Friday at Auction Finds is readers’ questions day. I try to guide readers to resources for them to determine the value of their items. 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 appraisals for insurance purposes that I suggest for items that have been determined to be of great value.
This week’s question is about a book and letter from African American artist Lois Mailou Jones.
Question:
I am writing to you in search of your experienced suggestion. I have had the fortune of coming across a book by Ms. Lois Jones. Its “Peintures,” numbered 116. I found it at a garage sale in Orlando, Florida.
While skimming through the pages I found a letter typed by Ms. Jones. It is addressed to the purchaser of her book. It seems it was sold during Ms. Jones’ years at Howard University. I’ve done some research and have found a few options for its sale, however, I’m uncertain which might be best. I would appreciate any suggestions.
By the way, I was thrilled to read your page. Ms. Jones’ life was nothing less than extraordinary.
Answer:
Lucky you for having found the book at a garage sale. The book is signed by Jones in 1976 to the students at Maynard Evans High School in Orlando, FL. The letter is a thank you to the head librarian for ordering the book and sending along a check for $31.
You have a marvelous find, and pity the person who sold it at a garage sale. My friend Rebecca Brown and I hold a session called “Historical Treasures in Your Home” to help folks understand that some of the items – like this one – that they throw away are actually valuable.
The book is titled “Lois Mailou Jones Peintures 1937-1951,” – paintings, in English – which contains more than 100 reproductions of the artwork she produced while living in Paris.
Jones went to Paris for the first time on a fellowship in 1937, and her time there is said to represent one of four phases of her career (I had the pleasure of experiencing all of them at an exhibit a few years ago at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC.) She painted cityscapes and landscapes, learned the language, and embraced other African American artists who lived there or visited. Jones loved Paris, she said, because it was a place where she finally felt free of the constraints in the country of her birth. She returned there often.
“Lois Mailou Jones Peintures 1937-1951” was published in Paris in 1952. The limited edition consisted of 500 copies, 300 of them numbered. The book contains an introduction by Mary Beattie Brady, director of the Harmon Foundation, a benefactor of African American artists at the time, with a preface by James A. Porter, a noted African American artist and scholar, and Jones’ colleague at Howard University.
It was said to be the earliest book collection on an African American artist.
I would think that having an inscribed book and typed letter from Jones would make your items even more enticing for a buyer.
What options are you considering for selling it? I wouldn’t suggest eBay. Is there a local reputable auction house in your city (not the mom-and-pop types that I go to unless it’s one of their high-end auctions) that you might consider using?
I found a copy of the book that sold at auction in 2006 for $450 and another that sold at auction a year later for $650. Currently, I found it selling at online bookstores for $500 (with some wear) to $650 up to $2,000 for an inscribed first-edition copy. I assumed that these were numbered copies.
You could also try Swann Auction Galleries in New York, which sold an inscribed un-numbered copy for $200 in 2010.
Reply:
As far as the sale goes, I have done some online research but have yet to contact anyone. I think I’ll go ahead and give Swann Auction a call. I have also located a couple of websites with very different figures as far as its value goes. I believe I may end up having it appraised. I went ahead and included an image of the book. I thought perhaps you might find it interesting. Once again thank you ever so much for your input. I sincerely appreciate it.
My Reply:
That’s a lovely letter from Jones. It’s definitely a good idea to get the book appraised. An auction house with a book expert is a good place to start. If you feel comfortable with the auction house staff, you could consider having them to sell it.
