New-York tribune., 1902-04-17

modernzed indeed as the headquarters of pawn
brokers' who have monopolized the use Of the
Italian device.
The Iombard-st. committee have decided not
to go back TOO far into the misty ranges of the
storied past. The first London directory. pub
lished in 1877. Is the basis of their selections
of street signs and this excludes the most
picturesque period Of the street. when its bust
ness was not confined to pawnbroking, banking
and the goldsmiths' trade. but was Of a miscel
Ianeous nature. comprising taverns, book shops,
linen drapers stalls, muffin bakeries and nearly
all the mechanical trades. Some Of the signs
in use before the Great Fire have been retained
for picturesque effect. and there will be no lack
Of variety when these are reproduced in paint
and gilt and brought out night by gas jets,
transparencies and electric light. About two hun
dred of these ancient signs have been authenti
Gated with the help OF enthusiast Mr. Hilton
Price and are TO be exhibited as nearly pos
sfble on the site where they We're originally set
up. There viii be miniature zoo in paint and
limelight There will be horses and lions. black
and white; bulls rams and unicorns but no
bear; foxes with or without punches Of grapes;
cats in the fiddle. and three herrings beside the
civet cat: Sir Thomas Greshanl's golden grass
hopper and the swan the hoop; ravens. goats
supporting the crown, hares on the run, black
eagles with spreading wings. and swan on the
hoop: launches of venison winged horses and
the phoenix This nondescript geological collec
ton will be confined mainly to the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries There will be mis-
ceIIaneous assortment OF angels mermaids,
kings, blackmoors, cardinals caps, bishops
heads stars Georges. Adams Ewes stars, blue
bells anchors. crowns bellows balls, suns arti-
chokes, roses, feeces, saws, cups keys and
Bibles Some Of these quaint signs-the raven
among them-wtil have the respectable an
all ha
fed with the history of the street. There will
be as many as five tavern signs. with hospital
fty syn7boIized In the olden style. and the gold
smiths. money lenders and tradesmen Of by
gone generations will advertise their business
anew with quaint simplicity-the bookseller
with cradle. the powderman with civet cat.
and so on until the top Of the street is reached
There will be at least one symbol In Lombard
st worthy of the best traditions of the financial
centre Of the British Empire. This is the sign
of the golden grasshopper from the family crest
OF Sir Thomas Gresham. He was Eliza
bethan goldsmith. dealing in plate jewels. coins
and lace; and until he knighted he lived
over his shop in Lombard-st. He was banker
and \ money lender. and he charged percent
ages which would excite the envy Of modern
pawnbrokers. He had correspondents on the
Continent TO whom he commended English
travellers with letters of credit: and he
changed foreign coin and melted down bullion
for recoinage. He was eminent ffnancier,
who enjoyed the confidence of the Ministers of
Mary and Elizabeth. reduced the enormous
charges of the bankers Of Bruges and Antwerp
in financing royal loans by inducing LOndoners
to take them themselves; built the first Royal
Exchange at his own cost as a meeting place
for merchants and converted London into the
commercial centre Of Europe. The first London
bourse displayed at every corner pinnacle the
golden grasshopper Of Gresham. and it had
classical and mercantile associations. for 1t was
the favorite ornament Of the Athenians In their
best days and was Identified with the earliest
enterprises of Phpnician commerce There can
be no more historic symbol of the worldwide
activities Of the financial resources Of modern
Lombard-st. l. y. r