Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-03-03
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By John J. DAILY.

DING, going-gone! And
S( a queens necklace Is sold
" at At aui Intervals in Wash
ington treasures OF the
worli are auctioned--"knocked down."
as the auctioneer says-to the highest
bidder. Anything is liable to be put
on the auction block here, since the
Capital comprises men and women Of
wealth who have travelled to the far
ends of the world, bringing back
treasure trove Of the ages. In the
settlement of estates Washingtonians
have opportunity to appraise the taste
Of those who once sat in the seats of
the mighty.
Frequenters of Washington's auc-
ton sales have seen on the public
block such treasures as gifts be-
slowed upon American statesmen by
the Emperor Of Japan, the Kings OF
England. the Popes Of Rome. and
other world rulers and celebrities.
Though the auctions are intimately
associated with death, there is usu-
ally no sentimentality or sorrow about
them. On the contrary a spirit of
levity, of laughter and longing rules
the auction sales.
The average auction is as good as
q show.
T IKE the theatrical show. there is
- here presented elements of drama
the clash and conflict of human
will, jealouSieS. ambition and some
times supreme selfishness. Whatever
It is, the lure of the auction draws
vast crowds.
Only recently Adam Weschler, a
Washington auctioneer, saw fit to cap
italize on this tendency in human
nature-the yen to see the sale Of
other peoples belongings. At the
Henderson estate sale Mr.. Weschler
put in the proverbial box office and
sold tickets at 81 apiece. Not &C.
tual tickets, but catalogues. were sold
to patrons of the Henderson sale. The
understanding was that the purchase
price of the catalogue would be re-
funded If any article were purchased
by the catalogue holder. -Four thou
sand persons purchased tickets to the
Henderson sale; $500 actually at
tended the sale. The others had gone
merely out of curiosity to see what
the old castle on the hill held.
That was good Showmanship. After
the sale the auctioneer confessed that
he could not have got one-half the
sale prices had the auction been staged
downtown. In the language of show
business, 1.-The castle was the come
on" Some people who had seen Mrs.
Henderson-and some who had not
gathered at her castle every day and
imagined the glories of the past.
Mostly they wanted to see the house.
One dear old soul started up the stairs
to the second floor, after the second
floor goods we're sold and the place
closed to visitors.
You can't go up there" watch
man told her.
But I must" she said. "I want
to see where I slept one night"
Heavens" the Waterman eX-
claimed, "if she only slept one night,
guess I'll have to let her see the spot
where the body snored"
The old lady went up the stairs like
a queen going to her boudoir.
HALF the glamour of the auction
comes from the proximity to
greatness. So many persons are anx-
ious to have in their possession some
thing that was once owned by a IA
nous man or woman. What 1t is
makes little difference. Just so it is
attractive.
This came from the estate of Ad-
n1iral Dewey. That was in the Henry
Cabot Lodge sale"
An auctioneer, knowing this tend