Fridays at Auction Finds are readers’ questions day. I try to guide readers to resources for them to determine the value of the items that they own. I’m not able to appraise their treasures, but I can do some preliminary research to get them started. So, these are market values, not appraisal for insurance purposes that I suggest for items that have been determined to be of great value.
This week’s questions are about old New York hotel keys and African American artist Rex Goreleigh.
Question:
I have a very dear friend who currently lives in the Tatham House in New York and I know he would greatly value the historical significance of a key from the building’s original function as a hotel. He is soon to move out of the building and I think it would be fitting as a parting gift from the building he has lived in for years and loves so much. Would you be willing to part with a key to the Tatham House from your auction find listed above? If so, for what cost?
Answer:
The reader had read a blog post I wrote last summer about a box of room keys from old New York hotels – the keys dating back to the 1950s and 1960s, and some of the hotels with even longer histories. The Tatham was built in 1929 as a 12-floor hotel. It now houses coops and apartments for sale and rent at its original location, 138 E. 38th St.
I responded to him in a private email, since he was asking to buy from me. I decided to use his inquiry in this week’s readers’ questions, though, to show some other alternatives to locating this or any other item.
Here is my answer to him:
“Unfortunately, I did not buy the keys. I just took a photo and wrote about them because I found the stash fascinating. I couldn’t think of a good reason to buy the keys, so I didn’t bid on them. That happens a lot with me; otherwise, my house would look like one of those on the TV show ‘Hoarders.'”
Then I decided to check the one huge international marketplace that sells just about everything – eBay – to see if a Tatham House key was being offered for sale. Here’s what I found and told the reader:
“I just saw that someone sold a key from the Tatham House on eBay for $2.99 (auction ended in November). You could try emailing the seller to see if he/she has any others from that hotel. Ebay is always a good first place to start. Practically everything is for sale there.”
The reader seemed excited about “giving that a try!”
Question:
I came across your October 22 article about Rex Goreleigh. I have attached a photo of a Goreleigh watercolor my family has owned since about 1984. Do you have a roundabout number such a painting might be worth in today’s market? I’m not necessarily interested in selling but would be curious at least for insurance purposes.
Answer:
I’m not a certified appraiser so I can’t appraise the work for you. I’d like to suggest that you locate a certified appraiser in your town who can do it. I offer some info here on where you can get an eyeball appraisal from experts before getting a real one done.
Your insurance company will likely require that you get the painting appraised before it will insure it. I’ve had my paintings appraised and have attached a rider to my homeowners policy covering each of the pieces.
