Christie's Upcoming Auctions

[gjpratt]

There are some once in a lifetime offerings in Christie's Americana Week Auctions. At least for those who are recent Powerball winners.

https://www.christies.com/en/events/americana-week/what-is-on

Civil War documents: https://www.christies.com/auction/f...31-nyr?page=1&sortby=lotnumber&themes=5850090
(Check out this one: https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466771)

https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6467818 (Why in the world is the Met deaccessioning this historical rarity?)

 

[John Hartwell]

https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6467818 (Why in the world is the Met deaccessioning this historical rarity?)

Alexander Hamilton's pocket pistols (however historical) are not directly in line with the Met's mission as an Art Museum. They are being sold to benefit the museum's Acquisition Fund, so the money realized can be spent to acquire more appropriate items. In stead of sitting in storage, unseen for decades, they might now go to another institution where they will be better utilised. It's the kind of decision big museums have to face all the time.

 

[gjpratt]

Alexander Hamilton's pocket pistols (however historical) are not directly in line with the Met's mission as an Art Museum. They are being sold to benefit the museum's Acquisition Fund, so the money realized can be spent to acquire more appropriate items. In stead of sitting in storage, unseen for decades, they might now go to another institution where they will be better utilised. It's the kind of decision big museums have to face all the time.

Thank you for that explanation @John Hartwell

 

[bayonet]

Well I have 2 Kidneys, 2 Lungs, and 2 Balls so if I sell 1 of each maybe I can afford to bid on the lowest price item in that auction

 

[CWdiaryPA]

Only the richest get to buy off historical American paper documents, I guess. I sometimes wonder if the mega-wealthy don't sometimes burn things like this in their yacht fireplace for their own fetishist amusement. Who's to stop 'em?

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Depending on content and historical significance documents can bring big money, and it's been that way for many years. Just look at the value of an original Appomattox parole.

Same goes for firearms.

 

[Cato3rd]

We could do a bake sale to raise funds to bid on these things. Then rotate the items around to different members of the forum like the Stanley Cup

 

[bayonet]

We could do a bake sale to raise funds to bid on these things. Then rotate the items around to different members of the forum like the Stanley Cup

bake sale! What and wear skirts too? Have a Clam bake or Beer Festival or BBQ bake

 

[Cato3rd]

bake sale! What and wear skirts too? Have a Clam bake or Beer Festival or BBQ bake

I do have a good homemade bbq sauce recipe. Don't tell anyone but the secret ingredient is a lot of garlic and molasses

 

[R. Porter]

Alexander Hamilton's pocket pistols (however historical) are not directly in line with the Met's mission as an Art Museum. They are being sold to benefit the museum's Acquisition Fund, so the money realized can be spent to acquire more appropriate items. In stead of sitting in storage, unseen for decades, they might now go to another institution where they will be better utilised. It's the kind of decision big museums have to face all the time.

Doesn't the Met have a rather extensive collection of armor and medieval weapons?

 

[R. Porter]

One of the auctions has a painting of Andersonville Prison made about 1870 with an estimate of $10,000 to $15,000.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466159?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intObjectID=6466159&from=salessummary&lid=1

The url is for the entry in the catalog.

 

[John Hartwell]

Doesn't the Met have a rather extensive collection of armor and medieval weapons?

Yep. Decisions made.
The design and artistry involved in armor manufacture can be striking. Their collection does not emphasize the simpler, more utilitarian items.

 

[Library Lady]

We could do a bake sale to raise funds to bid on these things. Then rotate the items around to different members of the forum like the Stanley Cup

OK, then, just an FYI to my friends at the Railroads and Steam Engines Forum: You'll want to save me for last in the rotation if we get the silver Whitney railroad pass for the Silverton Railroad. I promise to take good care of it.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466072?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intobjectid=6466072&from=salessummary&lid=1

Actually, there were items available that I found appealing and reasonably affordable (at least the starting price), including the railroad pass above. There was also a drawing by Cassilly Adams, the painter of the famous Custer's Last Stand beer advertisement.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466154?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intobjectid=6466154&from=salessummary&lid=1

I'm thinking @Joshism might like this one.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466030?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intobjectid=6466030&from=salessummary&lid=1

 

[gjpratt]

One of the auctions has a painting of Andersonville Prison made about 1870 with an estimate of $10,000 to $15,000.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466159?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intObjectID=6466159&from=salessummary&lid=1

The url is for the entry in the catalog.

Paging @Gary Morgan

 

[Gary Morgan]

Paging @Gary Morgan

Way out of my price range, but I'm not sure that the artist ever actually saw Andersonville. The river should bisect the prison with hills leading down to it from the North and the South. In this painting, the stream looks like it's actually outside the stockade which means that the prisoners would not have had access to it. It DOES get the double stockade fence right, but it doesn't look like it goes all the way around the perimeter. The barracks at the North end are sort of right, starting around December, but there should be 8 of them in the North end and 8 in the sound end and I don't believe they were two stories tall. There should be two gates on the Western wall, the North gate and the South gate - this only shows the North which leads to a "Main Street" where there's a sutler's shack, but the roof of the sutler's shack is wrong and doesn't look like the one in the Riddle photo. The star fort on the left should be on the other side of the stream and catty corner to the stockade. The prisoners inside the stockade all look remarkably well clothed, but why are there so few prisoners on the Southern end of the prison?

On the whole, it's interesting, but not terribly accurate and I think $10,000 -$15,000 is WAY overpriced for something with so many inaccuracies.

 

[R. Porter]

OK, then, just an FYI to my friends at the Railroads and Steam Engines Forum: You'll want to save me for last in the rotation if we get the silver Whitney railroad pass for the Silverton Railroad. I promise to take good care of it.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466072?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intobjectid=6466072&from=salessummary&lid=1

Actually, there were items available that I found appealing and reasonably affordable (at least the starting price), including the railroad pass above. There was also a drawing by Cassilly Adams, the painter of the famous Custer's Last Stand beer advertisement.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466154?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intobjectid=6466154&from=salessummary&lid=1

I'm thinking @Joshism might like this one.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466030?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intobjectid=6466030&from=salessummary&lid=1

I saw all of those! Did you notice the value of the blanket just before the Indian portrait?

 

[Library Lady]

I saw all of those! Did you notice the value of the blanket just before the Indian portrait?

The two Navaho blankets were way above my pay grade, but it didn't surprise me. The rarity and value of historical Navaho items is something that Tony and Anne Hillerman touch on in their Leaphorn and Chee mysteries. That's part of the reason I like their work so much. Speaking of which, Anne Hillerman has a new book coming out on April 23, 2024.

Lost Birds

Check out this great listen on Audible.com. Narrated by Jessica Matten, star of the AMC series DARK WINDS, based on the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito novels “Anne Hillerman is a star.”—J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author From New York Times bestselling author Anne Hil...

www.audible.com

Oh, and I found another item at the auction that I wouldn't mind having if I were a serious collector type rather than a run-of-the-mill pack rat.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466206?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intobjectid=6466206&from=salessummary&lid=1

 

[R. Porter]

The two Navaho blankets were way above my pay grade, but it didn't surprise me. The rarity and value of historical Navaho items is something that Tony and Anne Hillerman touch on in their Leaphorn and Chee mysteries. That's part of the reason I like their work so much. Speaking of which, Anne Hillerman has a new book coming out on April 23, 2024.

Lost Birds

Check out this great listen on Audible.com. Narrated by Jessica Matten, star of the AMC series DARK WINDS, based on the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito novels “Anne Hillerman is a star.”—J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author From New York Times bestselling author Anne Hil...

www.audible.com

Oh, and I found another item at the auction that I wouldn't mind having if I were a serious collector type rather than a run-of-the-mill pack rat.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466206?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intobjectid=6466206&from=salessummary&lid=1

I listen to Hillerman novels on cd on my long drives to visit family. There are some other authors who do something similar. One has a white sheriff from Wyoming who actually starts to experience Indian cultural beliefs as the novel progresses.

About that other thing, it's probably better that it's out of your price range. You know how it goes... If a Library Lady buys a Lincoln State Dinner plate she'll want a butter plate to go with it. Then she'll become thirsty and her dry throat will make it difficult to swallow. She'll need a tea cup and a saucer to go with it. She'll have to have to have a spoon to stir her tea and knife and fork to have her supper, or dinner, or whatever she calls it... and so on...

 

[CWdiaryPA]

The two Navaho blankets were way above my pay grade, but it didn't surprise me. The rarity and value of historical Navaho items is something that Tony and Anne Hillerman touch on in their Leaphorn and Chee mysteries. That's part of the reason I like their work so much. Speaking of which, Anne Hillerman has a new book coming out on April 23, 2024.

Lost Birds

Check out this great listen on Audible.com. Narrated by Jessica Matten, star of the AMC series DARK WINDS, based on the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito novels “Anne Hillerman is a star.”—J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author From New York Times bestselling author Anne Hil...

www.audible.com

Oh, and I found another item at the auction that I wouldn't mind having if I were a serious collector type rather than a run-of-the-mill pack rat.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6466206?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intobjectid=6466206&from=salessummary&lid=1

$28,680 it looks like, the last same plate at Christie's sold for, on 12/18/23. Or, well, there's a reproduction on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/134872650995

I'd get that plate in the house & be so nervous about it I'd promptly drop it on the kitchen floor. That solferino really pops, a trendy color at the time. It's gorgeous. Mary Todd ordered 666 (not typo) China pieces for the Whitehouse:

China service of the Lincoln administration - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[PralineQueen]

$28,680 it looks like, the last same plate at Christie's sold for, on 12/18/23. Or, well, there's a reproduction on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/134872650995

I'd get that plate in the house & be so nervous about it I'd promptly drop it on the kitchen floor. That solferino really pops, a trendy color at the time. It's gorgeous. Mary Todd ordered 666 (not typo) China pieces for the Whitehouse:

China service of the Lincoln administration - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Mary Todd also painted China herself, with gory scenes.