The Holbrook news., 1910-03-25

l AAeA46C6 AOOA uPOA lAG pCOplC OI l4c United States as their best customers
 and their factories are running over l time in order that there may be pro-
 duced sufficient specimens of the old
 and unique to supply the American
 trade. Some $9.O00,000 worth of old
 tapestries were to be delivered in this
 country before Christmas day that the
 buyer living under the Stars and Stripes may satisfy his artistic long lngs and point proudly to things said
 to have one time belonged to house
 holds which were modern about the
 time that Charlemagne was the po-
 litical boss of the world.
 The antique business is not confined
 to tapestries. It has assumed alarm
 Ing proportions in almost every other
 line. It has become so widespread
 that the legitimate dealers are already
 suffering, for the cunning makers of the spurious articles have done their
 work su deftly that the casual observ- CT cannot detect the difference. A brass ships lantern made in London In the early nineteenth century at S5.50 sounds like a bargain, as does an egg-boiler of the first empire at S12.50, until you discover modern ma terial therein. I bought fine speci- men of dagger in a Spanish colony and was nightly pleased with it un- til one day the handle slipped off and I found the mark showing it to be con- structed of American cast steel. An odd bit of cotton cloth picked up in Hayti was also a valued possession until l learned that it was made in New England and shipped to the black republic in order that it might return to the United States in the hands of such unsuspecting purchasers as my self. So widespread is the fraud per petrated by interruptions dealers and so continuing is the imposition upon collectors who essay to pick up old silver, china and period furniture in Europe that the United States Depart ment of Commerce and Labor is warn Ing Americans in its publications to beware of the frauds.
 One of the crazes affected by some just at present is the col lection of miniatures and decorated snuff and match boxes. These and similar articles are manufactured by left and dexterous copyists and are sold by the gross to dealers who rep 'esent them to be genuine, if the deal | .r happens to be European devoting | ais time and attention to the Ameri- an tourist trade. The manufacturer | llso ships these articles to this coun- | ry for sale on their merits as copies | If originals.
 "Old marks on china are practic- lily meaningless in this day of subter- uge and fraud The amateur collect IT of china should beware of the oily Iealer in Europe Genuine examples f Dresden, Chelsea, Worcester or Bow are worth more than their weight in gold. Many pieces pur- hased because of their refined deco ation and simple gliding and because hey bore the golden anchor have urned out to be fakes produced by Iell-known firms on the continent. ,ven examples of more recent china nd pottery. early nineteenth century yare, as Derby. Worcester, Spode, 'oalport and Rockingham china and Spode, Mason and other otterles are faked and sold at exor- itant prices as genuine. These do ot especially attract the collector, but hey are freely bought by travellers.
 There Is a way, however, of protect lg ones self. Expert advice may be ought and a written guarantee de- landed The English courts have cid, quite recently, that if false de ,ription of an antique is given in an lvoice, the purchaser is entitled to on on the part of a dealer to give lch a guaranty may usually be ac- opted as token of his dishonesty.
 Forgery of old English silver is not owing to fear of the law. So- of hall-marks in Great ritain is a hazardous occupation. hen again, the almost prohibitive rice of old English silver confines its lrchase to the wealthy. However, lere are IakerS WHO VIII remove from any old bit of silver little value and insert it into a ece of modern manufacture for hich an immense price may be ob- ined. For these, Americans are und who will pay about twenty times Ie real value.
 Investigations by United States con Ils abroad show that in Holland old tests. cabinets, desks and chairs of tile value are collected, and, after ting veneered with cheaply made arquetry, are sent to England. Old k beams from demolished churches Id graneries are likewise in constant .mand for conversion into Jacobean factory tables and Queen Anne fur