Il mercato dell’arte in Italia: Arte moderna, contemporanea da Pandolfini

Jean Tinguely, Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein, 1988, tempera, pastello e gouache su cartoncino, cm 65x85, Stima €10.000-12.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Jean Tinguely, Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein, 1988, tempera, pastello e gouache su cartoncino, cm 65x85, Stima €10.000-12.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Jean Tinguely, Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein, 1988, tempera, pastello e gouache su cartoncino, cm 65×85, Stima €10.000-12.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze

FIRENZE, Italia – Un fil rouge unisce alcune delle opere d’arte moderna e contemporanea offerte il 18 dicembre da Pandolfini a Firenze: il dialogo tra artisti del passato e del presente e il tema della collaborazione tra artisti, che sia reale o immaginaria. È il caso di “Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein”, una tempera su cartoncino del 1988 di Jean Tinguely (lotto 211, stima €10.000-€12.000). È un’opera omaggio a Yves Klein in cui Tinguely immagina una collaborazione con l’artista francese che aveva conosciuto nel 1955 e con cui aveva esposto. Spesso Tinguely creò opere a più mani, con parti realizzate dalla moglie Niki de St.Phalle e da altri artisti. Esiste anche una versione scultorea di questa collaborazione immaginaria che si trova al Museo Tinguely di Basilea.

Un’altra opera offerta all’asta di Pandolfini richiama, invece, una collaborazione reale tra due grandi artisti: “IX” di Mimmo Paladino e Sol Lewitt (lotto 247, stima €20.000-€25.000). L’opera è tratta da una serie di 25 lavori nati da un’idea di Bruno Corà e ispirati alla sincronicità di Carl Gustav Jung. Ognuno dei due artisti ha creato indipendentemente una serie di 25 opere su indicazioni del curatore, che sono state poi unite.

E ancora un artista contemporaneo, Michelangelo Pistoletto, in autoritratto del 1977 si rapporta al suo celebre omonimo Michelangelo Buonarroti e sottolinea il legame simbolico attraverso una catena (lotto 239, stima €6.000-€8.000). Può sembrare un atto di vanagloria, ma è in realtà un’allegoria del legame tra gli artisti e della continuità nella storia dell’arte.

L’asta di Pandolfini offre in tutto una selezione di 165 lotti che copre tutto il Novecento, a partire dalle Avanguardie fino ad artisti contemporanei come Mimmo Paladino, Nam June Paik, Massimo Vitali, Pierluigi Pusole e Paolo Leonardo.

Le stime partono da €1.000 per arrivare a €100.000-€150.000 per una Piazza d’Italia di Giorgio De Chirico dei primi anni 60, uno dei temi celebri del pittore ripreso nel periodo della cosiddetta “Neometafisica” (anni 60-70) in cui l’artista, dopo aver rivisitato gli stili dei maestri della tradizione, passò alla rivisitazione di sé stesso.

Sono presenti all’asta anche diverse opere di Mario Schifano, per il quale alla fine di novembre sono stati segnati in due giorni due record pari a €421.500 e €446.800 da Sotheby’s a Milano e da Dorotheum a Vienna. Da Pandolfini andrà all’asta un dipinto tardo che, però, esce dai soliti schemi dell’ultima produzione, piuttosto bistrattata dal mercato. Si intitola “Grundig” ed è rappresentativo dell’atteggiamento critico dell’artista nei confronti della televisione, raffigurata come un vortice esplosivo che assorbe tutto e diventa epicentro esistenziale (lotto192, stima €12.000-€15.000). Già negli anni 70, quando arrivò in Italia la televisione a colori, Schifano iniziò a riportare sulla tela le immagini della TV. Negli anni ’90, poi l’artista si circondò nel suo studio di televisioni tutte uguali sempre accese e sintonizzate su canali diversi che lo tenevano in contatto con l’esterno. Usava fotografare le immagini della televisione per poi intervenire con colori e segni sulla fotografia.

Di Renato Guttuso, invece, c’è un raro lavoro giovanile del 1938, una natura morta ambientata nel suo piccolo studio di Roma che già anticipa la poetica che svilupperà successivamente (lotto 116, stima €35.000-€45.000).

Un’opera molto importante è “Bello margherita” di Piero Dorazio del 1960, uno dei primi reticoli che lo hanno reso famoso che rappresenta sicuramente un investimento per un artista riconosciuto dalla critica ma che ha ancora prezzi contenuti ma certamente in crescita (lotto 170, stima €50.000-€60.000). L’arte italiana astratta degli anni 60-70 sta vivendo un momento estremamente positivo ed è molto richiesta anche a livello internazionale.

Infine si segnala un’opera recente di Mimmo Paladino: “Progetto per istallazione in Piazza Santa Croce, Firenze” del 2012, il plastico di un progetto monumentale realizzato nello stesso anno dall’artista a Firenze (lotto 240, stima €35.000-€45.000). In quell’occasione l’artista si è nuovamente confrontato con lo spazio pubblico, come a Napoli in piazza Plebiscito quando nel 1995 innalzò la “Montagna di sale” (riproposta a Milano nel 2011). Nell’installazione di Firenze Paladino ha creato una croce fatta di blocchi di marmi sui quali ha inciso elementi simbolici, volti, cifre, lettere, esplorando la possibilità di comunicare per simboli e immagini nell’arte contemporanea e la vitalità degli archetipi figurativi.


ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE


Jean Tinguely, Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein, 1988, tempera, pastello e gouache su cartoncino, cm 65x85, Stima €10.000-12.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Jean Tinguely, Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein, 1988, tempera, pastello e gouache su cartoncino, cm 65×85, Stima €10.000-12.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Mimmo Paladino e Sol Lewitt, IX, 2002, Stima €20.000-25.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Mimmo Paladino e Sol Lewitt, IX, 2002, Stima €20.000-25.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Michelangelo Pistoletto, Io sono catena, 1977-1980, tecnica mista su carta applicata su tavola e catena, cm 105x75, Stima €6.000-8.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Michelangelo Pistoletto, Io sono catena, 1977-1980, tecnica mista su carta applicata su tavola e catena, cm 105×75, Stima €6.000-8.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Mario Schifano, Grundig, emulsione su tela, cm 110x110, Stima €12.000-15.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Mario Schifano, Grundig, emulsione su tela, cm 110×110, Stima €12.000-15.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Piero Dorazio, Bello margherita, 1960, olio su tela, cm 61x47, Stima €50.000-60.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Piero Dorazio, Bello margherita, 1960, olio su tela, cm 61×47, Stima €50.000-60.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze

Art Market Italy: Modern, Contemporary Art at Pandolfini

Jean Tinguely, Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein, 1988, tempera, pastello e gouache su cartoncino, cm 65x85, Stima €10.000-12.000, Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze
Jean Tinguely, ‘Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein,’ 1988, tempera, crayon and gouache on cardboard, 65 x 85 cm. Estimate €10,000-€12,000, Courtesy Pandolfini, Firenze.
Jean Tinguely, ‘Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein,’ 1988, tempera, crayon and gouache on cardboard, 65 x 85 cm. Estimate €10,000-€12,000, Courtesy Pandolfini, Firenze.

FLORENCE, Italy – A common thread unites some of the works of modern and contemporary art that are offered on Dec. 18 at auction house Pandolfini: the dialogue between artists of the past and the present, and the theme of the collaboration between artists, whether real or imagined. This is the case of Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein, a tempera on cardboard from 1988 by Jean Tinguely (lot 211, estimate €10,000-€12,000). The work is a tribute to Yves Klein, in which Tinguely imagines a collaboration with the French artist whom he had met in 1955 and with whom he had exhibited. Tinguely often created works with other artists, for example including parts made by his wife Niki de St. Phalle or by other artists. There is also a sculptural version of this imaginary collaboration preserved at the Tinguely Museum in Basel.

Another work offered at Pandolfini’s auction recalls, instead, a real collaboration between two great artists: IX by Mimmo Paladino and Sol Lewitt (lot 247, estimate €20,000-€25,000). It is a work coming from a series of 25 works created after an idea of Italian curator Bruno Corà and inspired by the synchronicity principle of Carl Gustav Jung. Each of the two artists realized independently a series of 25 works according to instructions given by the curator, and then the works were joined in a new work.

Also represented in the auction is contemporary artist Michelangelo Pistoletto, who relates himself in a self-portrait of 1977 to its famous namesake Michelangelo Buonarroti and emphasizes the symbolic connection through a chain (lot 239, estimate €6,000-€8,000). It may seem like an act of vanity, but is actually an allegory of the relationship between artists and of the continuity in the history of art.

Pandolfini’s auction offers a selection of 165 lots of modern and contemporary art which spans the entire 20th century, from avant-garde movements to contemporary artists like Mimmo Paladino, Nam June Paik, Massimo Vitali, Pierluigi Pusole and Paolo Leonardo.

The estimates range from €1,000 to €100,000-€150,000 for a Piazza d’Italia by Giorgio De Chirico from the early 1960s. It is one of the famous subjects by the painter resumed in the period of the so-called “Neo-metaphysics” (1960s-1970s) in which the artist, having revisited the styles of the masters of art history, passed on revisiting himself.

At auction there are also several works by Mario Schifano, an artist for whom at the end of November there were two price records of €421,500 and €446,800 in only two days at Sotheby’s in Milan and at the Dorotheum in Vienna. Pandolfini’s auction will offer a late painting that, however, comes out of the usual schemes of the last production, which is rather mistreated by the market. It is titled Grundig and is representative of the critical attitude of the artist toward television, which is depicted as an explosive vortex that absorbs everything and becomes the existential epicenter (lot 192, estimate €12,000-€15,000). Already in the 1970s, when color television arrived in Italy, Schifano started to report on the canvas the images of the TV. In the 1990s the artist surrounded himself in his studio with many television sets, all in the same size, always turned on, and tuned to different channels that kept him in touch with the outside world. He used to photograph the images of the television and then intervened with colors and marks on the photograph.

By Renato Guttuso, instead, there is a rare early work from 1938, a still life set in his small studio in Rome that already anticipates the poetry that he developed later (lot 116, estimate €35,000-€45,000).

An important work is Bello margherita by Piero Dorazio from 1960, one of the first Reticoli which have made him famous. It is definitely an investment for an artist who is already recognized by the critics but still has reasonable prices which are constantly growing (lot 170, estimate €50,000-€60,000). Italian abstract art is experiencing an extremely positive moment and it is much requested also at the international level.

Lastly, a work by Mimmo Paladino, “Project for installation in Piazza Santa Croce, Florence” from 2012, a model of a monumental project carried out in the same year by the artist in Florence (lot 240, estimate €35,000-€45,000). On that occasion the artist was again confronted with the public space, like in Naples in Piazza Plebiscito in 1995 when he lifted up Montagna di sale (proposed again in Milan in 2011). In the installation in Florence, Paladino created a cross made of marble blocks on which he engraved symbolic elements, faces, numbers, letters, exploring the possibility of communicating through symbols and images in contemporary art and the vitality of figurative archetypes.


ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE


Jean Tinguely, ‘Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein,’ 1988, tempera, crayon and gouache on cardboard, 65 x 85 cm. Estimate €10,000-€12,000, Courtesy Pandolfini, Firenze.
Jean Tinguely, ‘Coopération imaginaire avec Yves Klein,’ 1988, tempera, crayon and gouache on cardboard, 65 x 85 cm. Estimate €10,000-€12,000, Courtesy Pandolfini, Firenze.
Mimmo Paladino and Sol Lewitt, ‘IX,’ 2002. Estimate €20,000-€25,000. Courtesy Pandolfini, Firenze.
Mimmo Paladino and Sol Lewitt, ‘IX,’ 2002. Estimate €20,000-€25,000. Courtesy Pandolfini, Firenze.
Michelangelo Pistoletto, ‘Io sono catena,’ 1977-1980, mixed technique on paper applied on board with chain, 105 x 75 cm. Estimate €6,000-8,000, Courtesy Pandolfini, Firenze.
Michelangelo Pistoletto, ‘Io sono catena,’ 1977-1980, mixed technique on paper applied on board with chain, 105 x 75 cm. Estimate €6,000-8,000, Courtesy Pandolfini, Firenze.
Mario Schifano, ‘Grundig,’ emulsion paint on canvas, 110 x 110 cm. Estimate €12,000-€15,000. Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze.
Mario Schifano, ‘Grundig,’ emulsion paint on canvas, 110 x 110 cm. Estimate €12,000-€15,000. Courtesy Pandolfini Firenze.
Piero Dorazio, ‘Bello margherita,’ 1960, oil on canvas, 61 x 47 cm. Estimate €50,000-€60,000. Courtesy Pandolfini, Firenze.
Piero Dorazio, ‘Bello margherita,’ 1960, oil on canvas, 61 x 47 cm. Estimate €50,000-€60,000. Courtesy Pandolfini, Firenze.

Reading the Streets: Killy Kilford, Department of Well Being

Killy Kilford and the Department of Well Being, New York City. Photo by Chesher Cat via medium.com.
Killy Kilford and the Department of Well Being, New York City. Photo by Chesher Cat via medium.com.
Killy Kilford and the Department of Well Being, New York City. Photo by Chesher Cat via medium.com.

NEW YORK – There’s a mysterious new organization in New York City subtly blending messages of good will into our traffic signs, like spiked punch. In the same patterns, colors and fonts of the usual warning to slow down, stop honking or curb our dogs, the signs instead suggest that we “HONK LESS, LOVE MORE” on Eighth Avenue in the West Village, and “HAVE A GREAT DAY” in Williamsburg.

The signs, despite their all-caps enthusiasm, blend in so well with the usual traffic warnings, I nearly walked by without a second glance. In fact it took multiple walks, and mistaking the work for Trustocop’s before I finally realized that the signs were the work of British artist Killy Kilford, 37, who created the Department of Well Being, a fictional government agency that just wants us to feel better, and for the government to invest as much as possible in programs that will do just that.

Commenters on one street art blog’s Instagram grumbled over said similarities, but I’d argue that while the designs are at times similar, Trustocop’s work has more variety color and message wise; the Department of Well Being’s work is uniformly upbeat. Besides, can the world ever really get enough of cheekily repurposed traffic signs? Or positive messages, for that matter?

Kilford and a ground of friends and volunteers installed over 200 signs throughout the city. They’re taking the government agency idea far enough to ask 1,000 New Yorkers to help them install the signs and then send the records of the project to Mayor Michael Bloomberg before he leaves office. Even he could benefit from the visual pep talk.


ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE


Killy Kilford and the Department of Well Being, New York City. Photo by Chesher Cat via medium.com.
Killy Kilford and the Department of Well Being, New York City. Photo by Chesher Cat via medium.com.
Killy Kilford and the Department of Well Being, New York City. Photo via deptofwellbeing.com.
Killy Kilford and the Department of Well Being, New York City. Photo via deptofwellbeing.com.
Killy Kilford and the Department of Well Being, New York City. Photo via deptofwellbeing.com.
Killy Kilford and the Department of Well Being, New York City. Photo via deptofwellbeing.com.
Trustocop at Jonathan Levine Gallery’s ‘10 Years of Wooster Collective’ show, New York City. Photo by Ilana Novick.
Trustocop at Jonathan Levine Gallery’s ‘10 Years of Wooster Collective’ show, New York City. Photo by Ilana Novick.

7.5-carat diamond ring in A.B. Levy’s jewelry auction Dec. 15

Very fine diamond and platinum necklace set with 300 round and brilliant cut diamonds weighing about 8.45 carats. Estimate: $100,000-$150,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Very fine diamond and platinum necklace set with 300 round and brilliant cut diamonds weighing about 8.45 carats. Estimate: $100,000-$150,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Very fine diamond and platinum necklace set with 300 round and brilliant cut diamonds weighing about 8.45 carats. Estimate: $100,000-$150,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – More than 200 lots of dazzling diamonds, jewelry and fine timepieces – pulled from prominent local estates and collections and spanning a broad range of price points, from a few hundred dollars to $100,000 or more – will be sold at auction Sunday, Dec. 15, at A.B. Levy’s. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

The auction is packed with jewelry by makers such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Dior, Patek Philippe, Rolex, Tiffany, Cartier, Corum, Chopard and Hermes. One item is an 18K gold with ruby eye cuff bracelet from the Elizabeth Taylor Collection.

A.B. Levy’s said it is offering free overnight shipping on any item sold within the continental U.S., as an added holiday incentive.

The auction will get underway promptly at 1 p.m. Eastern. “There really is something for just about every taste and budget in this auction, just in time for holiday gift-giving,” said Albert Levy of A.B. Levy’s. “At the high end, we’ve got a fine selection of at least 10 certified diamonds. But bargain hunters will be able to participate, too.”

Around 75 pieces in the sale were given as collateral in a settlement, and the seller has set very modest minimums in the interest of a quick sale. These will include 14K and 18K gold jewelry pieces, diamond necklaces and earrings, sapphire necklaces and earrings and other items. Most will carry reserves as low as $200 and none will exceed $1,000.

The certified diamonds range in size from about four to 10 carats, although there is one Tiffany one-carat stone and a 7 1/2-carat colossus that should command tens of thousands of dollars. All are set in rings, many of them platinum, although there is one 3-carat diamond being sold as a loose stone. Ruby and diamond earrings and multistone diamond rings will also be sold.

A buyer’s premium of 20percent will be applied to all purchases up to $100,000, 15 percent after that.

For details contact A.B. Levy’s at 561-835-9139 or email info@ablevys.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


Very fine diamond and platinum necklace set with 300 round and brilliant cut diamonds weighing about 8.45 carats. Estimate: $100,000-$150,000. A.B. Levy’s image.
 

Very fine diamond and platinum necklace set with 300 round and brilliant cut diamonds weighing about 8.45 carats. Estimate: $100,000-$150,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Size 6 18K yellow gold with ruby eye cuff bracelet, signed J. Rossi, from the Elizabeth Taylor Collection. Estimate: $16,000-$20,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Size 6 18K yellow gold with ruby eye cuff bracelet, signed J. Rossi, from the Elizabeth Taylor Collection. Estimate: $16,000-$20,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Platinum and diamond ring centered by a pear-shape diamond weighing a staggering 7.50 carats. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Platinum and diamond ring centered by a pear-shape diamond weighing a staggering 7.50 carats. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Eighteen-karat diamond and enamel ‘Bee’ brooch, centered by one oval cabochon sapphire. Estimate: $2,000-$4,000. A.B. Levy’s image.
 

Eighteen-karat diamond and enamel ‘Bee’ brooch, centered by one oval cabochon sapphire. Estimate: $2,000-$4,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

‘Gypsy’ gold and diamond ring with 18K yellow gold mounting, set with a 5.50-carat round diamond. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000. A.B. Levy’s image.
 

‘Gypsy’ gold and diamond ring with 18K yellow gold mounting, set with a 5.50-carat round diamond. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Van Cleef & Arpels three-piece suite, comprising a pair of ear clips and matching ring, numbered 25444. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000. A.B. Levy’s image.
 

Van Cleef & Arpels three-piece suite, comprising a pair of ear clips and matching ring, numbered 25444. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Tiffany & Co. platinum and diamond ring, stamped and numbered, centered by an emerald-cut diamond weighing 2.05 carats. Estimate: $25,000-$35,000. A.B. Levy’s image.
 

Tiffany & Co. platinum and diamond ring, stamped and numbered, centered by an emerald-cut diamond weighing 2.05 carats. Estimate: $25,000-$35,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Cartier ‘Pasha’ 18K gold Swiss chronograph wristwatch with case, dial and buckle all signed Cartier. Estimate: $8,000-$12,000. A.B. Levy’s image.
 

Cartier ‘Pasha’ 18K gold Swiss chronograph wristwatch with case, dial and buckle all signed Cartier. Estimate: $8,000-$12,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Hermes diamond and 18K yellow gold wristwatch with champagne dial and diamonds set in bezel and bracelet. Estimate: $12,000-$18,000. A.B. Levy’s image.
 

Hermes diamond and 18K yellow gold wristwatch with champagne dial and diamonds set in bezel and bracelet. Estimate: $12,000-$18,000. A.B. Levy’s image.

Elite Decorative Arts eyes successful 2013 finale Dec. 21

Russian enameled silver Povchinikov figural sailboat sculpture, weighing 47.19 troy ounces. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

Russian enameled silver Povchinikov figural sailboat sculpture, weighing 47.19 troy ounces. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

Russian enameled silver Povchinikov figural sailboat sculpture, weighing 47.19 troy ounces. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – About 300 lots of fine decorative arts and Chinese works will be sold at an auction on Saturday, Dec. 21, by Elite Decorative Arts. The will begin promptly at 1 p.m. Eastern. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Original artworks, fine estate jewelry, beautiful antique clocks and a wide assortment of fine decorative accessories should all command center stage.

“We want to end the year on a high note, and this sale will definitely get us there,” said Scott Cieckiewicz of Elite Decorative Arts. “The merchandise is top-shelf, and many items would make fabulous holiday presents.”

A perfect example is an exquisite Cartier platinum ring, featuring a large South Seas pearl and surrounded by sprays with marquise and brilliant round cut diamonds (2.70 ctw). The inside of the size 6 1/2 ring is marked “Cartier” and “Plat” and included is a Cartier red suede presentation pouch. The ring, with a total weight of 9.1dwt, should sell for $20,000-$30,000.

Two decorative accessories would look great under any tree. The first is a Russian enameled silver Povchinikov figural sailboat sculpture, with sides having an enameled shield crest design. The base has a scrolled column design. Overall, the boat is 18 inches tall and 10 inches in length and weighs in at 47.19 troy silver ounces. It should garner $15,000-$20,000.

The second is an antique Sevres French porcelain box made circa 1754 depicting cherubs in forest scenes with flowers to the exterior over a light blue ground (est. $5,000-$7,000). The box is signed “G.A. Shulz” to the lower right of the scene on the cover. The interior is lined with silk. The box’s dimensions are 6 inches tall by10 inches long and it weighs 2,264 total grams.

The fine art category will feature a pair of works by Dox Thrash (American, 1893-1965), two paper mixographs by Rufino Tamayo (Mexican, 1899-1991), an oil painting by Roberto Marquez (Mexican, b. 1959), and a wood and paper collage mixed media work by Louise Nevelson (American, 1899-1988). The Nevelson is signed and measures 16 inches by 20 inches (est. $8,000-$12,000).

Dox Thrash was an African-American artist and printer with a back story as compelling as his artistic creations. Born in Griffin, Ga., he left home at age 15 in search of work up north. He worked in vaudeville and a circus before landing in Chicago as an elevator operator. At night he attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he began to develop a unique style.

The Dox Thrash works being sold include an original watercolor titled Cats Under Tree (1941), artist signed and measuring 13 inches by 9 3/4 inches (est. $7,000-$9,000); and an original pastel painting titled Banjo Player, measuring 9 3/4 inches by 9 inches (est. $4,000-$5,000). Thrash fought in World War I as a member of the black brigade known as the Buffalo Soldiers.

Rufino Tamayo was born in Mexico to a shoemaker father and a seamstress mother, but when both his parents died when he was 11 he went to live with his aunt in Mexico City. She enrolled him in art school and he immediately took to his lessons. Tamayo was influenced by cubism, impressionism and fauvism, but he gave his artistic creations a unique Mexican feel.

The two paper mixograph works by Tamayo in the auction are titled Nino Con Sombrero, or Boy With Hat, executed in 1980; and Hombre Con Coraje, or Man With Courage. Both have presale estimates of $3,000-$5,000 and both are signed, numbered and mounted in wooden shadowboxes with glass screens. And both are large, measuring about 36 inches by 28 inches.

Roberto Marquez also has ties to Mexico City. He was born there, but moved with his family to Guadalajara in 1972. There, he studied sculpture at the School of Fine Arts, as well as poetry and architecture at other schools. His degree is in architecture, but his heart is in art. His paintings incorporate dreamlike images from literature, Mexican history and his life experiences.

The Marquez work in the auction is an oil on canvas, depicting a man standing by a tiled wall with the words, “Bailo Hasta Caer Con Mi Sombra En La Pared” (“Falling to Dance with my Shadow on the Wall”). It’s titled Dancing with My Shadow and was executed in 1989. The large, 72 inch by 60 inch work is mounted in a silver tone wooden frame (est. $7,000-$9,000).

Three clocks are expected to do well. The first is a French Japy Freres bronze mantel clock with a figural design depicting mythological beasts. Griffins with balls monitor the bottom of the case, while flying dragons protect the cupid finial. The late 19th century clock, with scrolled raised designs throughout, should hammer for $7,000-$9,000.

The other two have identical estimates of $4,000-$6,000. One is a Pavel Buhre Russian silver pocket watch clock with white enamel face and black enamel Arabic numerals. The 11 3/4-inch- tall clock has a total weight of 18.72 troy ounces. The other is a Louis XV-style wooden tall-case clock clad in gilt bronze, displaying three winged cherubs with flower garlands.

Two names known to everyone are Pablo Picasso and Louis Vuitton. This auction has both. A Pablo Picasso Madoura original round ceramic plate, titled Nature Morte a la Cuiller (Still Life With a Spoon) is 13 1/4 inches tall by 12 3/4 inches wide, with a verso holding impressed marks and numbered. The plate, weighing 1,403 grams, is expected to sell for $3,000-$5,000.

A high-end Louis Vuitton trunk having a brown leather monogram design and original Louis Vuitton black fitted over cover, complete with keys, should breeze to $4,000-$6,000. Also, a women’s 18K yellow gold ring set with rectangular cut natural emerald green gem quality jadeite cabochon, surrounded by about 50 accent diamonds, should bring $3,000-$4,000.

For details phone 561-200-0893 or email info@eliteauction.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


Russian enameled silver Povchinikov figural sailboat sculpture, weighing 47.19 troy ounces. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

Russian enameled silver Povchinikov figural sailboat sculpture, weighing 47.19 troy ounces. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

Paper mixograph work by Rufino Tamayo (Mexican, 1899-1991), titled ‘Nino Con Sombrero.’ Estimate: $3,000-$5,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

Paper mixograph work by Rufino Tamayo (Mexican, 1899-1991), titled ‘Nino Con Sombrero.’ Estimate: $3,000-$5,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

Original pastel painting by Dox Thrash (American, 1893-1965), titled ‘Banjo Player.’ (est. $4,000-$5,000). Elite Decorative Arts image.

Original pastel painting by Dox Thrash (American, 1893-1965), titled ‘Banjo Player.’ (est. $4,000-$5,000). Elite Decorative Arts image.

French Japy Freres bronze mantel clock with figural design depicting mythological beasts. Estimate: $7,000-$9,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

French Japy Freres bronze mantel clock with figural design depicting mythological beasts. Estimate: $7,000-$9,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

Exquisite Cartier platinum ring featuring a large South Seas pearl, size 6 1/2. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

Exquisite Cartier platinum ring featuring a large South Seas pearl, size 6 1/2. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

Antique Sevres French porcelain box depicting cherubs in forest scenes with flowers. Estimate: $5,000-$7,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

Antique Sevres French porcelain box depicting cherubs in forest scenes with flowers. Estimate: $5,000-$7,000. Elite Decorative Arts image.

Quinn & Farmer to auction Jefferson hand-drawn survey, Dec. 14

Survey or plat of 'Indian Camp' in Albermarle County, Virginia, in the hand of Thomas Jefferson. Sold for $35,400 (inclusive of 18% buyer's premium) on Dec. 14, 2013 at Quinn & Farmer in Charlottesville, Virginia. Image courtesy of Quinn & Farmer.

Survey or plat of ‘Indian Camp’ in Albermarle County, Virginia, in the hand of Thomas Jefferson. Survey shows a 1,334-acre parcel adjoining the land owned by William Carter and James Monroe, which Jefferson purchased in 1796 on behalf of his protégé William Short (1759-1849). Today the land is known as ‘Morven’ and is owned and operated by the University of Virginia Foundation. Photo: Quinn & Farmer.

Survey or plat of ‘Indian Camp’ in Albermarle County, Virginia, in the hand of Thomas Jefferson. Survey shows a 1,334-acre parcel adjoining the land owned by William Carter and James Monroe, which Jefferson purchased in 1796 on behalf of his protégé William Short (1759-1849). Today the land is known as ‘Morven’ and is owned and operated by the University of Virginia Foundation. Photo: Quinn & Farmer.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A survey map, hand-drawn by Thomas Jefferson in 1800, has been discovered at Brandon Plantation, a US National Historic Landmark located outside Richmond, Virginia. The map will be auctioned by Quinn & Farmer on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at the company’s gallery in Charlottesville, Virginia, with Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers. It is believed to be the first original, hand-drawn Thomas Jefferson survey ever to come to auction.

The document was discovered during the removal of personal property from Brandon, a working agricultural plantation south of Richmond, Va., that has been in continuous operation since 1619. Two Quinn & Farmer colleagues, Emilia Lanwehr and Skip Usry, were in charge of the removal, and as they were inspecting the home’s contents, one particular piece stood out: a framed survey of a 1,334-acre farm near Monticello that appeared to be hand-drawn by Thomas Jefferson himself.

Usry explained, “I spotted the map on the wall of a back staircase, nudged Emilia, and asked ‘Do you think it could be real?’”

Brandon Plantation was outfitted with high-end antique furnishings from the estate of the last owner of the historic farm, the late US Congressman Robert W. Daniel, Jr. (R-VA) who served five terms in the United States House of Representatives. Many of the pieces in the home were 18th- and 19th-century century English antiques, however the appraiser hired to evaluate the items had referred to the survey as a likely reproduction. Ken Farmer and Matthew Quinn, partners in Quinn & Farmer and appraisers for PBS’ Antiques Roadshow, were unconvinced. Investigating their hunch, they removed the item from its frame and discovered a 1798 watermark on the paper. Further research revealed an April 13, 1800 letter from Jefferson to William Short (for whom he had purchased the tract of land known as Indian Camp) in which he writes “I enclose you also a copy of the original survey.” Discussions with multiple Jefferson experts in Charlottesville determined that the document is both authentic and extremely rare, since Thomas Jefferson, unlike his father Peter, and, more famously, his contemporary George Washington, was not a surveyor by trade.

“Never before has an original hand-drawn Thomas Jefferson survey crossed the auction block,” said Ken Farmer. “We’re especially excited to offer this work here in Jefferson’s hometown of Charlottesville.”

BACKGROUND ON THE PROPERTY IN THE SURVEY:

William Short and Thomas Jefferson served together while Jefferson represented the United States as Minister to France in the 1780s. Upon Jefferson’s return to America, Short took a leading role with the embassy in Paris and went on to serve as Minister to both Holland and Spain in the 1790s, becoming America’s first career diplomat. During his tenure in Europe, he became an outspoken proponent for the abolition of slavery.

While the two friends shared a moral quandary with slavery, only Short proposed free African-American labor as the economically better alternative. He envisioned Indian Camp as an agricultural test site for the advantages of freed-African-American sharecropping over slavery. In a letter to Jefferson on February 27, 1798, Short wrote, “Whatever may be the result of the first essays, time & repetition will I think infallibly shew the advantage of free, above forced, labor.”

Although a believer, Short’s ideas would remain untested, and Indian Camp would never become a proving ground for abolitionist beliefs. The property remained in the hands of white tenant farmers and eventually was sold to another local farmer. Today, Indian Camp and its additions are known as “Morven,” which is owned and operated by the University of Virginia Foundation.

The Saturday, December 14, 2013 auction will be held at 10 a.m. EST at the Quinn & Farmer gallery located at 2109 India Road, Charlottesville, VA 22901. All forms of bidding will be available, including live online via LiveAuctioneers.

For additional information on any lot in the sale, call 434-293-2904 or e-mail information@quinnfarmer.com.

# # #

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


Survey or plat of ‘Indian Camp’ in Albermarle County, Virginia, in the hand of Thomas Jefferson. Survey shows a 1,334-acre parcel adjoining the land owned by William Carter and James Monroe, which Jefferson purchased in 1796 on behalf of his protégé William Short (1759-1849). Today the land is known as ‘Morven’ and is owned and operated by the University of Virginia Foundation. Photo: Quinn & Farmer.
 

Survey or plat of ‘Indian Camp’ in Albermarle County, Virginia, in the hand of Thomas Jefferson. Survey shows a 1,334-acre parcel adjoining the land owned by William Carter and James Monroe, which Jefferson purchased in 1796 on behalf of his protégé William Short (1759-1849). Today the land is known as ‘Morven’ and is owned and operated by the University of Virginia Foundation. Photo: Quinn & Farmer.

The Thomas Jefferson survey of ‘Indian Camp’ in situ at Brandon Plantation, a US National Historic Landmark near Richmond Virginia. Photo: Quinn & Farmer.

The Thomas Jefferson survey of ‘Indian Camp’ in situ at Brandon Plantation, a US National Historic Landmark near Richmond Virginia. Photo: Quinn & Farmer.

Russian czars’ letters fetch nearly $850,000 at auction

Most of the letters were written to Grand Duchess Olga Nicolaievna, the daughter of Nicolas I and sister of Alexander II. She is depicted in an 1856 painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Most of the letters were written to Grand Duchess Olga Nicolaievna, the daughter of Nicolas I and sister of Alexander II. She is depicted in an 1856 painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Most of the letters were written to Grand Duchess Olga Nicolaievna, the daughter of Nicolas I and sister of Alexander II. She is depicted in an 1856 painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
GENEVA (AFP) – More than 230 letters from Russian czars and their families, packed with the secrets of the imperial court, have sold in Geneva for 10 times their estimated price, auctioneers said Tuesday.

The unpublished letters from Nicolas I, Alexander II and their relatives fetched 743,000 Swiss francs ($835,000, 605,000 euros) – far above the estimate of 60,000-80,000 francs.

According to auction house Hotel Des Ventes (HDV), most were purchased by the same buyer at Monday night’s sale.

The letters, written in Russian, French and English, were sold by an American who had received them from the widow of a U.S. captain deployed in Europe during World War II.

The soldier, who was also a journalist, came across the historical treasures in 1945 as he was covering the end of the war for the U.S. publication Stars and Stripes.

Most were addressed to Grand Duchess Olga Nicolaievna, the daughter of Nicolas I and sister of Alexander II, who moved to Stuttgart after marrying a German prince – later to become King Charles I of Wurttemberg.

Through the missives, “intimate secrets and plots of the Russian Court are unveiled as well as the beliefs and political pains of the two emperors,” HDV said.

The auction house meanwhile said it had, upon request from the Geneva judiciary, withdrawn from sale an unpublished set of photographs of Alexander III’s family.

Russia’s consulate had urged Geneva prosecutors to halt the sale of the pictures and help clarify their origin.

HDV says the snaps were rescued by Otto Hofmann, a German Bauhaus artist who was serving with the Nazi forces when they destroyed the Gatchina palace in 1944.

“Acting against martial law and putting his own life at risk, the soldier hid and brought back around 30 images which he considered historical evidence and culturally important for Imperial Russia,” the auction house explained.

The family of Hofmann, who managed to hide the shots during several years as a prisoner of war, had decided to sell the pictures to “reveal his gesture to all,” HDV said.

The auction house’s annual Russian Imperial Sale, which in addition to the letters included a range of valuable objects from the period, pulled in a total of 3.8 million Swiss francs, or nearly four times its presale estimate of 1 million francs.

A rare pair of porcelain vases made in 1849 and given by Nicolas I as a gift to his sister-in-law Elena Pavlona were the highlight of the sale.

Estimated at between 300,000 and 500,000 francs, they finally went for 1.58 million francs ($1.78 million, 1.29 euros).

 


ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE


Most of the letters were written to Grand Duchess Olga Nicolaievna, the daughter of Nicolas I and sister of Alexander II. She is depicted in an 1856 painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Most of the letters were written to Grand Duchess Olga Nicolaievna, the daughter of Nicolas I and sister of Alexander II. She is depicted in an 1856 painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Volunteers help Ill. historic landmark stay open

Abraham Lincoln ambrotype taken May 7, 1858 by Abraham Byers, Beardstown, Ill., prior to the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Abraham Lincoln ambrotype taken May 7, 1858 by Abraham Byers, Beardstown, Ill., prior to the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Abraham Lincoln ambrotype taken May 7, 1858 by Abraham Byers, Beardstown, Ill., prior to the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
BEMENT, Ill. (AP) – Tammy Altepeter of St. Louis held the hand of her 10-year-old son as they toured the Bryant Cottage State Historic Site recently.

“Cool!” Tommy said as the boy checked out a 19th-century table in the cottage’s parlor. “Mom, do you think Abraham Lincoln sat at this table?”

Tommy’s class had been studying the 16th president in school, his mother explained, so she and her son spent their weekends visiting various Lincoln sites, including Bryant Cottage.

“I think it makes history more valuable to children when they can associate it with the places where history took place,” she said.

If former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich had his way, Bryant Cottage wouldn’t have been a stop on the Altepeters’ Lincoln tour.

Five years ago, the home where Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas are said to have planned their famous debates more than 150 years ago was one of 13 Illinois historic sites Blagojevich planned to close because of a $2 billion state budget shortfall.

State officials had scheduled the closure for Nov. 30, 2008. Bryant Cottage site manager Marilyn Ayers was making plans to shutter the building.

But following a groundswell of support for the Bement site – including letters of support from local government officials and Lincoln enthusiasts alike – state officials reversed the decision.

“Think about it. A major Lincoln and national event, the Lincoln-Douglas debates, had its humble origins in the middle of the Illinois prairie,” said Kent Tucker, a Lincoln memorabilia consultant from Rantoul.

Two sites – Bryant Cottage and the David Davis Mansion – were spared only after a group of area citizens vowed to provide extra volunteer labor, including giving school tours. “This is truly an example of grass-roots efforts making a difference,” Illinois State Preservation Agency spokesman Dave Blanchette said at the time.

Since then, more than 31,000 people have toured the historic cottage, according to Ayers. That includes tourists from about 30 states and various countries, she added.

“We get a lot of visitors from the UI who come out here while they visit Allerton Park,” she said. “And we get a lot of people who come here after visiting the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield. There’s a sign outside the museum about various historic sites and how to get here.”

As for Blagojevich? Five years after planning Bryant Cottage’s closure, he’s doing time in a federal prison in Colorado.

History lesson

Bryant Cottage was built in 1856 by Francis E. Bryant, a state legislator and Douglas’ friend and political ally.

When Lincoln challenged Douglas for the Senate two years later, the future president sometimes made appearances in the same places where Douglas spoke so that Lincoln could make his case.

On July 29, 1858, after delivering a speech at a rally in Monticello, Douglas was riding a horse-drawn carriage south on a country road headed toward Bement, where he planned to spend the night with the Bryant family. “As they began to leave, Douglas discovered handbills advertising that Lincoln was scheduled to speak in Monticello later that day,” Ayers said.

About 1 mile south of Monticello, Douglas’ carriage met another, headed northbound. It was carrying Lincoln, who was headed for Monticello to give his own speech.

“When Lincoln saw the carriage carrying Douglas, he motioned, and they pulled over to the side of the road,” Ayers said. “Lincoln hopped out to hand-deliver a letter that he brought, explaining all the reasons why they should have some debates.”

Douglas said he was headed for Bement and “told Lincoln when he was finished with his business in Monticello, he could return to Bement and find Douglas,” Ayers said. “Mr. Bryant is said to have told Lincoln that Douglas was a guest at his house, and the two of them were welcome to meet there.”

So, after Lincoln gave his speech in Monticello, he headed to Bryant Cottage. Sitting together in the parlor of the one-story, four-room wood-frame cottage, Douglas and Lincoln worked out the details of their seven debates.

When they finished, Douglas spent the night at the cottage, while Lincoln took a train back to Springfield.

From the heart

The descendants of the Bryants left the cottage to the village of Bement in the early 1900s, Ayers said. The village was responsible for the day-to-day maintenance and upkeep of the cottage. Then, in 1947, Bryant Cottage became a state historic site. It remains one, Ayers said, thanks to residents and area history buffs who let the former governor hear their sentiments following his 2008 announcement. “It was truly an action of respect and love and devotion,” she said.

Today Bryant Cottage hosts a variety of historical and community special events. Among them: the Easter Egg Lane in the spring, the Old Glory Festival in June, Heritage Day in July, a ham and beans lunch on the lawn during the Bement Homecoming and a holiday open house in December.

“Working here is an awesome feeling,” Ayers said. “I’ve always treated the job as an honor. I represent the state of Illinois, and I feel like I represent Piatt County and Bement.”

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Source: The (Champaign) News-Gazette, http://bit.ly/1it9gZ2

___

Information from: The News-Gazette, http://www.news-gazette.com

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-12-09-13 1254GMT


ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE


Abraham Lincoln ambrotype taken May 7, 1858 by Abraham Byers, Beardstown, Ill., prior to the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Abraham Lincoln ambrotype taken May 7, 1858 by Abraham Byers, Beardstown, Ill., prior to the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Attendance up 7 percent at 2013 Art Basel in Miami Beach

Art Basel in Miami Beach. Image courtesy MCH Messe Schweiz (Basel) AG.

Art Basel in Miami Beach. Image courtesy MCH Messe Schweiz (Basel) AG.
Art Basel in Miami Beach. Image courtesy MCH Messe Schweiz (Basel) AG.
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Art Basel officials say 75,000 people attended the prestigious contemporary art fair in Miami Beach this year.

Officials say that’s a 7 percent increase over last year’s attendance at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

That number doesn’t include the thousands of art enthusiasts and tourists who descended on South Florida last week for free public art displays, independent art fairs, museum and gallery exhibits and other satellite events.

Art Basel in Miami Beach closed Sunday. The fair at the convention center featured paintings, sculptures, photographs and films from 258 art galleries in 31 countries.

The fair is the U.S. extension of the contemporary art fair held each June in Basel, Switzerland. Art Basel also added a Hong Kong fair earlier this year.

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-12-09-13 1250GMT


ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE


Art Basel in Miami Beach. Image courtesy MCH Messe Schweiz (Basel) AG.
Art Basel in Miami Beach. Image courtesy MCH Messe Schweiz (Basel) AG.

Items from first Nancy Drew author sold at Ohio auction

Carolyn Keene, 'The Whispering Statue,' New York: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, 1937, first edition. Signed by the author, Mildred Wirt Benson. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Heritage Auctions.

Carolyn Keene, 'The Whispering Statue,' New York: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, 1937, first edition. Signed by the author, Mildred Wirt Benson. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Heritage Auctions.
Carolyn Keene, ‘The Whispering Statue,’ New York: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, 1937, first edition. Signed by the author, Mildred Wirt Benson. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Heritage Auctions.
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) – Typewriters and a desk from the home of the original author of the Nancy Drew mystery books, along with a book detailing how the series was created, were auctioned in Ohio on Sunday.

The items were among a lifetime of keepsakes, including autographed posters and writing awards, belonging to Mildred Wirt Benson that sold at an auction in Toledo, where she was a newspaper reporter and columnist for nearly 60 years before her death a decade ago.

Benson wrote more than 130 books, including the 1940s Penny Parker mystery series, but she is best known for the Nancy Drew books that inspired and captivated generations of girls. She wrote 23 of the 30 original Nancy Drew stories using the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. Paid $125 per book, she never collected any royalties.

Benson died in 2002 at 96 and left her home and possessions to her only daughter, Peggy Wirt, who died in January.

A copy of Rediscovering Nancy Drew that details how the series was created and was inscribed for her daughter drew a gavel price of $2,150 Sunday.

A typewriter went for $825, and a desk for $525. A 10-book set by science-fiction writer Andre Norton, who had a personal relationship with Benson, was also auctioned. Nine of the 10 books were signed to Benson and the collection, along with some letters, had a gavel price of $3,200.

Auctioneer Jade Montrie, who handled the estate sale, said a few hundred of Benson’s signed and canceled checks went for $900.

A typewriter that Benson used to write the Nancy Drew stories was donated to the Smithsonian Institution years ago. Her daughter left a collection of her mother’s books to the University of Iowa, which was Benson’s alma mater.

Benson was hired in 1930 to write the books based on plot outlines written by Edward Stratemeyer, the famed book publisher who also was behind the Bobbsey Twins and Hardy Boys.

Most scholars credit Benson with developing the character of Nancy Drew, who wore stylish cardigan sweater sets while climbing through attics and haunted mansions in search of clues and catching jewel thieves and kidnappers.

Dozens of ghostwriters followed Benson, also writing under the Keene name. Harriet Adams, Stratemeyer’s daughter, took over and directed writers in the 1950s to make the stories shorter and faster-paced. The books are still in publication, though the main character has evolved with the times since her debut in 1930.

Benson was bound by an agreement with the publisher not to publicly reveal her identity as the series’ original author, but it became known in 1980 when she testified in a court case involving Nancy Drew’s publisher.

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-12-09-13 0052GMT


ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE


Carolyn Keene, 'The Whispering Statue,' New York: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, 1937, first edition. Signed by the author, Mildred Wirt Benson. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Heritage Auctions.
Carolyn Keene, ‘The Whispering Statue,’ New York: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, 1937, first edition. Signed by the author, Mildred Wirt Benson. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Heritage Auctions.