The Washington times., 1902-05-11
CURI0 DEALERS IN RUSSIA.
Methods by Which Foreign Traders Are
Shut Out

| The Russian curio dealer is lucky fell
| low. For the last ten years. to say the
| least. he has been making his fortune
rapidly. fact not to be wondered at
| when We consider that he has, as his own
private preserve, the whole OF Russia's
great colony in Central Asia, which
stretches from the Caspian Sea to the
borders of China.
No foreigner may land on the eastern
side of the Caspian without having first
obtained special permit from the for
eign office at st. Petersberg. The permit
is very rarely granted to any but Rus
sian subjects. and never to foreigners of
the mercantile class; so that the Russian
curfo dealer has no one to interfere
with the splendid monopoly upon which
he is growing so fat and sleek He has
his emissaries all over the country. in
khiva, in Bokhara, in Khokand, and in
kashgar, which last named being n Chi
nese border town, is OF course open TO
all Many of these emissaries are OF the
Hebrew race, and this point is greatly
in their favor. for it enables them to
gain an easy admittance to the houses of
native Jews, which in themselves are
mines of wealth to the collector of an
tiquities. I came across one such ennis
looking over some of his latest booty.
which consisted of several Greek coins.
on which it was easy to distinguish the
name and features of Alexander the Great,
Roman one of purest gold. on which
we read the inscription of the Emperor
Titus, and several beautifully carved
metal casketS.
How do you know that these coins are
genuine?" l asked.
ssSbnw mo no man KhCkand VI
could make one of these. was the quick
reply.
ITO whom do you sell these coins?"
was my next question.
II sell good many to private gentle
men in England and Scotland, who are
themselves clever numismatologists. and
possess priceless collections. that have
been handed down from father to son for
generations. l also sell a great many in
America, but the Americans only began to
collect about fifteen or twenty years ago.
They are keen at 1t. but lave not the un-
derstanding that ] find in Britain. Still,
they are very ready to buy"
The Russian curio dealer has his agents
in every capital in Europe. but the two
principal marts for his wares are Mos
COW and Tifis. Moscow in particular. is
a grand center for the purchase of Cen
tral Asian antiquities. Five years ago
tne Traveller yet plCh up III siAS
bazar at Bokhara Il curious copper vase,
turquoise covered saddle. or a sword
of ancient date: but now he would look
there in vain for any article bearing the
stamp of age.
In Merv it is the same. We have all
heard of the exquisite carpets made by
Turkoman women, which rival in their
beauty and durability the finest rugs that
India or Persia can produce. but now the
traveller searches for them in vain IN
their native land. An inferior quality'
frightful in pattern and hideous in color
ing but dear to the heart of the Russian
Hausfrau. has entirely taken their place.
The genuine article is still to be nad oy
those who are willing to pay the enormous
price that is asked: but it is in the ware
house of merchant prince In MOSCOW
that il will be found. To go furthcr aheiu
would be useless.
Among the native population OF TurK-
estan, there are yet many skilled work.
men. but their masterpieces are pre-
destined for the curio shops OF Moscow
They will never appear in the native
hazar. where their place has been taken,
sad 10 say, by class OF goods, cheap AMI
eashv. that have been manufactured In
Noscov-. with the express view of pander-
ing to = low taste for paltry show and
color. that never existed in the country
till the Russians brought 1t with them
Pail Mall Gazette.