The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-11
BARGAINS IN ODD PLACES
4 CHANCE FOR THE WARY IN
THE BOWERY Auction ROOM.


INV
Picturesuue-A Rare Bookpiate DIS
covered in q observation-disclosures ways.
Perhaps you would not consider a trip
TO an auction sale In the Bowery as an
amusement. Perhaps you will say, lightly.
"oh. I've seen David Warield in The Auc-
tioneer' and I'm sure the real thing can't
be half so entertaining" And this Ia not
TO be gainsaid. Perhaps you had rather go
to a roof garden in Manhattan. whore you
can sit at a small table at the side with
something cool to drink in front OF you
and get a secon hand representation OF
the East Slider without the adjunct OF the
various sights and sounds and smells that
go to make up the genuine article.
But il you think you can spare an hour
or two some day 60 down on the Bowery
at II A. NJ. to an auction sale in some OF the
pawnshops there and you will be repaid
for your trip and, incidentally. get such
sidelights on human nature as never can be
reproduced on the stage.
II you have not already q hobby along
the line OF some second hand article get
one. for only in that way can you get the
real pleasure Of the chase. Never mind
IL you do not always get what you want
The one great comfort in the auction blsi-
ness is the beautiful fact that there is always
another one that may come up any time.
IL you do not secure it to-day the same
thing perhaps in better condition may be
yours tomorrow and picked up at a most
astonishing price.
Charles Lamb advises every man TO have
a hobby and ride il hard, and there is nothing
more fascinating. than the pursuit Of some
elusive object or cherished hope through
the various highways and byways OF New
York. The further it takes you out of your
beaten path the more entertaining it
becomes.
You can start in by taking your lunch in
Maodou al ~street-it sounds Scotch, but
it's really Italian. You go in an area and
through a dark hall, so dark. indeed. that
! visions OF the Black Hand holding a dagger
electrify the atmosphere, then out into the
narrow little rack yard. which is covered
with a shed, under which is a long table
around which are seated many or few
c~oatless and hatless SONS of sunny Italy
making more noise over a plateful Of
spaghetti than all the PEOPLE from Nebraska
and Texasl put together in the dining room
OF the Waldorf. FOUR lunch will be served
without much ceremony; you will be po-
litely requested 10 keep your knife and
| fork for every course. bpt the food is deli
cious and well cooked.
Then start on IA quest. Does your
taste lie in the direction Of old books9 A
pawnshop sometimes contains unlimited
possibilities in this line. Even a junk shop
is not 10 be despised.
Not long ago a man walked into a junk
shop and inquired il they ever had any old
books. The proprietor informed him that
they did, and hat they sent the leaves to
the paper mill and the covers to the dump
heap. He gave the man the freedom Of
the place with a wave Of his hand.
There was a pile of book covers in the
| corner. The man walked over and picked
one up. II had once contained THE
Tatler."
Pasted inside the front cover was a book
plate which Immediately attracted the at
tention OF the visitor. 1t was that Of Aza-
rias Williams, a stern old Connecticut divine
who left his native land long before the
! Revolution in order to have the freedom Of
| religion hat America promised. The book
! plate was engraved by Robinson and
signed.
Now Robinson only engraved about
ten book plates after he came to America.
Elt I'LL fOI bikl III tItrt. OCOfD tdtTOBb
a signed book plate Of Robinson in a junk
shop is a real find.
When the finder offered payment the
proprietor refused with scorn. Said il
was mo good to him any way you fix it,"
A few weeks later the book plate changed
hands to the tune OF a ten dollar bill.
DO not be discouraged IL the pawnshops
contain jewelry, old musical instruments
and second hand paper novels. A good
many more OF your fellow men are driven
IN parf with thaaa in "A naunahAN shoa
with books, Inc many, many more people
are looking for them than are looking FOR
books.
Perhaps you like old English silver.
The ~pawnshop sometimes gives up ghosts
Of past greatness.
II you can't find that you would like
solid silver backed brushes at rs cents each.
II you are prosperous looking you may
have to pay 81 for them, but they are cheap
at that.
Or you wouldn't mind paying a quarter
for a silver matohholder worth many times
that sum. The auctioneer tried to get
SO cents for it In vain, and in reply to his
final Disguised query; Who'll take it
for q quarter" 10 was soon transferred
to the writer.
The Provident Loan Society holds an
auction sale monthly. L. must hold all
articles thirteen months for redemption,
30 monthly it has a sale Of the articles
pawned over a year ago. They sometimes
get very good prices Tor things, too.
You can get infinite entertainment out
Of the manner OF the various ~auctioneers.
One 10 fat INT pompous. He swells out
to the limit Of his waistcoat, which once
was white, as he announces:
-Shentlemen. Here you haf a bargain.
There is a carat in that diamond. What
am I bidp"
He announces each article in a very loud
voice and compliments the buyers on their
judgment.
One is a quiet fellow, with his nose in his
ledger. He never raises his head, never
looks up, save when no bid can be secured.
Then he pokss his head over the edge of
the boob so hat you think he must have
springs in his neck, and says:
-What's that7 Whats that' Bring the
article here"
But for pure enjoyment go down to the
Bowery. Oftentimes there will be four
auctions going at once. The old clothes,
however, arc not u interesting as the
jewelry, though they bring out perhaps
more kinds Of original buyers than are
ever Athsrod under one roof for any other
Afairly good ring Is put up. Watch the
buyers how they crowd over IL, snatch il
from ons to another. One will grab IL