By Eric Bradley
A STASH OF rare movie posters discovered under a linoleum floor of a York County, Pa., home sold for a combined $219,000 at Heritage’s poster auction in November. Among five never-seen-before posters was this Style D one-sheet for Tarzan the Ape Man, 1932 (above), which realized $83,650. Robert Basta purchased the house, built in the late 1800s, at auction. He told The Daily Mail he planned to retire to the Philippines and open a restaurant.
Fine Art
Robert Motherwell’s Untitled (Ochre with Black Line), 1972-73/1974, spent more than 40 years in a private collection. The extraordinary artwork is significant as an iconic representation of Motherwell’s Open series, which itself was a crucial cultural lead in the Minimalism movement. It realized $965,000 at an October 2015 Heritage auction.
U.S. Coins
The creation of High Relief $20 Gold Coins is one of the best-known stories in all of American numismatics. It was the collaboration of talented sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and President Theodore Roosevelt that led to the extraordinary design of these legendary coins. This 1907 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, graded an impressive MS66, sold for $71,675 in October 2015.
Rare Minerals
Saved in one of the world’s most esteemed private mineral collections, this 65.72 carat Tsavorite Garnet made its auction debut as part of the Rainbow of Africa Collection. It realized $324,999 at an October 2015 Heritage auction.
Vintage Photograph
A rare Mammoth-plate Ambrotype of Canal Street in New Orleans, circa 1858, attributed to Felix Moissenet, dazzled collectors for two reasons. Besides being an extremely rare and early street scene of New Orleans prior to the Civil War, the image is preserved on an 8¼-by-10 inch Mammoth-plate, a term used for any plate larger than Whole-plate (6½ x 8½ in.). It realized $55,000 at a November 2015 auction.
Historical
Few events in history spark fascination and horror more than the April 15, 1912, sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic. This Titanic Final Dinner Menu not only survived that fateful night but is from the last meal ever served on the cursed ocean liner. It realized $118,750 at a November 2015 Heritage auction.
Presidential Artifacts
Found in a 170-page autograph book belonging to the son of John Palmer Usher, President Lincoln’s secretary of the interior, and comprised of 13 lines of text and signature, this is Lincoln’s handwritten final passage of his second inaugural address. The words are now immortalized on the memorial dedicated to the 16th president. This Lincoln Autograph Manuscript, Signed sold for $2.2 million in November 2015.
Decorative Arts
The market for the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany remains strong and this extremely rare and unusual Opalescent Favrile Glass and Bronze Fire Screen, circa 1905, quickly found a new home. It realized $75,000 in November 2015.
Sports Collectibles
The personal collection of Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson — the greatest third-baseman to ever play the game — realized $1.44 million (all of which will be donated to charity) and was led by his 1964 American League Most Valuable Player Award, which sold for $155,350 at a November 2015 Heritage auction.