Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-07-29
AUCTION STORIES
Unexpected Prizes That Have
Been Won by Bidders.
A GREAT BARGAIN in EGGS.

How Two Specimens Of tho Great AUX
Species Were Bought For 50 and
Sold For $2.0oo-An Old Picture That
Had a Valuable Lining.
''Of course I have met with a good
many Interesting experiences during
my career as an auctioueer." relates
henry Stevens In London magazine.
"buI the most striking OF them all oc-
rurred. I think. In connection with a
great auk's egg.
Some years ago a young fellow rode
over To an obscure furniture sale at
the c'rIntry village In the hope OF Sc
curing barGaiD TO help I'm furnishing
home In view of his intended mar
riage. Aud bargain he did get,
though not of the kind he originally
thought of.
One at the lots put up for sale was
a baS6etful OF shells, eggs and other
ornaments which had attracted the at
tention of an old lady who happened to
he present. .lusi as they were on the
point of being Knocked down TO her
the young man was struck by the ap-
ptarance of two large eggs In the bas-
ket. and. thinking be might as well
have them as curiosities. he started to
bid. with the result that the lot was
knocked down To him for 50.
Upon examining the eggs Il &C.
CURED TO him that he might be able
10 make profit on their sale. he &C
cordingly wrapped them up in a hand
kerchief and brought them to me.
AS soon as they had washed or tho
CRIME which covered them discovered
that they were eggs of no less a bird
than the great aux. aud as a result Of
their sale n few weeks later j handed
the astute young bargain hunter q
check for 5000.
AT another sale which 1 conducted
there was an old picture so covered
With dirt aud CRIME that IL was almost
impossible TO see what IT was like.
This was hung upon the wall In q
prominent position, but did not appar-
emily find favor in the eyes Of any Of
the dealers who were present. No re-
serve price was placed upon this pic
ture. which had been put into the sale
by local pawhbroker TO whom 1t had
been pledged and not redeemed.
In spite of every effort on the part
OF the auctioneer. IL was eventually
Knocked down TO young man who
had looked into the sale quite casually
in order to waste half an hour during
which he had to wait for a train. Tax
ing great fancy to the frame. which
was of oak, blackened with aye. he
hazarded bid of So. at which price
II WIS knocked down to him without
any competition.
AS he did not want the picture. he
asked the auctioneer whether he would
mind trying to get a bid for II IL he
cut IL out OF the frame. and. being an
swered In the affirmative. he took out
his knife aud neatly cut through the
canvas all round the edge.
Imagine the establishment of him.
self and all present when. hidden be-
hind the canvas. he discovered Eve
bhls for 500 each. Evidently the pic
ture had been used TO conceal the saw
ings of some previous owner. who had
died without disclosing the secret and
whose hard won fortune thus came
into the hands of total stranger.
Il should quote as very Interesting
sale at Rutland Gate. where there
were only the remains OF the furni-
ture. hrm having been allowed TO
take what they chose TO their rooms.
Ii was accordingly after the nature Of
a rummage sale. but IN one cupboard
which had been overlooked were what
the junior clerk described as three
h.
ting In his office when a gentleman
drove up In hanson cab, anxious to
speak about these cups, for which be
offered no less than $1.5OO
The auctiopeer was so much sur
prised that he thought his visitor must
have some reason for this high bid.
and be wisely determined not TO take
the FIRST offer he received oh. 1 don't
think they Will take that he said, and
with this answer the gentleman had to
be content. An expert was called on
10 examine the so called cups. and he
discovered them TO be In reality six-
teenth century chaiices. for which he
himself made an offer of S2.lO0 The
three cups were subsequently sold for
So.i5o. bur II was only by the slightest
chance thar they had not gone for a
mere song.
Il shall never forget an incident
which occurred In connection with the
sale of some valuable shells. The bid
ding for one large shell 10 particular
was much more brisk than I had an
ucipated. but the reason for this be-
came apparent when at last IL was
Knocked down TO gentleman In q
very excited condition. who directly
1t was handed to him hung IL upon the
ground and trampled IL to atoms. at
the same time shouting out In a loud
voice that now that one was destroyed
he possessed the only specimen in tho |