"THE ANGLO-AMERICAN ART CO."

NZ Truth, Issue 147, 11 April 1908, Page 5

"THE ANGLO-AMERICAN ART CO."

ANOTHER JEW CONTROLLED JOINT.

Photo Fakers and Impudent Impostors.

Exposed All Over Australasia.

Pursuant to promise, "Truth" intends to deal out "stoush" to those humbugging, faking, free photo fiends who have hung out their shingles m Wellington and are defrauding the public by a specious system that, if not criminal, is close to it, and deserves the exposure that is beipg made. Unwittingly, the remarks that have been made have , reflected on very respectable and honest photographic firms, who legitimately give free enlargement^ when a half-dozen or dozen photographs are purchased. There is no humbug or false pretence about these firms. The enlargement is usually a valuable one and generally sought for by those wtoo have their photographs taken. This explanation, we trust, will 'clear any misconception. We are dealing not with photographers, but. with . some wretched wasters who are exploiting New Zealand with the enlargement and framing racket. Quite a. number of enlargements and their frames have been brought to "Truth's" office for inspection. The enlargements are by ho moans faithful likenesses ; they are unskilfully produced, no doubt being the work of some bum dauber. They are of the charcoal variety. and those who know anything of the footpath artist of London, or even Australia, will agree with "Truth " that any charcoal enlargement is not worth eigliteenpence at the utmost. The frames' for 'which charges of from one to three guineas are made are of the O tt^\P AND SHODDY VARIETY. A vain imitation of high-class work always, but on close inspection prove to be clumsily joined and worth, if anything, from 5s to 10s. It is m the framing business that these charlatans reap a big profit. The enlargement fake is hut a snare by which the unwary are tricked hy the pro-: mise of an enlargement. Next they are blackmailed into purchasing a frame at a big price— the photo faker's price— and the refusal to pay thaf price is a threat of legal proceedings and the retention of the photograph from which the enlargement is to be made. It has been' asked of this paper by one of these picture frame and enlargement concerns what earthly use it was retaining possession of any photograph, and the answer is that the retention- of "a photograph, perhaps the photo of a deceased mother, father, husband, wife, child,- brother, or sister, is a lowdown bit of base blackmail. None know it better than these base rogues. They know that suoh photographs are of priceless value to the friends and relatives, of the deceased, and it is by hanging on like an octopus to these photos and ' refusing to part with them till the victim pays through the nose for the faked photos and the worthless frame, t*°t these snide and unscrupulous schemers work their own ends. The canvassers for these cont cerns are LOW-DOWN BLACKGUARDS, not above frightening a woman into signing anything. The fact that some of these canvassers lie freely and too well, promising anything so long as the deposit is paid or the instalments regularly made, is sufficient for "Truth's" appeal to tho police to keep their eyes on these scoundrels. Sonne of them are. gaol-birds, who, by a house-to-house canvas, are looking out for cribs' to crack. Last week this paper promised to deal with another of these wretched photo enlargement and framiing joints known as the "Anglo-American Art Co., which is situated somewhere m Lower Cuba-street. This crooked concern, who were by last week's issue notified that they would be exposed, is/ apparently identical with a crooked joint of the same name, that recently made things so hot m Western Australia that Perth "Truth" took them m hand -with the following result :— "During the jJast few weeks not only the metropolitan areas but practically the whole of the Southwestern districts of this State has been over-run by a crowd of canvassers who are out working a very lucrative business m the "'free" photoenlarging line. The "modus operandi" o_ these shekel-snaring gentlemen is simple m the extremcr-its very simplicity is what inspires and leads to success. As a matter of fact pur inif ormatioh ~is to the effect that something like 27 canvassers are scouring the country on behalf i * the Art Co. referred to. The canvasser visits a house and offers the occupant a free enlargement to any photo which may be 1 'od over. There is to be no charge whatever, and this extraordinary offer is made so that the alleged "Art" Co. may advertise its works of art. As the visits of the canvassers are made during the day it is rarely that, any but females are m the house, and of course < THE .GLIB-TONGUED CANVASSERS find that a photo— usually of some honored member of ! the family— is handed over." Next a slip of paper to the following effect is banded over by the canvasser : — THE ANGLO-AMERICAN ART COMPANY. Head Office : .17 Wright's Lane, Melbourne. Branches : Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Port Pirie, Launceston, Hobart, Broken Hill, Toowoomba, Dunedin, Wellington, Christchurch, Auckland, Perth. W.A.,- etc. Local Branch : . To advertise our works of Art we offer you our 20 x 16 CRAYON LIFE SIZE PORTRAIT OF ANY PHOTO, entrusted to us, FREE OF CPIARGE. The usual price of these is from 3 to 4 guineas. In order to avoid the finished portrait becoming finger-soiled, we will deliver the portrait framed only and our salesman will call upon you m a few days with a variety of mouldings, at reasonable prices. Date, — . Representative . No statements will be recognised other than those contained m this slip." A few days after the canvasser's visit, the salesman happens along

witb his samples of mouldings for frames. He' displays his wares, talks glibly of the beauty of the enlargement, and advises the victim to have it placed m one of. the good frames, I which' are 'quoted at anything from 30s up to £4. Of course, he points out that such a picture could not reasonably be placed m a 30s frame, —the lowest-priced one of the lot— and invariably the order is given for "something good," which means "something costing perhaps £3 or over. Of course, the matter of a cash deposit is mentioned when the order for the frame is secured, and 7s Cd is secured as the lowest deposit which the co. accepts. This part of the business being settled the woman is informed that the enlargement will be ready m about six weeks' time and that when it is brought along the firm will collect the balance on the frame and hand i_p latter over. Now, just to let this Anglo-Ameri-can Art mob know that "Truth" KNOWS it, it is just as well to mention that this concern "is a. Jew-own-ed joint. Some time ago it was ruthlessly exposed m tlie columns of Syd-; hey "Truth," to its exceeding great discomfort. Duriug the year just ended it has heeni figuring m a somewhat big way. Its office m Mitchellstreet, just round the corner from Hargreaves-street, Bendigo (Vie), was a thing of garish beauty, though it by no means threatened to be a "joy for ever." The people of that goldfields towl&wero: squealing m a loud and angry tone of voice moro ■ than six months ago, at the DEVIOUS Dt>INGS A.ND DIRTY DODGERY of this same Anglo-American Art Co. When this Jew-owned concern (by the way one of the Jew principals was at one time "boots" and night-porter at the big Shamrock Hotel m Wil-liamson-street, Bendigo), it began by buying up the book debts and the "connection" of another, snide concern that had gone up the financial spout —the International Art Co. One at least of the employees that this impudent concern had on its Bendigo staff— a Johannesburg Jc~ r named Pert Levy — has since 1. . on arrested for forgjery m Melbourne, and committed for trial. Most of the above, it might ibe mentioned, is from -the columns of Westralian "Truth," and, needless to remark, 'the statements made, can, if necessary, be proved to the satisfaction of a jury m- New Zealand. However, though the doings of this sharpsnouted Jew-owned concern m Australia have little or no interest for the average New Z.alander, it cannot but be remarked that the canvassers, or those running it m New 'Zealand, rnnploy just the same tactics as even m the Golden West". "Recently a young woman brought to "Truth" office for inspection one of the AngloAmerican Cb.'s frames, for which the sum of £2 odd had been paid. It- was a case of daylight robberyt The frame was worth at least five shillings. "Truth" remarked on the rotten nature of the frame m a subsequent issue, and it is here that this . paper proposes to speak pretty plainly. Some time '-m December last one ofthe canvassers of this alleged Art Co. successfully "prevailed on a female resident of Jacob's Place to have a frame, the value of winch was placed at £2 2s. A small deposit was paid, and the frame was to be delivered as soon as possible. Every week the payments were made but no frame was forthcoming. Every week a promise was made of its early delivery. At the time "Truth" office was sought and the facts of the deal were outlined, the sum of lis was due, and that frame had not x then been delivered. ' THE WOMAN SMELT A RAT on reading a paragraph m "Truth" and questioned the canvasser, who denied that the paragraph referred to referred to the Anglo-American Art Co., which was a lie m the. first place. Moreover, the • canvasser immediately b«gan to enlarge on the small powers of "Truth" to -injure the firm, and the woman m question was invited to make enquiries concerning the bona fides of the "joint," which was pictured as being m a very hcr.lthy financial condition,' which "Ti-..i>h" would not be surprised at seeing how successful these fake concerns are m securing so many mugs.. Tbis paper does not know whether the woman m question has yet .got her two-guinea frame. It hopes she has, but one thing can be tolerably certain, she hasn't got value for her money. This Anglo-American Art Co.. like the other Jiew-oontrolled "joint" de*ilt with last week, seems to be run by impudent impostors, who just manage to keep within the law, knowing full well thart one false step on their part will earn them gaol. If the Law cannot reach them just now, "Truth" hopes that the publicity gran them will cause a' too-rconfiding; vr" "ie to reflect when invited to deal m any way with these schemers. News is scarce m Taihape it seems. The local luminary t'other day recorded the following t sociiety item : "Mr Ching Fook, our respected fruit, vegetable, and grocery vendor, left Taihape this morning on an extreme tour, which,/ we understand, will include the Far East. During his abrerice his business will be carried on by Mr Ching Tim." "Truth" understands that, a civic reception to the honorable Obing Fook on bis return is already being arranged. New Plymouth owns a beery individual, whose D.T.s took a new and curious change a few days ago. He became "The Fire King," and "Prince Olrac" wasn't mit with him. .He lighted a fire within a few feet of a warehouse, and proceeded to show all and sundry the latest m fire extinguishing. This consisted of chucking his coat ma 1 river. Then he started m for the open air restaurant business. He purchased about a dozen flounders and l-iuhted a, paper fire, but before he could pet the fish done 1o a brown Ihe police appeared on the scene and led him away. The next morning he was convicted and discharged for drunkenness.