Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-07-16
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PARIS TRADE TRICKS.
Lure For Buyers Of Antiques-How to
Find Old Furniture.

PARIS TRADE TRICKS.
Lure For Buyers of Antiques-How to
Find Old Furniture.
Paris, July 6.-The ways Of adver-
tisers in Paris newspapers are as dark
as they are delusive. There seems to
be no law against using the press for
fraudulent purposes, and tricksters of
all callings use the dailies to exploit
falsely their wares. Twice a week
the best papers advertise amazing
bargains: but any one going house,
keeping or investing In antiques would
better not be led astray by the prom
ises.
We read in the papers this morn
ing that Nine. la Princesse du Mont
morencie, living in her private house
in the Avenue x, is offering for sale
her entire household furnishings. old
family jewels, piano, etc. We have
been reading similar reclames for
many, many years, and such an
nouncements do not move us in the
least. 1t might, were we raw and
new to the ways Of trade in this coun-
try. 1t only means that fine appear
ing house has been secured for a
certain length Of time, and that mer-
chants have dumped all the old fur
niture they cannot get rid Of in their
shops into this place,
Twenty rooms more or less will be
garnished from cellar to garret, and
some ancient grande damish-looking
woman-who rents herself for such
sales-will be paid to occupy the
house and superintend the sale. hav-
ing of course learned the history Of
each individual article to relate to
customers. She is paid a percentage
on sales as we'll as salary; so why
should she not fabricate as many
fairy tales as she can invent?
And so from day to day the unsus-
pecting foreign lamb Is led to slaugh-
ter by the pitiless Partisan wolf, who
sees in him nothing more than vic
tim sent to the city to help line his
purse. A dame about to depart"
advertises many articles scarcely
touched" to embrace anything from
kitchen utensils to crystal candela-
bra. A visitor goes to the place at
the specified hours when. the dame
advertises she will be visible.
He or she is met by several SER
wants, who graciously bow the guest
into the presence Of the maitresse de
la maison. The latter, superbly dress
ed in a robe d'interieur which does
credit to the designer, receives the
applicant with the air Of the noblest
lady of the land, and apologetically
remarks that on account Of the care
Of such large establishment, or for
the. breaking up Of the family, or for
the recent death of some member, or
for private reasons she cannot d.
vulge, all within view is to be sold,
all, all, at ridiculous prices, "even the
old family arms"
The rooms are absolutely packed
with works of art and one Is surpris-
ed that nothing appears to have been
sold, though the advertisement has
appeared for weeks. Making bold to
observe this to the lady of the house,
her ready response comes that small
bibelots have gone and that by reason
of the immense stock on hand in her
family for so many generations the
rooms still appear amply trimmed.
All this is said with superior air,
which sidetracks other questions.
If one believes all the story, espec-
tally If one buys and gives the first
price, one Is sure to regret the pur-
chase, for then the investment
amounts to perhaps more than the
furniture costs new. Upon inquiry
one is more than apt to be told that
the establishment has existed for a
score Of years, not always in the same
for when the mer-
chants become too we'll known in one
quarter they move elsewhere.
Their families live in fine houses,
have a coterie Of servants, an auto,
perhaps, from the fruit Of their sales,
for to all appearances the traders
make enough out Of foreigners to
supply all demands. And so the swim
die continues, French people rarely
patronize private sales, Deing already
sure Of the fraud.
There Is a merchant living on the
Avenue du Bois de Boulogne, In q
neighborhood almost entirely infest-
ed with foreigners, who has grown
rich by sales Of fine rugs. paintings
of the old and modern masters, chef
d'oeuvres and household furnishings.
She Is keen connoisseur, a good
saleswoman, and all the rest. Her
advertisement has been in the papers
for ages and yet her only customers
are foreigners, for the 100000 peo-
pie Of Paris are largely made up Of
people who come for a few years,
when they are ready to return to their
own country. This class generally
sells to private establishments, and
no matter how well preserved articles
be, the owner will receive only a quar-
ter or a third Of what was paid. From
her sales this woman realizes fully
IS per cent on her investments.
There is no such thing as auctions
in private houses. When goods can
not be disposed Of at private sales.
they are sent to the Hotel Druout, or
the auction house provided by the
state. This used to be the spot for
all desirous Of bargains, for no mat
ter what but for the last fifteen
years the Hotel Druout has been kill
ed for private purchases by what Is
known as the "black band" This is
nothing more than a combination Of
commissioners and auctioneers, who
work together when any piece Is
worth while.
When an article goes to a certain
price the bidder makes a sign to the
crier and 1t Is at once knocked down.
Or else. the auctioneer Is told not to
let a certain thing go beyond a stat
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