CIGARETTE PAPERS.

Southland Times, Issue 22009, 8 May 1933, Page 8

CIGARETTE PAPERS.

AN EARLY MUSEUM. In an entry of “several presentiments of Court Leet, relative to the repairs of walls on the banks on the Thames,” dated May 7, 1655, there appears the name of James Salter, as one of the tenants, who was fined five pounds for suffering the river wall opposite his dwelling to become in disrepair. He is better known, however, as the proprietor of one of the first commercial museums in the Old Country. Sir Richard Steele referred to him in “The Taller” under his nickname of Don Saltero, and several of his curiosities were mentioned. Salter had been valet to Sir Hans Sloane, and when he left service, he returned to his former occupation of barber, combined, as it was then, with the arts of bleeding and tooth-drawing. In 1693 he set up a coffee-house, and his former employer gave him a number of curiosities to set up in the public room as an _ attraction to customers. These oddities became well known, and Salter was also a peculiar figure. His house was frequented by retired naval officers and they added to the collection and gave him the title of Don Saltero. from a fancied resemblance he bore to the celebrated knight of the woeful countenance. Steele describes him as a sage of a thin and meagre countenance, enough to make one doubt whether reading or fretting had made it so philosophic. Salter’s first advertisement of his coffee house appeared in The Weekly Journal of June 22, 1723. Sir. Fifty years since, to Chelsea great, From Rodnam, on the Irish main, I stroll’d with maggots in my pate— Where, much improved they still remain. Through various employs J’ve past: A scraper, vertuos’, projector Tooth-drawer, trimmer, and at last I’m now a gimcrack whim collector. Monsters of all sorts here are seen, Strange things in nature as they grew so; Some relicks of the Sheba Queen, And fragments of the famed Bob Cruso. Knick-knacks to dangle round the wall, Some in glass cases, some on shelf. But, what’s the rarest sight of all, Your humble servant shows himself. On this my chiefest hope depends. Now, if you will the cause espouse, In journals pray direct your friends To my museum coffee-house: And, in requital for the timely favour. I’ll gratis bleed, draw teeth and be your shaver; Nay, that your pate may with my noddle tally, And you shine bright as I do—marry shall ye Freely consult my revelation Molly; Nor shall one jealous thought create a huff For she has taught me manners long enough. Don Saltero. The time of Salter’s death is not known, but his daughter, Mrs Hall, ran the business in 1760 and not until 1799 did it finally cease operations. The curiosities at auction then fetched £5O. —CRITICUS.