THE POSSESSIONS OF TRUMAN CAPOTE

JAMES WHITNEY FOSBURGH PORTRAIT OF TRUMAN CAPOTE, CIRCA 1958-1959

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, INSCRIBED BY HARPER LEE TO TRUMAN CAPOTE

RICHARD AVEDON SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH OF TRUMAN CAPOTE, 1967

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THE POSSESSIONS OF TRUMAN CAPOTE

By Cornell Auctions, Objects & Trade

Starts on:

Bellport, NY, United States

Cornell Auctions is honored to present The Magpie and the Swans: The Possessions of Truman Capote, to be sold live and online worldwide on November 21 from Bellport, New York. Capote gathered these things over a lifetime between his New York apartment and his house in Sagaponack, and Gerald Clarke has kept them since 1984. Clarke is the author of Capote: A Biography and was the writer's confidant during his last years. The collection shows Capote's magpie eye: he loved glitter, wit and comfort, and he collected among the swans of high society. One highlight is a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird inscribed by Harper Lee to her childhood friend. Others include a 1967 portrait signed by Richard Avedon, a Paul Cadmus drawing of Capote's partner Jack Dunphy, and a self-portrait Dunphy gave Truman on his birthday. Capote's monogrammed Cartier ice bucket and Cartier Trinity pen also appear, along with the painted wicker furniture from the Sagaponack house pictured in Architectural Digest in 1976. More personal pieces include resin paperweights Capote made by hand and his house keys, still on fobs engraved 'CAPOTE' and 'DUNPHY'. Together they are an intimate portrait of one of America's most celebrated writers.

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TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ANTIQUE FELIX THE CAT WOODEN TOY: A jointed wooden figure of Felix the Cat, of the sort made from the early 1920s under license from the character's creators. Turned and carved wood painted matt black, with a ball head, a cream face

0001: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ANTIQUE FELIX THE CAT WOODEN TOY

Estimate:

$200

$300

$600

(10 bids)

MAGGIE'S DOG COLLAR, 21 CLUB TASTEVIN WATER BOWL AND PERSONALIZED PHONE COVER: Three items belonging to a dog named Maggie: a brown leather collar studded with domed rivets, fitted with a brass rabies tag stamped RABIES VACCINATED 1960, DR. B. WASSERMAN, HEIGHTS VET. HOSP.,

0002: MAGGIE'S DOG COLLAR, 21 CLUB TASTEVIN WATER BOWL AND PERSONALIZED PHONE COVER

Estimate:

$600

$1,000

$400

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S CANVAS BULLDOG TOTE: Tote bag in natural cotton canvas with self handles, printed on one face with a bulldog head in black line, drawn full face with heavy jowls and worked in close hatching, a small monogram at the

0003: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S CANVAS BULLDOG TOTE

Estimate:

$100

$500

$60

(2 bids)

ASHES OF TRUMAN CAPOTE'S DOG, LIKELY MAGGIE, IN A BRONZED HOLDER: Rectangular casket in dark patinated metal with a recessed panel to the front within a gilt edged border, the underside secured with four screws, containing the cremated remains of a dog kept by

0004: ASHES OF TRUMAN CAPOTE'S DOG, LIKELY MAGGIE, IN A BRONZED HOLDER

Estimate:

$400

$600

$250

(3 bids)

FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH OF TRUMAN CAPOTE HUGGING HIS BULLDOG: Photograph of Truman Capote sitting on the floor with his arms around a bulldog held against his chest, a metal chair behind and a plain interior beyond, in a cream mount and a painted white frame

0005: FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH OF TRUMAN CAPOTE HUGGING HIS BULLDOG

Estimate:

$800

$1,200

$400

(2 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ANTIQUE BULLDOG HEAD MATCH CADDY | SPILL VASE: Bulldog head vessel, the head modeled in the round with heavy jowls, folded ears and deep-set eyes, the crown opened as a cylindrical well. Approx. Dimensions: 2.5 "H x 3 "W x 3.5 "D Artist or Maker:

0006: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ANTIQUE BULLDOG HEAD MATCH CADDY | SPILL VASE

Estimate:

$200

$400

$160

(3 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ANTIQUE BLACK FOREST STYLE CARVED BULLDOG WALL POCKET: Carved wood bulldog seated on a rectangular plinth, with glass eyes and an open mouth, the flat back hollowed into a deep open well and fitted with a hanger. One ear is broken away, the break exposed

0007: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ANTIQUE BLACK FOREST STYLE CARVED BULLDOG WALL POCKET

Estimate:

$500

$800

$100

(1 bid)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S PAIR OF STAFFORDSHIRE DOGS, AS PHOTOGRAPHED BY ARNOLD NEWMAN: Pair of Staffordshire pottery spaniels, modeled seated as facing mirror images, the coats molded in long curls and left white, with black muzzles, painted eyes and traces of gilding to the collars

0008: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S PAIR OF STAFFORDSHIRE DOGS, AS PHOTOGRAPHED BY ARNOLD NEWMAN

Estimate:

$600

$1,200

$400

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S LARGE CHALKWARE BULLDOG, AS SEEN IN ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST 1976: Large chalkware figure of a seated bulldog with a black painted collar and buckle, hollow cast and unglazed. Extensive flaking and loss to the painted surface throughout commensurate with age and

0009: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S LARGE CHALKWARE BULLDOG, AS SEEN IN ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST 1976

Estimate:

$1,000

$2,000

$500

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S BULLDOG FORM PITCHER, AS SEEN IN VOGUE 1965 AND ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST 1976: Glazed earthenware pitcher modeled as a bulldog seated upright, the curled tail forming the handle and the open mouth the lip, the body glazed in streaked treacle brown with a red collar. Note glaze

0010: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S BULLDOG FORM PITCHER, AS SEEN IN VOGUE 1965 AND ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST 1976

Estimate:

$300

$500

$100

(1 bid)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S COLD PAINTED BRONZE POODLE WITH CROWN: Cold painted bronze poodle, modeled seated upright with the coat worked in clipped curls and wearing a gilt crown, on a rectangular base painted green, the base incised with lettering. Approx.

0011: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S COLD PAINTED BRONZE POODLE WITH CROWN

Estimate:

$500

$1,000

$250

(2 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S AUSTRIAN COLD PAINTED BRONZE NODDING HEAD BULLDOG: An Austrian cold-painted figure of a seated bulldog with toothache, the head mounted to nod. The dog sits back on its haunches with its head cocked, a red kerchief spotted in white tied over the

0012: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S AUSTRIAN COLD PAINTED BRONZE NODDING HEAD BULLDOG

Estimate:

$500

$800

$300

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S LATE 19TH CENTURY PORCELAIN PARROT HEAD SNUFF BOX, AS PHOTOGRAPHED BY HORST: Porcelain snuff box modeled as a parrot head, painted in coral and gray with a yellow eye, the hinged cover with gilt metal mounts opening to a white interior, the underside gilt and engraved. Horst

0013: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S LATE 19TH CENTURY PORCELAIN PARROT HEAD SNUFF BOX, AS PHOTOGRAPHED BY HORST

Estimate:

$1,000

$2,000

$550

(2 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ANTIQUE FOLK ART CARVED EAGLE HAT AND COAT RACK, AS SEEN IN ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST: Carved and painted wood hat and coat rack, modeled as an eagle with wings folded perched on a branch-form rail fitted with four hooks, painted black with a yellow beak and feet. Wear to the paint.

0014: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ANTIQUE FOLK ART CARVED EAGLE HAT AND COAT RACK, AS SEEN IN ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST

Estimate:

$2,000

$4,000

$1,200

(2 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S WHITE PORCELAIN OWL, AS SEEN IN VOGUE 1965 AND ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST 1976: White glazed porcelain owl, modeled standing with the wings folded and the feathers crisply worked, the eyes painted amber and black, perched on a naturalistic mound base painted yellow green and

0015: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S WHITE PORCELAIN OWL, AS SEEN IN VOGUE 1965 AND ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST 1976

Estimate:

$500

$800

$300

(1 bid)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S FRANZ BERGMANN VIENNESE COLD-PAINTED BRONZE BIRD FIGURE OF A MAGPIE: Cold-painted bronze figure of a magpie, naturalistically modeled standing with the tail swept back and the head turned, the plumage finely painted in black and cream, on splayed feet. Stamped with

0016: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S FRANZ BERGMANN VIENNESE COLD-PAINTED BRONZE BIRD FIGURE OF A MAGPIE

Estimate:

$3,000

$5,000

$600

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S GROUP OF THREE PETITE OWLS: Three small owls, two ceramic and one cloisonné. The largest is modeled crouching with the tail extended, painted in the Turkish manner with red tulips and green leaves on white and inscribed HAND

0017: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S GROUP OF THREE PETITE OWLS

Estimate:

$100

$200

$250

(4 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S BLOW MOLD GOOSE LAWN ORNAMENT LIGHT: Blow molded plastic goose lawn ornament, modeled standing with the neck raised and the feathers worked in relief, painted white with an orange bill and a green molded base, fitted internally for a

0018: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S BLOW MOLD GOOSE LAWN ORNAMENT LIGHT

Estimate:

$200

$500

$325

(4 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ITALIAN CERAMIC DOVE TRINKET BOX: A covered box in the form of a dove, the bird divided horizontally so that the upper body lifts away as a cover. Painted in soft lilac and tan over a white ground, the feathers drawn one by one

0019: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ITALIAN CERAMIC DOVE TRINKET BOX

Estimate:

$100

$200

$140

(5 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S CARVED AND SILVERED EAGLE: Carved wooden eagle with the wings raised and spread and the head turned down to one side, the plumage cut in overlapping feathers, the surface silvered and worn back to a warm ground and to bare

0020: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S CARVED AND SILVERED EAGLE

Estimate:

$400

$600

$550

(4 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S BRONZE CRANE ON A TURTLE: A cast bronze group of a crane standing on the back of a tortoise. The crane rises on one long leg with its neck stretched up and its bill open, the folded wings and tail finely incised with

0021: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S BRONZE CRANE ON A TURTLE

Estimate:

$300

$500

$400

(4 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S AUSTRIAN COLD PAINTED BRONZE BIRD SPILL VASE | MATCH CADDY: Cold painted bronze spill vase modeled as a chick standing beside a cracked eggshell, the shell hollowed as the vessel, the bird finished in buff, gray and black. One wing is stamped GESCHUTZT, the

0022: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S AUSTRIAN COLD PAINTED BRONZE BIRD SPILL VASE | MATCH CADDY

Estimate:

$400

$1,000

$250

(3 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S AUSTRIAN OWL FORM BEER STEIN, AS SEEN IN HOUSE BEAUTIFUL 1969: Beer stein modeled as an owl, the body molded all over in overlapping feathers and glazed cream, buff and gray, with amber eyes and green leaves and blossom about the base, the hinged pewter lid

0023: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S AUSTRIAN OWL FORM BEER STEIN, AS SEEN IN HOUSE BEAUTIFUL 1969

Estimate:

$100

$300

$450

(4 bids)

TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ANTIQUE CAST IRON RABBIT (1 OF 2): Cast iron figure of a seated rabbit with ears erect, in worn cream paint, the body cast in two halves and hollow beneath. The paint is worn throughout with oxidation showing beneath. Approx.

0024: TRUMAN CAPOTE'S ANTIQUE CAST IRON RABBIT (1 OF 2)

Estimate:

$800

$1,200

$500

View:

Auction Details

Cornell Auctions, Objects & Trade

Bellport , NY, United States

4.6

385 Reviews

6,806 Followers

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Preview

In person, November 18, 19, 20. Online ongoing

Bellport, NY 11713

USA

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