A Literary Lunch

Sharing a fascination for books and museums offers many jigs and jogs in our travels. The winter we spent an unusually warm week with our family in NYC, we soaked our souls in visual memories from Battery Park to Central Park and miles in between.

On our last day, we received an invitation to attend an auction at Sotheby's Auction House. My husband and I sat motionless, as we watched and listened to 'Fine Books and Manuscripts' being auctioned with bids taken by phone, email, and audience members! 

*An original four-panel Peanuts comic strip signed by Schulz sold for $12,500.

*A handwritten letter from Auguste Rodin sold for $1875.

*The carbon typescript of the corrected production script with technical notes for the radio story "War of the Worlds" by Orson Welles sold for $30,000. 

I pinched Jack's arm and smiled, whispering, "Here we are experiencing a once in a lifetime moment, witnesses to dramatic words of art that we only know of through newspapers and textbooks." 

We walked away in awe after watching an intense auction for Tennessee Williams' working draft of the stage play "A Streetcar Named Desire," which sold for $406,000. 

Literary Lunch, signed, $30,000

Continuing through the three floors of items up for auction, imagine my

Moo-Reese, a table top cow for $225,000

wonderment when we entered a room decorated for 'a wild rumpus'--the Maurice Sendak collection. Even though millions of children and adults know Sendak as an author and illustrator, Sendak preferred to be known as an artist. His imaginative use of color, design, and techniques demonstrate his passion for art. 

Peacock lamp at auction

The lure of color, texture, and richness drew us into the next showcase of "Tiffany Dreaming in Glass."  Barely breathing for fear of breaking something, I gingerly approached the "Peacock" table lamp. The note read--circa 1905 with a rare blown glass reticulated base, leaded glass, favrile glass, and patinated bronze shade. I let out my breath, then every so gently I touched the lampshade. To be honest, I petted the lampshade like I might pet a favorite dog. I knew I'd never be that close to a real Tiffany again. For a mere $70--$100,000 I could place a bid, or for free just dream.

Tiffany lamps at auction

Wisteria

Sitting on our coffee table are the books and catalogues that we picked up at Sotheby's. The entry on the Tiffany Dreaming in Glass catalogue, said that Tiffany had a passion for incorporating art into everyday life and objects, by

marrying artistic representations of the natural world with technical innovations. The writer's words in the catalog helped me appreciate the various styles. It is the marrying of ideas, imagination, and talents that I so deeply admire in artists, whether it's photography, paintings, sculptures, or written words. Imagine our Earth without ART...Eh!