COMICAL CURIO STORY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3333, 27 September 1911, Page 8

COMICAL CURIO STORY.

HOW AN ASTUTE PARIS HEALER TRICKED AMATEUR COLLECTORS. There is a Paris curio dealer, as astute as he is unscrupulous, who is congratulating himself on a very smart piece of business. He put in liis windo vr five dolls dressed in clothes sufficiently nondescript to cover a wide range of periods in ; To the first amateur collector who wanted to carry off one of the dolls the dealer said ho could' not possibly break up the set, which represented the Five Senses, but finally accepted a high price for one of them. The four that remained he designated the Four Seasons, which also could not be sold separately, until he found a second amateur willing to pay a. big price for one. The three dolls were now the Three Graces, a valuable set, which it would be a sip to separate. However, the usual persuasion by a third amateur induced the dealer to commit the sin. Then a fourth amateur collector called, and, falling, into .the trap, lie' begged for one of the two dolls.

With a grave face and many protestations, the dealer pointed out that the two dolls were ,Adam and Eve, : sculptured and dressed by. some forgotten mediaeval artist. The pair could not possibly be parted'. The ■collector eventually carried off Adam for a gigantic sum. Amateur No. 5 called, and asked, “How much for that curio ? Evidently on odd one of a set.” ■ * ‘An odd one of a set!_’ ’ cried the dealer, “it is a Unique piece. Does not monsieur perceive that it represents Agnes Sorel, the favorite of Charles VII, and the amateur secured the unique piece for a fabulous amount.