The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-06-11
ANTIQUE SiWiNDLE
GETS AMERICANS
French Satirists Devote
Space to Gullibility of
Yankee Buyers
10000 COROTS HERE
And 10000 Harpischords
That Belonged to Marie
Antoinette Sold Us

tr,rp are moro than 5000 beds and
10 600 harpslchords which belonged
=, Marie Antoinotte," writes Glenn
ont Nautcl In lie journal
"It has been estimated" he con-
tfrues. that 10000 Corot land
sr4pcs have prominent places there
In publlc or private collections.
about so times year MASTER
niece OF Rembrandt or Murillo, or
az Vc.asquez is discovered in a gar
rot and estimated at two or three
h..'ions!'
This condition Vautel and other
Partisan newspaper stairlsts who
have recently dwclt heavily on the
theme ascribe to an amount OF fake
antique selling in Paris shops and
at Paris auctions that increases in
volume and profit as years go by.
Much of the cleverest work OF
antique swindlers is put over" on
American buyers, who, according TO
the satirists, will pay any price for
something historical" even IL the
history was acquired by strong
arm methods In the workshops OF
the swinllins dealers.
From year 20 year there arc auc-
toned off at the Hotel Drouot, i"
Vautcl continues thousands and
thousands OF chairs recovered by
antique tapestry. and a formidable
quantity OF candelabra and grand
fathers clocks.
For a while this commerce in
bric-a-brac went on smoothly. But
3. last a check
Guarantee L. Refused.
The other day, at the Hotel
Drouot, there was sold for 5000
francs a little table OF the eich-
teenth century, when someone de-
mandod Of the auctionoer: There
are tables said TO be Of the eight
NTH century that are not of the
eighteenth century at all. DO you
guarantee the antiquity of .hs OBJ
.eCt?'
The expert guaranteed Il with
out guaranteeing IT, What are we
coming to If we have to guarantee
everything we sell?' he asked.
The incident closed with the buyer
taking the table, but threatening to
prove in court that II was modern
and that an attempt had been made
20 swindle him.
As result Of this case, in which
some writers see only an amusing
incident. others see the chance for
a complete investigation of the en-
tire business of selling antiquities
and curios TO the end that auc-
tioncers and alleged experts" must
produce written guarantees for their
customers.
The buyer Of the table, NJ. Edou-
ard Jonas, president of the "Syndi-
cat de la Curiosite ct dcs Reaux A"
who was deliberately trying to make
test case in order to expose the
dealers, was interviewed by the
Msun
Il sought occasion to shed light
on certain conditions" he said.
which are affecting unfavora bly,
the attitude of art lovers and, above
all, Of foreign collectors. This is a
serious matter, because Paris still is
ana must remain the center of the
curiosity business. Too many times
nave | noticed the errors of auc-
uoneerS, for example, in the course
OF recent sale, a case In which a
sort OF lamy cover Of Chinese nor
'eiain, cataloged at 400 francs, was
Na!nd at $1,000 francs by one of
these merchant specialists"
Some May BE Experts"
NJ. Jonas told the Matin the sales
We're made without any real guar
Hntce.
:, often the catalog carries on the
iirSt page. in tiny letters, a notice
mat the sale Is without guarantee. ii
ne said AS for the so-called ex-
|tS' some may be experts, al
("sh'' ont they are selected without
my rule or regulation as to theiI
qualltications--simply chosen by the
au,tioneer."
=, NJ Jonas pointed out that tho
,ench law governing the responsi.
p!Ity OF auctioneers has not beer
.ahsed since 1870. According &c
Lns law itself an antiquity. the IN.
Huudl auctioneer, the association
-. aucuoneers and tho group of ox.
price. '''' SOW
stories of Americans who hay,
ialu Iaoulous prices for Louis Ky
,%eLMes Nnd genuine" Empire desk
VAIL Hnn nave been made to order
"'g the antiquity dealer pretended
ara seaFeh among his clientele.
tv common In Paris. Among thes,
City "o'''"" from Slou'
rms woman believed she kncv
,a,nnlque antiquities from the otbo
nu' Ina She decided the boudoir So
sr g dealer showed her dated iron
"Pp.Tr9,Nlmately .r, 1920.
aiuHst ii MODERN" she said
- Madame is very Keen" ren,ro,
ts,e v uea!er. THAT is, indeed an imi
MN MN az was about 10 lei
yraaane' ysaaae' But then the price is YER
can 'onaoIo oaa for 1000 francs more
this Svs na you the original from whicl
'iIS ~ was copied"
the a,ouowing day madame bougb
sbI,,o I original" and ordered +
,SapPed to Sioux CITY. That nleb
extra 'Siey slipped his upholsterer al
Pet r..er ro hack me up another set I
he saIS I'y ..ri tor the next customer,
sr s,Fe best Of all. / told her er' Nsdo Eafo,S y,
teeth parry made them with bc
win in a temper fit." WV" "'
WORLD IN FIVE YEAR
Prediction OF OLD EricrJ
'fuSsNfnntss - ~