Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) a fraudulent salesman, often operating in the guise of an auctioneer, who augments the appeal of their third-rate merchandise by intimating that it had in some way been acquired illegally.

1834		A. Greene Perils of Pearl Street 51: Peter Funk [...] is the very imp of deception; [...] his name is sometimes used figuratively to signify any thing which is employed for the purpose of deception or as the sharp ones say, to gull the flats .
1842		Flash (NY) 23 June n.p.: The three Johnny Raws were requested to step in the back room while Funk No. 1 guarded the door.
1845		N.Y. Daily Trib. 29 Dec. 2/3: The swindler who played the part of ‘Peter Funk’ and persuaded the stranger to pay $20 to the boy who was running off with the pocket book rather than have the unfortunate loser robbed of his money, finally left the victim standing before a store which he represented as his brother’s while he went for the key to open it.
1852		Lantern I 239/1: Petronius Funk, Fictitious Auctioneer. Wylie, Bonnett, Associate Funkers [DA].
1853		Mt. Echo 30 Apr. 1/5: The Vermonter examined the watch carefully, and the bidding among the outside Funks assumed an aspect of profound interest [DA].
1855		T. Haliburton Nature and Human Nature II 387: Why, I won’t act ‘Peter Funk’ to myself, but this I will say ‘Human natur is my weakness’.
1862		Emporia News (KS) 21 June 1/5: [headline] How Peter Funk Does Business.
1872		Schele De Vere Americanisms 299: Peter Funk [...] designates the person who aids in getting up so-called mock auctions, sales held for the sole benefit of inexperienced countrymen, at which more or less worthless articles, imitation jewelry, watches of gilt copper and the like, are offered; where unwary purchasers are forced to take a large quantity while they only bid for a very small portion.
1882		Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 7: Peter Funk - American term for a spurious auction or ‘knock-out’ or ‘knock-in’.
1897		Barrère and Leland Sl., Jargon & Cant II 125/2: In New York City for nearly a century all kinds of petty humbug, deceit and sham, especially in business, has been characterized by a mythical character named Peter Funk.
1903		S. Clapin New Dict. Americanisms.
1938		(con. mid-19C) H. Asbury Sucker’s Progress 182: These latter gentry [i.e. fake ‘auctioneers’], commonly called Peter Funks, were themselves a source of great annoyance [...] and many unsuccessful attempts were made to stop the sales of shoddy and worthless merchandise.
1967		(con. 1900s) in S. Harris Hellhole 165: She remembers the Peter Funkers, the mock auctioneers, forceful and sage in their way.

2. in fig. use of sense 1.

1895

Morn. Call (SF) 24 Jan. 3/2: The Nicaraguan scheme [...] was an attempt to canonize a new St Peter - the ‘Peter Funk of legislation.’ It was the glorification of the Cheap Johns of Congressional work.

3. attrib. use of sense 1.

1850		‘Ned Buntline’ G’hals of N.Y. 31: Those baubles [...] are mere Peter Funk affairs, which, if pocketed, are of no value.
1862		‘Artemus Ward’ Artemus Ward, His Book 230: Then advisin him to keep away from the Peter Funk auctions of the East, and the proprietors of corner-lots in the West, I bid him farewell, and went away.
1882		Dly Bulletin (Honolulu) 10 Oct. 1/1: [advt] No Peter Funk stock here.
1889		Portland Intelligencer 21 Feb. 3/4: When he returned at 2 o’clock the same night he had $64 in cash and 27 peter funk watches to show for the large sum he had started out with [DA].