one signer
Of mat paper isn't just as good as an
olnef.' And she 1ounced off to see other
uealers. OF course. ! could have explain
ca 10 her the relative importance Of the
slshers. How some of the So lived long
ana wrote much, or wrote to people who
sdVed their letters and Others wrote sell
ION or their letters were lost
4nls Lynch she referred to, the
SCUM Carolina signer, was drowned at
sea when only 30. He was educated
abroad and was only in America seven
year after his graduation. Collectors Of
sne slgners set of autographs are wild
-or even his signature. Only Lynch APP
penled to bills or on books or pictures
- 20 De had and rarely. full auto
graph from him fs tunossinla tpiaas SOM,