The Green Forest tribune., 1907-03-22

"Oh, you mean curios-an old curi' osity shop, in fact"
 "Yes,' said Lady Isabel. And now, Marjorie, dear, ''-delightedly-"yo you've put an idea in my head. I'll make her call it 'Ye anciente cuciosyte shoppe; but must see she spells it right, or rather, wrong, it will sound so much more genuine
 Tt will certainly be an advantage in these days even to sound genuine, I said
 "Yes, won't it." she answered very pleasantly, especially as most of the things will be faked. You know they nearly always are faked at that sort of shop"
 "Really?"
 She nodded "Yes-and I'll tell how it's done little later on.'
 How are you going to help Miss Staunton's shop?" 1 asked her pres ently.
 Well, for one thing, I am going to take Mrs. Barrington-Brown there to buy things; you see, we shall both be in town for day or so next week"
 q see. And Mir. Malcolmstein, is he to be taken there as well?"
 "No I shant take him there,' said Lady Isabel hastily, "nor the Flieder- manns; they know too much; but l dare say they'll pick me up some lit tie things for her to sell. Shes very pretty-Laura, 1 mean
 'Is she faked. too?" 1 asked.
 Lady Isabel laughed. No, my dear, she's not; she's absolutely genuine"
 
 I've been going over the list of things in Laura's shop and rearranging them," said Lady Isabel the following afternoon.
 Have you; how very good of you. :"
 "0h, it's rather fun,9 she answered, bending over her table and writing something rapidly.
 La Marquise Victorine-Victime de la Revolution" leaning on her shoulder as I read. Who's she?"
 Its for small miniature I picked up cheap said Lady Isabel airily. Tt was very faded, so I got little artist I knew to touch it up for half guinea
 And how did you find out who it was?"
 "I didn't" she replied frankly; but if don't know, shall always put Vic time de la Revolution-there were so many of them. poor dears, so I shall always be safe"
 "Why call it anything?"
 "Only on account of the price," she answered seriously. You see, Mrs. Harrington Brown will pay so much more for something really historical"
 q see," I said.
 "All the broken china has gone to be mended by a little man Mr. Taken stein told me of-he lives at White chapel, or Noting Hill, where no one ever goes, or somewhere, and he's a Polish Jew, and frightfully clever and tricky. His name is Balenski, and you can't tell Balenski-Chelsea figure from the real thing, if you're ever such an expert-unless, of course, you know his work"
 
 china mended?"
 No" she said, mot collectors, only dealers. You see, collectors generally only care for genuine things; but then, of course" she added thoughfully, dealers must live, and if you cant tell the difference, it doesn't hurt any body. Besides, collectors shouldn't be taken in, they ought to have a thorough knowledge of their subject before they attempt to begin to col lect'
 What lot you seem to know about the subject, Isabel"
 "Yes, MT. Malcolmstein taught me tremendous lot" she answered. He told me how they make real old Wor- cester china and real Chelsea and Grown Derby over in Paris, and how they send it over here almost by the ton. And they make old English glass, too, over in Holland and in Germany, at a place called the Giant mountain or the Giant something or other, but think it was a mountain. A day or two later l went with Lady Isabel to see Miss Staunton's curio shop. Mrs. Barrington-Brown had not yet arrived, and Lady Isabel took me round and let me into several little secrets of the curio trade.
 "This box is Battersea enamel" she said; you know, Marjorie, enameled on copper-at least, it ought to be-"
 T know" l said, tits a lost art, isn't it?"
 Well. it's not quite as lost as you think" she answered thoughtfully. "Th;s, for instance, ,'-she took up lit tie box as she spoke-"this is what call a Balenski-Battersea box; but this one is genuine-I mean, it isn't mended yet" And this." I said, taking up an ether.