Uncovering Our History Through The Relics Left Behind
Posted in Art, Black history, and Performers
The email asked only one question: “Did you get anything in the Doyle New York auction of Lena’s estate last week?” Instantly, I knew who Lena was, but I was surprised to learn that items…
The two chairs seemed to shimmer under the lights in the auction house. They were silver with rivets along each side and thin curved legs. They were metal, industrial steel, according to the auction house bid…
Posted in Black history, and Music
I wandered into a room at the auction house a week ago where guns were being sold. I had zero interest in any of the guns but was more curious about who would turn up. …
Posted in Art
The five disc-headed sculptures sat atop the table like sentries, their metal bases constructed with parts that looked like gears. Their faces were glass prisms, more like optical lens, one squeezing out the other. These works…
Posted in Black history, Civil War, and Military
Bill Fox slid the slightly faded and folded document carefully from the clean white envelope with my name on the front. He was just as excited as me about what we had before us. It was…
Posted in Art
I was previewing the upcoming sale at one of my favorite auction houses when a familiar name re-appeared: Stuart M. Egnal. I had written about Egnal and his mother Sylvia two months ago when stacks of his etchings and…
Posted in Art, Black history, and Photos
One of the truly satisfying results of my auction finds are the pieces of African American history that I come across on the auction tables. From photographs to vintage records to books to artwork, each…
The shark seemed to be taunting us auction-goers for weeks. I first saw it on a very high shelf at one of my favorite auction houses. The thing was a monstrosity. I tried my best to figure…
Posted in Home
You couldn’t miss the huge chrome can opener on a high shelf at the auction house. Or even the bigger wire whisk attached to the wall next to it. Were they art? Or kitchen utensils gone…
Posted in Movies
I finally went to see the movie “True Grit” over the weekend. It’s been around since December, so I figured I should go before I’d have to watch a rented copy on my small TV screen at…
