New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-02
The Fearful Joy of Hunting
Bargains.

THE BARGAIN BOOK. BY Charles Ed,
ward Jcrningham (AIarmaduke) and
Lewis Bethany. Illustrated $40, PIP
S39 Frederick Warne * GO.
Next TO the pleasure of finding rare
bargain is the pleasure of reading about
the finds of others. The true stories
which fill this volume are as fascinatlns
TO the mature reader as arc fairy tales
TO Youngsters In the matter of bargain
hunting there is no limit to delightful
possibilities. to exciting adventures;
imagination is defied by reality and ac-
cident is as profitable as wise intention
orr authors have brought together
mass of interesting. curious and anus
ing instances. not all of which are new
to us. yet all of which deserve TO be part
of such a record as this. Nothing couid
be more engaging and useful in these
davs of ardent collecting AS these
nages testify, Americans are energetic IN
denuding Europe Of her purchasable
yaluables-here they may learn some
unfamiliar ingenuities Of the hunt If
we may believe an Englishman whose
house parties are notable, his own coun-
trymen are active in furthering the dis
persal of treasures. Formerly ne
writes my guests came 10 me because
they had a pleasant time when at the
house The shooting is excellent; the
cooking and wine could not be better
They now come. apparently, TO buy all
have. What will you take for that
pictureo' Will you sell your drawing
room suite? L know a rich American
woman who would buy your dessert ser
vice Are you disposed TO let your
shooting I have been asked to make
vou an offer for the hire Of your house
for the summer months. Have you
much of this wine, and what will you
take for all you have?' And finally the
Duchess of -- wrote TO me one day
proposing that l should let her sell my
property on commission
There is no end to the surprises which
attend the chase of bargains. The coll
lector of prints often finds particu-
larlv valuable one concealed behind
worthless one i'm the frame. 1t Is
thought that dishonest servants are re-
sponsible for such happenings. stealing
the good prints from portfolios and MD
ing them thus An English collector
saw 81 the window of a little rag shop
handsome carved frame which he COW
eted The dealer refused to sell the
r.. hn 1{thnOrqlh If con-
tanned. and the collector perforce took
the thing as It was, paying Only
trinng price When he reached nome
he took the Autograph from the frame,
and discovered behind It a splendid inn
preston Of q rare and exceedingly valu-
able engraving printed In colors. one
Of the most curious stories Of hidden
treasure rewarding a purchaser comes
from a member Of the family concerned:
In the Thirty Years War the Castle OF
Giersberg in Silesia. was sacked anu he e,,
Jewels owned by Freiherr Won GlerSspeeir,a Ell
disappeared. Last century a member OF tile
family accidentally came across Some POI T,
traits Of his ancestors III SIeslihlm go "a
house and these he at once purchased;
ON examination he observed that tnJE
were apparently examples OF the old la Isl a
ion OF decorating pictures WIN unseI M, an,
plass TO represent jewelry-a practice Whlcn
has RECENTLY been revived TO some eXten,
in the case of a certain Kind or plctor!dl
postcard. After making a fuIer BEeat,
cation however. he found, TO his delsht'
TbHt i'm one of the portraits he had thus re-
cnCered-that OF a lady-the necklace in inc
picture and tie stones IN ln ' fsmV levels.
which had been preserved IN this original
fashion
The finding of valuable articles in OBJ
iects bought for song has many times
stirred to ranking misery the unhappy
seller ignorant Of the concealment' Inc
English law which gives such property
to the purchaser certainly offers a pre-
MUM TO alert carefulness. The begin
ming Of one London dealers fortune was
his purchase from an embarrassed Gus
TONER of an old bureau in which. In the
co,,rse Of repairs. he found secret
drawer. II was filled with miniatures,
many Of them Of great value, and these
he afterward sold for some thousands
Of pounds. He had paid only ~ shll-
liugs for the bureau. It is not recorded
that he shared any of the profit with the
embarrassed customer. There was
more ethical attitude in another London
dealer who bought pair of vases TOT
$50 from a needy Scotch laird the latter
pressing the purchase upon him. Inc
dealer was then unaware Of the value oil
the vases, but did not long remain So
they were shortly sold at auction IN
London for 5000 guineas. 1t is to his
BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.