The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-03-06
In New York
BY PAUL HARRISON

New York = An art-agent friend who gets around to 8 good many auctions, buying tapestries, furni- ture and such for his clients, has been telling he some alarming, things about sales. They're not safe for people who have nervous little habits such as tugging at an ear, or twitching an eyebrow. Many wealthy people or their agents attend the better auctions, but nearly all do their buying with great secrecy, either under fictitious names or by signals of bidding which can be understood only by the auctioneers.
 There are several reasons; Pulp lie knowledge of the purchase of a half million dollar treasure brings crank letters and offers from scores of third-rate nuisance artists who want to sell their work. Also, 1t may bring burg lars. Prices, too. may rise be- yond all reason when it is discov- cred that a couple of millionaires are bidding for an articles.
 .
 Suffering Reverses
 Sir Joseph Duveen, most famous of dealer-collectors, used to use 8 bidding signal which defied detec. tion for years. He'd attend auctions in person, but showed very little interest in the proceedings, and never spoke during sale. When 8 picture was put up. he'd sit with his mouth slightly open. To raise a bid. he'd close his mouth tightly and open it again.
 There's a legend that Sir Jo- seph once tried the opposite system that is, he'd sit with lips firmly shut and. part them to indicate a bid. That worked all right until one warm, drowsy day when, in- voluntarily, he yawned - and found he had bought a picture - picture he didn't want at all - for $254,000.
 Henry F. du Pont has nuner- ous aliases under which he and his agents take part in auctions. It. was as Henry F. Winthrop" that he paid the highest price ever given for a piece of furniture $44,000 for a mahogany highboy. William Randolph Hearst has sev- eral names, too--certain ones for furniture auctions, other for art sales and so on. The celebrated bibliophile, Dr A. s. Rosenbach. spent, s$62,000 a year or so ago by fiicking an edge of his cata- logue with the, little finger of his right hand. That meant he had raised the preceding bid for first folio of Shakespeare. Got it. too. Picture This:
 When Sam Jaffe, the actor. and his wife returned from Hollywood last season, they set about fitting up a new apartment in Manhattan. Bought furniture. rugs, hangings and so forth, and were just about settled when they noticed that one wall looked pretty bare. Here's notice of an auction" Said Jaffe. "I'll just slip over tomorrow and buy a picture for that space. I'll get modest, inoffensive one."
 Next afternoon he came home in a taxi with six pictures. haunted. desperate look on his went into the place and found knew the auctioneer. We used to go to school together on the east side. We'll. waved hello to him, and found I'd bought picture. I thought maybe it was just joke. so I grinned at him and winked-and found I'd bought another picture. That scared me. so I waved at him in a way that thought would show I was just waving. and not buying-and he announced that Ia bought a set of three pictures. None of 'em was any good for that wall of the living room. so I had to wait around and buy one that really wanted" One for the Book
 Ray Henderson and, Jack Mc- Gowan, who wrote and produced 6 successful musical comedy early this season, are collectors of first editions. Henderson had been look ling for years for a bargain in c first of Victor Hugo, and finally discovered that one was to he offered at the Anderson Galleries. x
 McGowan saw the catalogue, too and decided to try to buy the set as g present for his associate. He went early to the auction and sat in 8 front TOW. Henderson went late and sat in the rear. Neither saw the other.
 B AS oovhS WStO vilSKSu uuu tiiS price quickly reached $500, when most of the bidders dropped out. McGovar made it $325 with @ silent nod at the auctioneer; Hen- derson upped 1t to $360 with a wave of his hand. This went on until Henderson had the price at $600 and McGowan dropped out, deciding that friendship had its limits. Not until a couple of days later. when Henderson was proud- lv dlsrln ul.ae. lala Axna sia xae did