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At California Mortgage & Jewellery, you’ll be able to pawn virtually the whole lot — or
attempt to. Folks will convey proprietor Warren Anapolsky real (and
knockoff) Rolex wristwatches, tennis bracelets (some with actual
diamonds, some not), unique work (or fairly good
reproductions). 

They’ve additionally introduced him extraordinarily uncommon books, useful
sculptures and even a prosthetic leg. However he says he attracts the
line at paying for VHS gamers and different quickly getting old gadgets.
“I don’t like electronics generally,” he says — then permits,
“Properly, I do like some Apple merchandise. They’ve good resale
worth. A few of them, anyway. Not all.”

By varied names and areas, California Mortgage & Jewellery has
been in downtown Sacramento for a exceptional 113 years. The
Anapolsky title itself is ubiquitous within the capital — in trend,
regulation, academia and quite a lot of firms. “I’ve a great deal of
cousins and all of us appear to get alongside nicely,” says Anapolsky. At
73, he’s trim, has a flawless complexion and clear hazel eyes,
wears trainers along with his gown slacks, and shows an
infectious enjoyment of life, folks and his commerce. He says he
has “zero plans to retire anytime quickly.”

That’s excellent news for his prospects, a lot of whom are
third-generation loyalists, in addition to his colleagues: He has an
in depth community of authenticators, together with specialists in artwork,
first-edition books and bling. He’s additionally an professional himself; for
47 years, he has held a Graduate Gemologist certification from
the Gemological Institute of America — a designation usually
thought of to be the trade’s personal gold normal. 

Together with his easygoing repertoire of tales and insights, Anapolsky
defies the stereotype most of us in all probability have of moneylenders —
just like the embittered, cynical one memorably portrayed by Rod
Steiger within the heartbreaking 1964 film “The Pawnbroker” — or
these whom a few of us have handled in actual life, whose must
be continuously on guard for theft (generally armed) or swindle
(generally from inside) can render them professionally icy.

Whereas no person’s idiot, Anapolsky has an prompt heat with folks
who come into his store on a fairly battered block of J Road
between Ninth and tenth. On current visits, Anapolsky’s prospects
ranged from individuals who appeared down on their heels to a
well-groomed millennial couple and a lady in designer garments
toting a Louis Vuitton bag. Anapolsky sells these purses at his
place, which is a combo pawn store and retail
operation.   

He tells the story of a pregnant younger girl, toting one other
child, who’d introduced in artwork copies, together with a lithograph by
Alexander Calder. However in that first haul was additionally a wolf’s head
by Faberge “with a chipped ear — I believe I gave her $1,000 for
it,” Anapolsky recollects — and, the actual prize, an unique
portray by Pierre-Auguste Renoir of a bit woman by a lake.

“I do know a man, a Frenchman, who lives in Switzerland and lives in
San Francisco three or 4 months of the yr,” Anapolsky says.
“He tells me it’s value possibly $35,000. I ended up promoting it to
an oncology physician for significantly greater than that.” He recounts
this with neither bravado nor an oz of smugness. It was
strictly enterprise.  

One in every of his different nice finds — dropped at him by the identical younger
girl whose husband had inherited the treasures — was an
unique, illustrated manuscript by William Blake (1757-1827); a
e book of poetry, “Songs of Innocence,” inscribed to his physician.
That is the e book that features the beloved 1794 poem “The Tyger”
(“Tyger Tyger, burning vivid, within the forests of the evening; What
immortal hand or eye, May body thy fearful symmetry?”). 

“There have been solely 4 copies of this unique,” Anapolsky says he
found from one in all his rare-book experts. “One’s within the
Smithsonian, one’s on the Huntington Museum in San Marino, and I
don’t recall the place the third one is. However the actual level is it was
value not less than $125,000.”

Anapolsky and his brother Larry grew to become homeowners of the (actually)
mom-and-pop retailer in 1979, when their father handed away. Till
her passing, their mother continued to maintain her hand within the enterprise
— and in tribute to their people, Warren stored an indication for every of
them on the store’s two toilet doorways: One says Bernice; the
different Sol. 

When Larry died of most cancers in 2013, Warren grew to become sole proprietor.
He’s made some vital adjustments: The shop not buys vehicles
(which was pushed into the constructing’s huge basement for
evaluating) or weapons. “I simply didn’t like having them round,”
Anapolsky says. “And it’d make different prospects nervous in the event that they
noticed somebody are available carrying a weapon, which you’ll perceive.”
He’s additionally added some severe safety measures, particularly since
the 2018 demonstrations and vandalism on J Road following the
Sacramento police taking pictures of Stephon Clark. 

“I used to be watching the entire thing unfold on my safety movies,” he
says. “Among the marchers tried like loopy to smash the entrance
window however this glass is terribly thick.” He’s since put in
boundaries to maintain would-be thieves from moving into the shop —
and in addition, if needed, to entice them within the entry means till the
police present up.

“I actually love what I do. I really like the vitality of downtown, and I
really feel it coming again after COVID.”

Warren Anapolsky, Proprietor, California Mortgage &
Jewellery

Lately remarried, Anapolsky has a grown daughter and
stepdaughter however says any succession plan is “nonetheless being
formulated in my head. I actually love what I do. I really like the vitality
of downtown, and I really feel it coming again after COVID.” And, lest we
neglect, he has zero plans to retire. 

THROUGH THE YEARS

-California Mortgage & Jewellery’s first title was the New York Retailer.
It was based in 1909 by twin brothers William and Joe Anapolsky
and positioned at 1014 third Road. 

-It didn’t turn into a pawn store for a lot of years. As a substitute, the
store offered “primary merchandise and fashionable objects of the day,”
in keeping with the corporate’s historical past.

-In 1942, the shop began making collateral loans. You’d convey
in an merchandise, the shop gave you rapid cash for it and
ultimately, you’d both purchase again the merchandise or the shop would get
to promote it. 

-In 1947, the brothers died inside six months of one another and
William’s two sons, Sol and Milton, took over the enterprise,
altering its title to California Clothes & Jewellery. Two years
later, the shop moved to 409 Ok St. Not lengthy thereafter, the
present title was adopted.

-When Milton died very younger in 1952, Sol and his spouse and
associate Bernice took over. The shop modified areas a number of
instances: In 1959 it moved to 511 Ok Road and in simply three years,
to 607 J Road. 

-5 years later, a fireplace destroyed an excessive amount of the shop’s
stock, which impressed Sol to buy his first constructing at
916 J Road.

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