Intense bidding pushes art to record highs for Hindman

William Adolphe Bouguereau, 'LeGouter,' sold for $688,000. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.
William Adolphe Bouguereau, 'LeGouter,' sold for $688,000. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

William Adolphe Bouguereau, ‘LeGouter,’ sold for $688,000. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

CHICAGO – With a filled auction room of private collectors, dealers and very active telephone and online bidders Leslie Hindman Auctioneers spring auction of Contemporary, Modern, American and European Art on May 2 was a resounding success.

The European and Old Master paintings session realized a total of $2.87 million. Much of the auction’s success can be attributed to the collection from the Lucie Sable Sandler Trust, which included two paintings by William Adolphe Bouguereau that brought a combined $1.2 million with premium. Each of the Bouguereau paintings went to successful international bidders from the United Kingdom. Also from the Sandler Trust, Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky’s Woman in a White Hat, sold to an East Coast buyer for $292,000.

In addition to realizing strong prices, the sale set auction records. Salvatore Marchesi’s Altar Boys achieved the highest price at auction for the artist. The painting sold for $36,600 against an estimate of $15,000-$25,000. A record was set for the third highest price for an Antoine Blanchard painting, when a street scene realized $31,720. Additionally, 16 international bidders from eight countries competed for works by Hermann David Salomon Corrodi, one of which brought $219,600, a price among the artist’s top 10 records at auction.

The American Art session opened to a crowded auction room, bringing $902,353 against a presale estimate of $542,500-$840,700. Competitive bidding on Asher Brown Durand’s Guard House, Catskill Mountains, which had remained in private hands for the last 60 years, drove the sale price to $146,400, the artist’s third highest auction price. Eight bidders competed for Leroy Neiman’s 1961 Vegas, which blew past the previous auction record and sold for $173,600 to a private collector in Minnesota. In addition, a rare Chicago scene by Guy Wiggins sold for $46,360.

The continued strength and international appeal of Modern and Contemporary art was evident in the exceptional prices realized at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ auction. A highlight was Ray Parker’s 1979 Untitled, which sold for an impressive $58,560 against an estimate of $25,000-$35,000—the second highest price ever achieved by the artist at auction.

Chu Teh Chun’s Composition No. 125, 1962 set another record as the highest grossing work on paper by the artist, achieving $68,320.

Contemporary artists were well represented. An original collage by Theodoros Stamos flourished amid a bidding war and brought $17,080.

A mixed-media sculpture by Jesus Rafael Soto far surpassed its estimate of $7,000-$9,000 realizing $21,960.

Andy Warhol works continue to be in demand with his Ten Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century achieving $97,600 and his Liz lithograph realizing $39,040 in the Fine Print and Multiples session. The session also saw strong prices by other postwar artists, including Stella, Rauschenberg and Koons.

Contemporary sculpture fared well with aggressive interest from telephone bidders. Toshiko Takaezu’s Moonpot sold for an impressive $19,520—tying the auction record for the artist. A small Clement Meadmore also sold above its estimate, bringing $10,370.

Other highlights included a bronze sculpture by Israeli artist Igael Tumarkin. Selling for $20,740, it became the artist’s highest grossing bronze ever offered at auction. Ernst Neizvestny’s 1978 Minotaur did extremely well, achieving $19,520 against an estimate of $5,000-$7,000.

Modern Masters Prints such as Picasso, Chagall, Miro and Dali saw strong bidding, including Picasso’s Femme au Collier 1959 linocut, which achieved $46,360.

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers realized over $7.5 million during the five days of auctions including Fine Furniture and Decorative Arts, Modern and Contemporary Art, American and European Art and Fine Prints and Multiples.

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

William Adolphe Bouguereau, 'LeGouter,' sold for $688,000. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

William Adolphe Bouguereau, ‘LeGouter,’ sold for $688,000. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Andy Warhol, 'Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century,' sold for $97,600. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Andy Warhol, ‘Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century,’ sold for $97,600. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Ray Parker, 'Untitled,' sold for $58,560. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Ray Parker, ‘Untitled,’ sold for $58,560. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Chu Teh Chun, 'Composition No. 125,' sold for $68,320. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Chu Teh Chun, ‘Composition No. 125,’ sold for $68,320. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Picasso, 'Femme au Collier,' sold for $46,360. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Picasso, ‘Femme au Collier,’ sold for $46,360. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Andy Warhol, 'Liz,' sold for $39,040. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Andy Warhol, ‘Liz,’ sold for $39,040. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

William Adolphe Bouguereau, 'Psyche,' sold for $514,000. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

William Adolphe Bouguereau, ‘Psyche,’ sold for $514,000. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky, 'Woman in a White Hat,' sold for $292,000. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky, ‘Woman in a White Hat,’ sold for $292,000. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

Lady Gaga teacup fetches $75,300 in benefit auction

Lady Gaga performing during her Monster Ball Tour stop, March 4, 2010, at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England. Photo by Bobby Charlton of Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, England, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Lady Gaga performing during her Monster Ball Tour stop, March 4, 2010, at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England. Photo by Bobby Charlton of Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, England, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Lady Gaga performing during her Monster Ball Tour stop, March 4, 2010, at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England. Photo by Bobby Charlton of Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, England, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

TOKYO (AFP) – A teacup and saucer used only once by pop diva Lady Gaga has sold for more than 6 million yen ($75,000) at auction, the sale’s organizer said Monday.

With more than 1,300 bids, the weeklong auction closed Sunday with a top offer of 6,011,000 yen, said Yahoo! Japan, which managed the charity event.

Payment was required before the winning bid could be confirmed, it said.

The cup was used by Lady Gaga at a press conference in Tokyo three months after the massive tsunami of March last year inundated a large stretch of coastline.

Lady Gaga told reporters at the time that she would auction the cup, marked with her lipstick and bearing the Japanese message “We pray for Japan” along with the star’s autograph.

All the money raised will be used to help young Japanese artists who want to study in the United States.

The teacup was one of a number of items being sold to raise money for those affected by Japan’s worst postwar calamity, and was the second most expensive lot.

The top-priced item was a Kawai crystal piano used by Yoshiki of rock band Japan X, which went for 11,001,000 yen, Yahoo! Japan said.

The disaster killed some 19,000 people on Japan’s northeast coast and sparked the world’s worst nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, leading to a plunge in visitors to the country.

Lady Gaga visited Japan twice after the disaster and called on tourists from around the world to follow suit.

The songstress is due back in Japan this week as part of an Asian tour.

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Lady Gaga performing during her Monster Ball Tour stop, March 4, 2010, at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England. Photo by Bobby Charlton of Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, England, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Lady Gaga performing during her Monster Ball Tour stop, March 4, 2010, at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England. Photo by Bobby Charlton of Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, England, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Four valuable paintings recovered from parking garage

One of the recovered paintings is Nicolas Poussin's ' Midas at the Source of the River Pactole.' Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
One of the recovered paintings is Nicolas Poussin's ' Midas at the Source of the River Pactole.' Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
One of the recovered paintings is Nicolas Poussin’s ‘ Midas at the Source of the River Pactole.’ Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

AJACCIO, France (AFP) – Four valuable paintings including one by French classical artist Nicolas Poussin were recovered from a parking garage in the Corsican capital Ajaccio, a prosecutor said Saturday.

The paintings, which had been stolen in February 2011, were found “in perfect condition” Friday evening following an anonymous tip to investigators, the public prosecutor of Ajaccio, Thomas Pison, told a press briefing.

Dating from the 14th through the 17th centuries, the works were stolen from the Palais Fesch-Musee des Beaux-Arts, which houses the second largest collection of Italian paintings after that of the Louvre in Paris.

Midas at the Source of the River Pactole by Poussin, Pentecost by Mariotto di Nardo, Virgin and Child by Giovanni Bellini and another by an anonymous artist from Umbria in central Italy will be returned to the museum on Monday, Pison said.

Investigating magistrate Charlotte Dauriac, who received the anonymous telephone call, rushed to the scene with police investigators, finding one of the paintings in a plastic bag and the others simply leaning against a wall.

A night watchman at the museum was charged in the case two days after the paintings went missing.

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

One of the recovered paintings is Nicolas Poussin's ' Midas at the Source of the River Pactole.' Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
One of the recovered paintings is Nicolas Poussin’s ‘ Midas at the Source of the River Pactole.’ Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Reading the Streets: Art along the High Line

Suzuki’s tiny hipster ‘Carson’ on one of the sun decks. Statue by Tomoaki Suzuki. Photography by Kelsey Savage.
Suzuki’s tiny hipster ‘Carson’ on one of the sun decks. Statue by Tomoaki Suzuki. Photography by Kelsey Savage.
Suzuki’s tiny hipster ‘Carson’ on one of the sun decks. Statue by Tomoaki Suzuki. Photography by Kelsey Savage.

NEW YORK – The city has been fostering public art since organizing the group outdoor exhibit “Sculpture in Environment” in 1967. Since then, more than 1,000 works ranging from the experimental to the traditional have appeared throughout the boroughs. While street art is typically thought of as subversive, public funding helps bolster the creative energy within the city, changing the street’s landscape and fueling the community conversation between New York natives and tourist alike.

The High Line park, built on an elevated section of a former New York Central railroad spur, is an especially fertile location for artists to create work because it offers both an almost constant interaction with the public (so many people on a sunny day!) as well as an unusually natural environment thanks to the carefully landscaped native plant beds. One current, ongoing exhibition by various artists called “Lilliput” features miniature sculptures that nestle among the vegetation along the pathway, juxtaposed against the incredible scale of the view of the city below. The title of course refers to the island of tiny inhabitants that Gulliver visited—making you, the onlooker the Gulliver in this scenario. Six artists contributed to the piece: Oliver Laric, Alessandro Pessoli, Tomoaki Suzuki, Francis Upritchard, Erika Verzutti and Allyson Vieira.

A retrospective of public art in New York, “The Outdoor Gallery,” is available for download (http://www.nycgovparks.org/art-and-antiquities/art-in-the-parks).

ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

Suzuki’s tiny hipster ‘Carson’ on one of the sun decks. Statue by Tomoaki Suzuki. Photography by Kelsey Savage.
Suzuki’s tiny hipster ‘Carson’ on one of the sun decks. Statue by Tomoaki Suzuki. Photography by Kelsey Savage.
Upritchard’s ‘The Seduction.’ Two bronze primates sit on the opposite corner of the bench of those other primates. Statue by Francis Upritchard. Photography by Kelsey Savage.
Upritchard’s ‘The Seduction.’ Two bronze primates sit on the opposite corner of the bench of those other primates. Statue by Francis Upritchard. Photography by Kelsey Savage.
Verzutti’s concrete fruits and vegetables nestle in the landscaped vegetation. Statue by Erika Verzuitt. Photography by Kelsey Savage.
Verzutti’s concrete fruits and vegetables nestle in the landscaped vegetation. Statue by Erika Verzuitt. Photography by Kelsey Savage.
Verzutti’s sculpture is a study in scale. Statue by Erika Verzuitt. Photography by Kelsey Savage.
Verzutti’s sculpture is a study in scale. Statue by Erika Verzuitt. Photography by Kelsey Savage.

Kovels – Antiques & Collecting: Week of May 7, 2012

This ‘Crossed Out’ figural doorstop in pristine condition sold for $1,725 at a 2011 Bertoia auction in Vineland, N.J.
This ‘Crossed Out’ figural doorstop in pristine condition sold for $1,725 at a 2011 Bertoia auction in Vineland, N.J.
This ‘Crossed Out’ figural doorstop in pristine condition sold for $1,725 at a 2011 Bertoia auction in Vineland, N.J.

Iron doorstops are among today’s top-selling collectibles. They are probably not propped against a door to keep it open but are instead displayed like rare porcelain figurines on a prominent shelf. The clever, colorful and often humorous doorstops favored today are made of painted cast iron.

They were first popular in the late 19th century. Flower baskets, cottages, animals and people were the most common doorstop shapes. More than 1,000 American-made doorstops are known, and there are at least 35 different doorstops that look like Boston terriers.

A new doorstop in 1920 cost 25 cents. Today a rare doorstop sells for more than $10,000. But most doorstops in average condition cost about $100. Original paint is important and repainting a doorstop, no matter how battered, lowers the price. A broken or badly damaged piece has almost no value.

Many reproductions of old doorstops have been made, most of them since the 1980s. That’s when new collectors started searching for pieces for their collections. Reproductions start out with overly bright paint, and any rust that develops on them is bright orange, not dark brown.

One unusual vintage cast-iron doorstop is a clownish boy wearing a checkered shirt. He is standing with his legs and arms crossed. At his feet are piles of books and pamphlets. It may have been made to commemorate the New York Times crossword puzzle. Since the Times didn’t publish its first crossword puzzle until 1942, the doorstop wasn’t made before then. One sold in 2008 for $4,025. In 2011 another one sold for $1,725.

Q: My old child’s rocking chair has a music box attached to one of the rockers. A short rod extends from the music box to the floor so that when the chair rocks, the music box plays. Unfortunately, the music box no longer works. What can you tell me about the chair? Do you know anyone who repairs something like this?

A: In the mid-20th century, a few companies made children’s rocking chairs with music boxes. The mechanism on your chair was a feature of little rockers made by the N.D. Cass Co. of Athol, Mass. See if you can find a Cass Toys label or mark on the chair. Anyone who repairs music boxes should be able to repair the box on your chair. We list a few in the free directory on our website, Kovels.com.

Q: Please tell me what my World War II poster is worth. My father got the poster from his bank in 1942, which is why I know it’s an original. It’s 39 by 60 inches and pictures a close-up of a pilot. The wording on it is: “You Buy ‘Em, We’ll Fly ‘Em, Defense Bonds, Stamps.” The poster is in excellent condition and I have kept it framed under glass.

A: World War II patriotic posters interest many collectors. Your poster, featuring art by Norman Wilkinson, was made in at least three sizes. Yours is the largest. We have seen a small one sell for $100, so yours would sell for more.

Q: The pair of king and queen figurines my parents owned for years are now mine. The bottom of each is marked “Made in Occupied Japan.” I figure that means they were made after World War II, but I’d like to know more.

A: You’re asking a timely question, since the end of the Allied occupation of Japan after World War II ended 60 years ago, on April 28, 1952. The “Made in Occupied Japan” mark on your figurines was used between February 1947 and April 1952. But that particular wording was required only until August 1949. Later the rules were relaxed a bit. After August 1949, exported ceramics could be marked as your figurines are or, simply, “Occupied Japan,” “Made in Japan” or “Japan.”

Q: I have owned an old heating stove for years. The name on it is “Warm Morning.” Can you give me any history?

A: “Warm Morning” was a trade name for heaters made by the Locke Stove Co. of Kansas City, Mo. The heaters were first sold in the early 1930s and remained popular through the ’40s. They were made to burn different fuels—wood, coal, gas or oil.

Q: More than 50 years ago, my husband and I bought a silver-plated melon-shaped serving piece with a removable silver insert and a second pierced silver insert below it. The dish is 15 inches high by 8 inches in diameter. The top rolls back and is decorated with an ornate coat of arms. The bottom is marked “Mappin & Webb, 7577 & 78 Oxford Street, Building City, London.” Can you tell me the history of this piece and its value?

A: You have what probably was marketed as a “bun warmer” or “breakfast warmer” designed to keep rolls or other food warm on the table or buffet. Mappin & Webb is still in business. It’s one of England’s oldest jewelry retailers and is known for its high-quality silver. The firm dates back to 1774, when Jonathan Mappin founded his own silversmith workshop in Sheffield, England. George Webb joined the Mappin family in the business in 1858 and the company’s name was changed to Mappin & Webb. A Mappin & Webb silver-plated warmer like yours sold at auction last summer for $85.

Tip: Valuable old wicker should never be painted. It should be misted once a month. Vacuum and dust it regularly. Once a year wash it with a natural soap.

Terry Kovel answers as many questions as possible through the column. By sending a letter with a question, you give full permission for use in the column or any other Kovel forum. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We cannot guarantee the return of any photograph, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. The volume of mail makes personal answers or appraisals impossible. Write to Kovels, Auction Central News, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.

CURRENT PRICES

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

  • Shoe stretcher, Stoughton No. 2, wooden, locking nut on adjuster, Geo. E. Belcher, 8 1/2 inches, $15.
  • Souvenir mug, “Asbury Park 1901” and “Harold,” ruby-red flash above embossed-star base, clear smooth handle, 2 7/8 inches, $40.
  • Hull pottery ewer, Wildflower pattern, dusty pink, soft peach and green, 1946, 4 1/2 inches, $95.
  • The Nancy Drew Cookbook, 1st edition, subtitled “Clues to Good Cooking,” by Carolyn Keene, Grosset & Dunlap, 1973, $125.
  • Ashtray, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, cream ground, gold trim, center with brown hot dog logo with chef’s hat and apron, 6 5/8 inches, $160.
  • McKee Jade casserole dish, Philbe pattern, embossed design around dish, marked, 7 x 5 inches, $250.
  • Wee Patsy baby doll, composition, painted eyes, closed mouth, molded hair, jointed shoulders and hips, yellow dress, Effanbee Doll Co., 5 1/2 inches, $440.
  • Manhole cover, cast iron, profile of Asheville, N.C., City Hall, words “Asheville” and “Vulcan,” 23 1/2 inches, $470.
  • Child’s “Police” tricycle, pressed steel, royal blue, tail box opens at top, tag reads “Crystal Lake Permanent Bicycle License 1843,” 1950s, 31 3/4 x 35 1/2 inches, $650.
  • Kneehole desk, English oak, nine drawers, brass ring pulls, each drawer has lock, black leather top with gold tooled edge, 1800s, 42 x 23 1/2 x 28 3/4 inches, $1,700.

Order the set: “Buyers’ Guide to 20th Century Costume Jewelry,” Part One and Part Two. Both for our special price of $34.95. These special reports help you identify the most popular makers and designers of costume jewelry. Spot mid-century costume jewelry, Mexican silver jewelry and European and North American pieces. Learn who Hobe and Sigi are and how to recognize a rare piece of Bakelite. Accurate, comprehensive and valuable whether you’re a serious collector or just a beginner. Available only from Kovels. Order by phone at 800-303-1996; online at Kovels.com; or send $34.95 plus $4.95 postage and handling to Kovels, P.O. Box 22900, Beachwood, OH 44122.

© 2012 by Cowles Syndicate Inc.

 

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

This ‘Crossed Out’ figural doorstop in pristine condition sold for $1,725 at a 2011 Bertoia auction in Vineland, N.J.
This ‘Crossed Out’ figural doorstop in pristine condition sold for $1,725 at a 2011 Bertoia auction in Vineland, N.J.

Morphy’s chosen to auction Adolf Grenke breweriana collection

From the Adolf Grenke collection, an early 1940s Gibbons Bock Beer can, considered the nicer of two known examples. Morphy Auctions image.
From the Adolf Grenke collection, an early 1940s Gibbons Bock Beer can, considered the nicer of two known examples. Morphy Auctions image.
From the Adolf Grenke collection, an early 1940s Gibbons Bock Beer can, considered the nicer of two known examples. Morphy Auctions image.

DENVER, Pa. – Dan Morphy, CEO of Morphy Auctions, has confirmed that the renowned Adolf Grenke breweriana collection will be auctioned in its entirety at Morphy’s gallery on Sept. 21-22, 2012. Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.com.

“No other consignments will be added. The entire two-day sale will be devoted exclusively to this outstanding single-owner collection, which we anticipate will bring well over a million dollars,” said Morphy.

Amassed over a period of more than 40 years, the Grenke collection includes as many as 500 highly collectible vintage beer cans. The can collection is regarded as one of the finest collections of its kind ever assembled, with some of the cans expected to sell for $20,000 to $60,000 each.”

The collection also includes over 400 beer taps – with many expected to realize more than $1,000 each – and a bevy of colorful advertising signs. Highlights include over 50 Gillco glass light-up signs, and two examples of late-19th-century Anheuser-Busch signs of such rarity that they are not even represented in the famed St. Louis brewery’s archive.

“What makes the Grenke collection so exciting as a whole is its condition. Mr. Grenke always adhered to very strict buying guidelines. He bought only items that were in near-mint-plus condition or better. Even when something extremely rare was offered to him, he would pass if it did not satisfy his standards for condition,” said Morphy.

Because of the importance of the Grenke collection, Morphy has enlisted the services of two noted specialists to handle the grading and description of its contents. Dan Morean of Breweriana.com will catalog the beer cans, while dealer/collector Les Jones will be in charge of the breweriana and advertising section of the sale.

Morphy Auctions will display highlights of the Adolf Grenke breweriana collection Aug. 1-4 at the 41st Annual National Assn. of Breweriana Advertising Convention, at the Springfield Hilton, Springfield, Ill.; and the Brewery Collectibles Club of America’s 42nd “CANvention,” Aug. 30-Sept. 1 at the Sheraton Springfield in Springfield, Mass.

Further details about the auction will be released in the near future.

# # #

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

From the Adolf Grenke collection, an early 1940s Gibbons Bock Beer can, considered the nicer of two known examples. Morphy Auctions image.
From the Adolf Grenke collection, an early 1940s Gibbons Bock Beer can, considered the nicer of two known examples. Morphy Auctions image.

Pieces of fire-damaged Ind. courthouse to be auctioned

The Jefferson County courthouse in Madison, Ind. This photo was taken before the 2009 fire that heavily damaged the building. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
The Jefferson County courthouse in Madison, Ind. This photo was taken before the 2009 fire that heavily damaged the building. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
The Jefferson County courthouse in Madison, Ind. This photo was taken before the 2009 fire that heavily damaged the building. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

MADISON, Ind. (AP) – County officials are putting some of the salvaged pieces from the May 2009 Jefferson County courthouse fire on the auction block.

The county will hold a public auction at 4 p.m. May 16 at the county highway garage. The auction will take place four days before the third anniversary of the fire.

The auction will include items such as county vehicles and equipment, office materials and some charred remains of the courthouse.

“There’s some things that I think people will be interested in for the historical value,” Commissioner Mark Cash said. “It might bring a few pennies, or it might bring more.”

Shortly after the fire, a contractor was hired by the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners to salvage much of the plaster moldings in the courthouse and to design new moldings similar to the originals. Meanwhile, volunteers and Historic Madison Inc. members helped collect much of the other charred items.

John Staicer, president and executive director of HMI, said the commissioners asked the organization to keep any items taken from the courthouse that it needed for historical significance or records.

“It was very difficult because it was pretty charred up,” Staicer said. “We tried to save as much as we could that told us something about how the dome and cupola was shaped, designed and originally built.”

Pieces of the scorched dome are still in storage at the Historic Madison Inc. warehouse on Elm Street in downtown Madison. The facility is used by HMI as an architectural salvage site.

The dome was original to the building, and it was constructed with small sections of metal crimped over one another.

Only hours before the fire, the dome was painted gold and looked to be in pristine condition. Much of the gold paint still remains on the charred remnants.

Several decorative plaster molds, which were taken from the old courtroom, have been cut into about half-foot segments and will be included in the auction. At a recent meeting, the commissioners said they envisioned the moldings being used by the public as possible bookends or simply purchased as keepsakes.

In addition, the auction will include parts of the clock, as well as several large pillars that feature detailed, ornate trim. HMI has pieces of three different versions—wooden, plastic and metal—of the clock faces that once served the courthouse. Each clock face was installed over the other.

“It was almost like archaeology,” Staicer said. “You had to peel back the layers to get to the original.”

___

Information from: The Madison Courier, http://www.madisoncourier.com

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-05-04-12 1415GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

The Jefferson County courthouse in Madison, Ind. This photo was taken before the 2009 fire that heavily damaged the building. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
The Jefferson County courthouse in Madison, Ind. This photo was taken before the 2009 fire that heavily damaged the building. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Raphael Tuck postcards gifted to Curt Teich archives

An example of a Raphael Tuck & Sons 'Oilette' poscard. Image courtesy Rachel Davis Fine Arts.
An example of a Raphael Tuck & Sons 'Oilette' poscard. Image courtesy Rachel Davis Fine Arts.
An example of a Raphael Tuck & Sons ‘Oilette’ poscard. Image courtesy Rachel Davis Fine Arts.

WAUCONDA, Ill. (AP) – At the turn of the 20th century postcards were quickly becoming the rage as an early form of social media—a quick and fun way to share images of various subjects and cultures across long distances.

Though quaint compared to today’s rapid-fire technology, postcards retain great interest for collectors, researchers and others for historical background and as expressive illustrations of the life and times of bygone eras.

With about 3 million postcards and related materials, one of the most renowned collections in the world is the Lake County Discovery Museum’s Curt Teich Postcard Archives, nestled in an old farmhouse at the Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda.

Despite its ample size, the archive is growing in a significant way with a gift valued at $260,000 from Leonard A. Lauder, chairman emeritus of the Estee Lauder Cos. Inc. Lauder is a well-known philanthropist and businessman, and considered one of the world’s most prominent collectors of postcards.

Shipped a few weeks ago in shoebox-size brown boxes with reinforced sides, the 35,500 individual cards are Lauder’s collection of the “Oilette” series—a type of art for the people—produced in the early 20th century by the London-based Raphael Tuck & Sons.

“That’s a term they coined because they wanted the public to think of them as little oil paintings,” said Katherine Hamilton-Smith, director of cultural resources for the Lake County Forest Preserve District, which runs the museum and archives.

“It was their business, but for altruistic reasons, they were trying to provide the general public with beautiful images.”

The gift includes funds for storage, preservation, cataloging and digitalization of the cards, which will become part of the Teich archives and likely one of the opening exhibitions when the Discovery Museum moves to much larger quarters in Libertyville in two to three years.

“It shows another aspect of how important postcard images were in the 20th century,” according to Hamilton-Smith.

Lauder, the eldest son of Estee Lauder of skin care product fame, has no connection to Lake County and never visited the Teich archives, but its reputation is known by collectors. Hamilton-Smith said she has had periodic contact with Lauder for about 15 years.

He was impressed by the archives’ commitment to single postcard publishers and thought his Tuck postcards, part of a larger general collection amassed over 50 years, would be a good companion to the Teich collection, according to Lynda Klich, curator of the Leonard A. Lauder postcard collection.

“I just know it was important for him to know his collection had a good home,” said Klich, who visited the archive last fall. “We were very excited about the possibilities of having it more publicly accessible.”

It is Lauder’s second gift to a museum. In 2004, he donated a Japanese collection of more than 20,000 postcards to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. He has pledged another 100,000 postcards to that institution, with the “The Postcard Age” exhibition scheduled to open Oct. 23, Klich said.

The postcard craze hit its zenith between 1895 and the beginning of World War I, she said. At the forefront was Raphael Tuck & Sons, which had evolved from selling and framing pictures at a shop in London to become the leading British postcard producer, selling cards in other countries including France and the United States.

Entering the U.S. market in 1900, the company within a few years was introducing dozens of new series postcards a week to meet an insatiable public demand.

In 1903, artists commissioned by the company, including prominent names such as Charles Flower and Albert Operti, began producing the Oilette series. It was described by the company as “veritable miniature oil paintings.”

“This was a way for everybody to have art,” explained Christine Pyle, manager of historical resources for the Lake County Forest Preserve District. She said the brush strokes are sometimes visible on the postcards, especially in the early versions.

“It represents another company we didn’t have in our collection,” she said. “This is really nice to have examples from a large, very well-known, highly collectible company.”

Pyle said postcards were so popular at one time that people often would buy two—one to send and one to keep. Tuck cards spanned many subjects, but their bread and butter was views of towns and cities, Hamilton-Smith said.

Curt Teich & Co., known for its advertising postcards, operated in Chicago until 1978.

According to Hamilton-Smith, Teich’s son, Ralph, wanted to find a public entity that would understand, value and provide access to what amounted to a visual history of the 20th century.

A Lake Forest resident, Ralph Teich approached the Lake County Discovery Museum, which shared the vision. The original collection formed the nucleus of the archives, which marks its 30th anniversary this year.

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Information from: Daily Herald, http://www.dailyherald.com

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-05-04-12 1036GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

An example of a Raphael Tuck & Sons 'Oilette' poscard. Image courtesy Rachel Davis Fine Arts.
An example of a Raphael Tuck & Sons ‘Oilette’ poscard. Image courtesy Rachel Davis Fine Arts.

’86 World Series ‘Buckner ball’ rolls to $418,250

The infamous 'Buckner ball' from Game 6 of the 1986 World Series sold for $418,250, inclusive of the buyer's premium. Image courtesy Heritage Auctions.
The infamous 'Buckner ball' from Game 6 of the 1986 World Series sold for $418,250, inclusive of the buyer's premium. Image courtesy Heritage Auctions.
The infamous ‘Buckner ball’ from Game 6 of the 1986 World Series sold for $418,250, inclusive of the buyer’s premium. Image courtesy Heritage Auctions.

DALLAS (AP) – The baseball that rolled through the legs of Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner in the 1986 World Series was sold at auction Friday for $418,250.

Heritage Auctions said the ball was sold to a buyer who wished to remain anonymous. The sale price includes the buyer’s premium.

Buckner hit .289 with 2,715 hits in 22 years and had more than 100 RBIs in two of his three full seasons with the Red Sox. But he is remembered by most for his error at Shea Stadium that night when Mookie Wilson’s grounder rolled through his legs, allowing the New York Mets to cap a two-out rally in Game 6 with a victory in the 10th inning.

The Mets went on to win the series and Boston’s championship drought that dated to 1918 last another 18 years, until 2004.

“It really embodies the emotion of sports,” said Chris Ivy, director of sports auctions at Heritage. “That ball symbolizes both the thrill of victory for the Mets and the agony of defeat for the Red Sox fans. It really brings out a lot of emotion.”

The ball was the centerpiece of an auction featuring the baseball memorabilia collection of Los Angeles songwriter Seth Swirsky that drew more than $1.2 million.

“It was a great battle between two great cities—two great baseball cities. I think that it goes above and beyond baseball to it’s an American culture piece,” said Swirsky, who co-wrote the hit Tell It To My Heart by Taylor Dayne, and has multiple hits with Celine Dion, Olivia Newton-John and Al Green.

After the ball rolled through Buckner’s legs, it was picked up by right field umpire Ed Montague, who put a tiny “x” near a seam to mark it. Montague then gave the ball to Mets executive Arthur Richman. Wilson signed it to Richman, writing: “To Arthur, the ball won it for us, Mookie Wilson, 10/25/86.” As the ball made its way around the clubhouse, someone kissed it, leaving a tobacco stain.

Charlie Sheen bought the ball for more than $93,000 in 1992. Swirsky purchased it for nearly $64,000 in 2000.

Swirsky offered the ball up on eBay last October for $1 million but got no takers. He said though that the eBay offering—done on a whim after he realized he could close the bidding on Oct. 25, 2011, the 25th anniversary of Game 6—made him realize he would be OK with selling his entire collection.

Other offerings from Swirsky included Reggie Jackson’s third home run ball from Game 6 of the 1977 World Series, which earned him the title “Mr. October.” That sold for $65,725.

Babe Ruth’s 136th career home run baseball from 1921 sold for $25,095. A 1923 letter signed by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis denying reinstatement of “Shoeless Joe” Jackson brought in $53,775.

Also, a 1965 baseball signed by the Beatles from the Shea Stadium concert sold for $65,725.

Buckner was traded to the Red Sox by the Chicago Cubs in May 1984 and released in July 1987. He rejoined them in 1990 then retired after 22 games.

Swirsky, who while growing up on Long Island developed a love for the Mets and New York Yankees, said that he remembers watching the 1986 Game 6 with his father. He said that the person who bought the Buckner ball is in for a “great ride.”

“Once somebody points out that they have the ball, people will surround them at every party, telling them their experiences of where they were,” Swirsky said.

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Online:

Heritage Auctions: http://www.ha.com

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-05-04-12 2116GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

The infamous 'Buckner ball' from Game 6 of the 1986 World Series sold for $418,250, inclusive of the buyer's premium. Image courtesy Heritage Auctions.
The infamous ‘Buckner ball’ from Game 6 of the 1986 World Series sold for $418,250, inclusive of the buyer’s premium. Image courtesy Heritage Auctions.