L O S E R S ' A U C T I O N .
BY LAWRENCE DOUGLAS & ALEXANDER GEORGE
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LOT #84 • ANONYMOUS
[Rudolf Nureyev: note from a friend]
Handwritten and signed, penned in ballpoint c. 1985. "Rudy, Rudy, Rudy.
I'm not asking for much here. Love, Christophe." Such notes to Nureyev
are common, but this one is unusual for its brevity and poignance.
Scattered staining, with a tear running along the entire length of the
letter; otherwise in good condition.
Provenance: Unknown but its authenticity has been verified by the
Trustees of the Estate of Rudolf Nureyev.
[$500/$750]
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LOT #142 • THE ZUCKERMAN TAPE
[Assassination of President Kennedy]
Twenty-two inches of 8mm celluloid. Like Abraham Zapruder, Sydney
Zuckerman was a home-movie enthusiast who chanced to film the motorcade
on the fateful day in Dallas. Moments before the assassin's shots were
fired, however, Zuckerman had his Paillard-Bolex camera yanked from his
hand by his four-year old son, Jacob. The film shows a dizzying
kaleidoscope of grass, sky, and close-ups of Zuckerman's face. An
unusually personal and peculiarly touching perspective on one of the
most famous moments in our nation's history. Brittle.
[$40/$60]
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LOT #179 • AMY STRUNK
[Greta Garbo: admirer]
Octavo notebook in which the author meticulously detailed every one of
her sightings of Garbo in New York City over a period of thirty years.
A sample entry: "Feb. 6, 1961, as seen from a moving bus: GG crosses
south on 56th Street on the west side of Lexington Avenue; camel-hair,
knee-length coat, no. 8 glasses, and hat no. 23 [reference to numbering
in an Appendix to the notebook describes and catalogs many of Garbo's
accessories and outfits]; facial expression obscured; determined stride;
gorgeous." A truly unique item no Garbomane will want to be without.
Weathering and soiling consonant with age and use.
[$500/$750]
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LOT #184 • MANUEL HERNANDEZ
[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: doorman]
Black and white photograph, 170mm x 140mm; 63/4 x 51/2 inches, 1979. A
photograph of Hernandez holding the door for an unidentified visitor to
1040 Fifth Avenue, the building in which Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis long
resided. Inscribed in ballpoint: "Hey, Ricky! On the job! Besos,
Mani." A touching, personal item. In excellent condition.
Provenance: Mr. Enrique Diaz.
[$200/$300]
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LOT #203 • THE PAPERS OF HAROLD HEATH
[Annals of Publishing]
After his death in 1995, Heath left behind thousands of rejection
letters from editors and publishers. Although none of Heath's fictional
work survives—it was all burned by testamentary request—this rich trove
of letters was spared. As a collection, they offer a fascinating
cultural history of the publishing industry, including everything from
form rejections from the leading magazines and publishing houses of the
day (e.g., "Not quite right for us; we hope you will try us again.") to
hand-written notes from long defunct literary journals (e.g., "This must
have been sent to us by mistake."). The collection comes with Heath's
own original filing system that meticulously organizes the letters on a
scale from "mildly encouraging" to "aggressively negative."
[$10/$15]
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LOT #294 • FRED STILTSKY'S BASEBALL
[Sports memorabilia: Nolan Ryan]
In his only plate appearance in his major league career, Fred Stiltsky
was beaned in the elbow by the legendary fastball of Hall of Fame
pitcher Nolan Ryan. After recovering from his injury, Stiltsky was
progressively demoted through the ranks of the minor leagues until a
combination of astigmatism and a worsening allergy to grass drove him
from professional baseball. Fine condition, slight scuffing on the
ball.
Provenance: Mrs. Louise Stiltsky.
[$50/$75]
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LOT #356 • THE LOVE LETTERS OF MARY LOU LANE
[Truman Capote: correspondence]
Six-hundred and forty-three handwritten letters; various media, sizes,
and shapes. Over a span of forty-two years, Mary Lou Lane, a
short-order cook in a diner in Syracuse, New York, wrote love letters to
the famous novelist. Lane, who died last year in a work-related
accident, never mailed Capote any of the letters, and there is no
evidence that they ever met. Of varying conditions: many bear
crease-marks as would result from crumpling.
[$80/$120]
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LOT #417 • THE PRINTS OF VICTOR SKINK
[Modern Art: Andy Warhol and his circle]
An early collaborator of Andy Warhol's, Skink parted company with the
father of Pop Art over artistic differences arising from Warhol's
epochal series of Brillo Box and Campbell Soup Can images. Skink went
on to become a founder (and perhaps the only member) of the self-styled
"Grand Moments" movement. He taught art for many years in the Great
Neck public school system before retiring in 1974. The lot comprises
three lithographs: The Construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza, The
Coronation of Napoleon, and Moonwalk. Signed and numbered. All in mint
condition.
Provenance: The Creditors' Agency Incorporated, from the heirs of Mr.
Skink.
[$90/$130]
Red dot denotes content that is new today.
Black dot denotes newish content.