[6] After his third conviction on December 17, 1928, he was sentenced to a mandatory life term at Sing Sing Prison by Judge Alonzo G. McLaughlin in the Kings County Court. He points to Erik the Red's sale of colonization of Greenland, circa 982, as an example. Paul was my favorite speaker at that event and I made it my business to meet him which was the beginning of an almost 20 year friendship…that eventually led to his “farewell to marketing presentation” at Titans Mastermind last month. “This time it’s for real” was a core premise of Paul’s approach to create satisfaction. Sure he developed the quintessential program on publicity…and he also taught thousands how to sell on eBay (out of their RV or from anywhere) before eBay was part of our marketing nomenclature. I’m only scratching the surface from the first three chapters of Breakthrough Advertising and how it applies here; but Paul knew these principles well (and a whole lot more). the way buying the Brooklyn Bridge would satisfy that desire). for a free PDF of that)—and of course he talked about Publicity (that gets response and leads to profit)–and also how he still runs a six-figure business on eBay for less than an hour a day. Parker would have gotten away with it, however, he was caught on a fraud charge of passing a bad check in 1928. 1.1 Etymology; 1.2 Pronunciation; 1.3 Phrase; English Etymology . Over great distances some buyers can be convinced to pay before verifying claims. He spoke about How To Create a Powerful, Profitable Talk in 4 Easy Steps (see the P.S. 0 0. Grant was revered as the Hero of the Union, and investors flocked to give money to ensure his tomb was kept in good order. In fact, it is reported (whether it’s true is another matter) that he sold the Brooklyn Bridge at least twice a week, one time for as much as $50,000. When he sold Grant's Tomb, he would often pose as the general's grandson, and he set up a fake office to handle his real estate swindles. Parker would then take over with what could only be described as a well rehearsed smooth con. A similar phrase, which replaces the Florida with Arizona, is also used for the same reasons. Similar phrases involve "selling" the Brooklyn Bridge or nonexistent "oceanfront property in Arizona. for the value of scenery and wildlife found in swamplands in their natural condition. On the other hand, there are also arguments made[by whom?] One of the original sellers of swampland was Charles Ponzi. But once you know there may be an element of mass desire in the marketplace, you must then go to the State of Awareness of prospective buyers (i.e. The other person wants to sell you the Brooklyn bridge. This was clearly one of the good ones…and he’s had many more than just this one. > What does the phrase “I have a bridge to sell you” mean? Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Copyright by Brian Kurtz. He bribed men working the ferry boats on Ellis Island bringing the new immigrants to New York to tell him who was “with a crowded oakus”, or had a lot of cash on them. Parker saw the opportunity for a quick buck and took it. Then, 25 years later, he celebrated the “25th Anniversary of the Sale of The Brooklyn Bridge” (an event he created!) The phrase originated because for over a century people have fallen for the con that New York City is selling the Brooklyn Bridge. If you'll google "Brooklyn Bridge," you'll find a lot of information on the phrase. Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary. [3], Grant Oster points out that the practice of the unseen property scam predates the existence of the United States. Contents. He had four brothers and three sisters, [2], Parker was born in New York City to Irish parents. I’ve been a member of Genius Network, Joe Polish’s one-of-a-kind mastermind, for 8 or 9 years…and this year, at the annual event, I will be on a panel with John Carlton, Parris Lampropoulos, Craig Clemens, Richard Viguerie…and I’d love to see you there. Lv 6. As Arizona is well known to have an arid climate, it is assumed that wetlands in that state are non-existent. It may not be the “Billion Dollar Summit” from January 2000…but it is the closest thing to it that we have today. He made his living conducting illegal sales of property he did not own, often New York's public landmarks, to unwary immigrants. And then determine a State of Sophistication (i.e. He convinced the marks the government was just on the verge of passing a law to make the bridge a toll bridge, and he was looking for investors to to set up booths to collect the tolls. Means you will believe anything very gullible goes along with a saying like if you belive that then I have a bridge to sell you. ", "Unseen Property Cons and Land Scams in History", "Gulf American Land Corp. The ferrymen would cozy up to the marks and tell them of the amazing opportunity they had just heard about. Source(s): https://shrinks.im/a0J1a. [3], Though the term originates in the United States, it is now also understood and used in other English-speaking countries. Swampland in Florida is a figure of speech referring to real estate scams in which a seller misrepresents unusable swampland as developable property. New York at the turn of the century was growing and teeming with immigrants right off the boat. Stay tuned. I have a bridge to sell you. P.S. : : It refers to a scam, selling someone the Brooklyn Bridge. George C. Parker was a con man extraordinaire in a city full of con men. Sometimes that is done by businesses to meet a development permit requirement to preserve some Florida land in order to build on other Florida land. The phrase about gullibility referring to those events said, "if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you. Expressions like "If you believe that, then I have swampland in Florida to sell you", suggests the recipient is gullible enough to fall for an obvious fraud. [5], In the 1960s and 1970s, scammers used nationwide advertising to lure victims to buy Florida real estate without visiting the properties first. 0 0. And he always had fun with all he did, and will do, in the future. Terrence W . However, his cons brought a new expression into the American vernacular. As the scam became widely known, California and New York legislators acted in 1963 to restrict this false advertising. Brooklyn Bridge For Sale. He went to wealthy investors pretending to be the former president’s next of kin lamenting he could not complete repairs on Grant’s Tomb. There were lots of scams that were designed to get whatever money these people had saved to bring into the new country, and the one to sell the Brooklyn Bridge or a piece of the bridge was the most well known. "[2] Those evolved in the 1960s and 1970s to include fraudulent sales of near-worthless swampland real estate in Florida. [4], The common usage of this term implies that swampland is worthless. Terms | Privacy Policy | Refund Policy | Contacts Us, I’d like to sell you The Brooklyn Bridge…, “Billion Dollar Internet Strategy Setting Summit and Custom Marketing Makeover Process, How To Create a Powerful, Profitable Talk in 4 Easy Steps, The Genius Network Annual Event in Phoenix, Arizona November 2-4, …attended law school specifically to get involved in, … become a roller derby referee (in his spare time). 1 decade ago. Jump to navigation Jump to search. 4 years ago. Country songwriter George Strait wrote a song with this variation as its title. Parker is remembered as one of the most successful con men in the history of the United States, as well as one of history's most talented hoaxers. His biggest scam was posing at the grandson of former president, Ulysses S. Grant. I’ve never heard of it. Speakers included: Andy Bourland, Dana Blankenhorn, Declan Dunn, Ken Evoy, Rob Frankel, Cliff Kurtzman, Jakob Nielsen, Eva Rosenberg, Corey Rudl, Jim Sterne, Ralph Wilson. George C Parker- Photo Credit- Google Images. Will. George C. Parker was known as the greatest con-man in American history, managing to sell landmark items like Madison Square Gardens, the Statue of Liberty and, you guessed it, the Brooklyn Bridge.. Sturm und Drang. Usually they say that "if you believe that I've a bridge I could sell you'. In the words of Gene Schwartz, when he defined Mass Desire: It is the public spread of a private want, One day in 1983 did people get up in the morning and say, “I want to buy the Brooklyn Bridge?”. Having this final presentation in the Titans Mastermind portal will be a prized video–and I may make it available at some point to folks who join Titans Xcelerator (my new virtual mastermind which I will be announcing in the next month or so at a charter rate of $1,500 a year). After one arrest, around 1908, he escaped the courthouse by calmly walking out after donning a sheriff's hat and coat that had been set down by a sheriff who had walked in from the cold outdoors.