Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-04
ORIGIN OF PAwNSHOPS.
How the French Mont-de-Piete Is
Conducted.
From the Ave Maria.

From the Ave Maria.
The legacy of four thousand pounds
recently bequeathed by the Marquis de
Query for the redemption of objects
pledged by the poor at the Paris pawn
broking establishments is an act of char
ity of kind by no means uncommon in
France. and one which is worthy OF the
religious origin of the Mont-de-Piete.
When NJ Santos-Dumont, the pioneer
of mechanical flight. won the NJ. Deutsch
de Ia Meurthe prize of G4.OOo he gave
half the amount for a purpose similar to
that to which the Marquis de Guerrys
legacy has just been devoted, only stipu-
lating that the money should be used for
the redemption of articles of actual neces-
sity. such as wearing apparel and bed
clothes.
In France the state pawn offices-and
every establishment of the kind is state
property in France-still retain their title
of Mont-de-Piete, or Mount of Piety, al
though it is doubtful If the general public
pauses today to think how the term orig
mated.
One of the symbols of st. Bernardine OF
Siena. the founder of pawnshops. is a
green hill composed of three mounds,
with either a cross or a standard bearing
an image of the dead Christ on the
mound. for which the remaining two
form, as il were. a pedestal. The Italians
call this image ''pieta.' hence the name
Monte-di-Pieta. which in France became
Mont de Pete
In every large city in which he gave a
sermon st. Bernardne founded a mount
of piety. or society for lending small sums
TO the very poor on trifiing pledges. Be-
fore his death branch societies had spread
all over Italy. and he saw the system
adopted in France as Well. The honor
Of founding the pawn office Is said to
have been shared with ST. Bernardine of
Siena by another monk of the same name
blessed Bernardine of Feltri. Indeed,
some writers seem to place him first in
the field. Mention is made of him as
preaching in the year 14SS in the Church
of Santa CrOce at Florence on the neces-
sity of having a Monte-di-Pieta in that
town.
The word pawn is derived from the
French term pan. meaning a pledge: and
there is probably some connection be-
tween the three golden balls used a
pawnbroker's sign in England and the
three mounds of ST Bernardine of Siena.
Another explanation of the English sign,
however. is often given. This is that the
custom of using three golden balls for
the purpose alluded to can be traced to a
wealthy Italian banker. who was a men,
Der of the princely house of Medici and
had three golden pills in his coat-of-arms
AS the reputation of the Italian bankers
grew. the bankers of other lands. Eng
land among them. also assumed the sign
of the three golden pills.
Today the national flag floating from
the doorway and the words Mont-de-Piete
placed above the entrance alone Indicate
the pawn office in France: but something
of the charitable scheme of its holy
founder is still evident in the system
followed by tn. administration. For in
stance. if an object has been in pledge
for twenty years and the interest has
been paid regularly. at the expiration OF
that period it is returned to the owner
free of all cost.
Ii depositor fails to redeem a pledge
or to pay the interest, it is sold at the eX-
piration of fourteen months from the date
of pledging: but even then he has three
years in which--if the pledge has been
lent on 1.-THE can claim whatever was
paid in excess by the purchaser. If no
such claim is made the money is given to
the Assistance Publique. a charitable in
stitution for the relief of the poor