News & Events

Worthologists Head to Atlantique City Show

The Atlantique City Antique and Collectibles Show—considered one of the world's largest indoor antiques and collectibles shows—will include a large contingent of WorthPoint antique specialists offering Worthologist expertise in evaluating and appraising antiques and collectibles brought to its booth.

The show, slated for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18-19, at the Atlantic City Convention Center, is the bookend to the Atlantique City held in March. It attracts up to 1,000 dealers from more than 40 states and three continents to serve more than 10,000 visitors. And the range of items available runs the gamut from collectibles to be had for a couple of dollars to antiques that demand five- and six-figure prices.

Among the WorthPoint antique experts in attendance will be chief Worthologist Thom Pattie, who has worked in the appraisal, antiques and auction industries for 40 years, and Audra Blevins (art pottery, American and Colonial glass, china and porcelain). Dan “The Man in the WorthPoint Van” Borsey will also be on hand to answer questions and to ask some, too, as he will be roaming the floors looking for good stories to tell.

American Presidential Experience

Jim Warlick, WorthPoint’s political memorabilia expert, is bringing a replica of the Oval Office and other exhibits from the American Presidential Experience.

“People can have their photos taken sitting behind the Oval Office desk,” said Warlick of the exhibit. “We’ll have a Florida voting machine, some inaugural gowns, as well as retail items from the current presidential campaign to political memorabilia going back all the way to Lincoln.”

WorthPoint brings needed resources

Eric Bradley, who is producing the Atlantique City show, says that WorthPoint and its stable of Worthologist experts are exactly the kinds of resources collectors need.

"Worthologists bring a broad range of backgrounds and experience to Atlantique City," Bradley said. "They are valuable resources for anyone seeking a solutions whether to sell or keep their collections or heirlooms. Our customers will be thrilled at their appearance."

This is a big week for WorthPoint, which is also partnering with Julien’s Auctions—the premier auction house in high-profile celebrity and entertainment auctions—in this weekend’s auction of items owned by legendary entertainer Bob Hope. WorthPoint’s Christopher Kent will be co-hosting the live broadcast of the auction from Beverly Hills on Auction Network, reporting back on one of the biggest celebrity auctions of the year.

More variety at fall Atlantique City

The Atlantique City show is held twice a year, once in late March and again in mid-October. The fall show is geared more toward collectors, with a wider variety of items available. The spring show often has high-end, higher-value antiques.

"There is a little more dealing in the fall, and the appraisal booth is very busy," Bradley said. "Dealers find it's a good chance to swap out inventory before they take on new inventory for the holidays."

This weekend’s show will have an additional feature. The Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival will be held concurrently at the convention center. Bradley said the two shows will offer a shared discount-ticket option for those attendees who might like something a little different than the usual show fare of hotdogs and Cokes.

If You Go to Atlantique City:

Hours: Saturday, Oct. 18, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Advance ticket holders get in at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

Directions: The Atlantic City Convention Center is located at One Miss America Way, Atlantic City, N.J. Parking and a free shuttle bus is available at Bernie Robbins Baseball Stadium. If you are driving, take Exit 2 from the Atlantic City Expressway, and follow the signs.

Information: Go to the Atlantique City Web site, or e-mail the program's coordinators at info@atlantiquecity.com.

By Gregory Watkins, WorthPoint’s newsletter editor

Weekly News Roundup October 13, 2008

Starting out this week’s art, auctions and collectibles news roundup is a mix of contemporary Chinese art (some of which comes from Hollywood director Oliver Stone), really old whisky (thanks to Prohibition) and an infamous crowbar used in the Great Train Robbery.

From Reuters:
Oliver Stone to auction Chinese artwork in HK sale

Director Oliver Stone (“JFK,” “On Any Given Sunday”) is putting up for auction contemporary Chinese art in late November. Reuters reports that Christie’s will be selling five “high-calibre works” by such artists as Zhang Xiaogang, Liu Wei, Gu Wenda and Tang Zhigang.

Meanwhile, Reuters is also telling us that Christie’s predicts that the international economic crisis will not affect its sales of Chinese and Asian art.

From The Edinburgh Evening News:
Prohibition' whisky set to fetch £5000

If you like your whisky aged, say 100-year-old aged, you might want to check out the Bonhams (London) auction of a Glencadam single malt that was hidden behind a wall during the Prohibition era. And what will this potentially put you back? Think maybe $8,700. Sip slowly.

From the Watford (England) Observer:
Train robbery crowbar sold at auction

And just how much did the crowbar used in the British Great Train Robbery of 1963 fetch? The rod that was used to force open train doors came to be owned by William Kirby, army officer and railway worker. Kirby stashed it in his garage when it proved ineffectual in lifting some patio slabs. When neighbors helping him clean out his garage this year learned of the crowbar’s history, they urged him to put the item up for auction.

The robbery's take? Four-and-one-half million dollars, which translates today to $71 million. And what did the crowbar auction bring? Five hundred and fifty pounds (almost a thousand dollars U.S.)

From The Economic Times:
Gagarin's manuscript about space flight to be auctioned

In 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the earth. Some of his writings will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in Moscow October 15 to 19. One is an account of his historic Vostok I flight. It is expected to bring $500,000 to $700,000. The documents were bought 15 years ago by one-time U.S. presidential candidate, Ross Perot.

From San Antonio Express-News:
Pistol of Houston's son is far from a steal at gun auction

The son of Texas political icon, Sam Houston, got into an altercation with another lawyer in a saloon. Temple Houston settled the dispute by shooting the man and killing him. More than 100 years later, that very same Colt .45 single-action revolver was sold at auction for $25,000.

The overall results of the auction, run by Burley’s in New Braunfels, Texas, are reported to be mixed.

From The Vancouver Sun:
Champlain map cleared for auction

Was it a hot map or wasn’t it? A 1612 map, considered important to Canadian history, was to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in England next month when Harvard University was asked to inspect the artifact. It seems that a similar 1612 map that explorer Samuel de Champlain made had been cut from a book in the university’s Houghton Library in 2005.

After making digital comparisons between the stolen map and the one being auctioned, Harvard experts determined they were not the same.

WorthPoint—the premier Web site for art, antiques and collectibles

News Roundup, October 10, 2008

Today in arts, antiques, and collectibles news, several dozen lots of rare Cuban cigars are being auctioned off at Christie's London next week when the Frieze art fair in the same city will be going strong. Also, a famous musician is slated to sell his multimillion-dollar Basquiat.

From Cigar Aficionado:
Christie's Auction Features Rare Cubans, Recent Cigars

Christie's London will auction off rare Cuban cigars, some of them prerevolution, next week as part of a larger sale that includes vintage wines. The cigars will make up 94 lots of the sale, including Cuban Davidoff cigars, which haven't been made in 17 years. Other notable cigars at the auction are Havana Dunhills, said to be the most collectible cigars in the world, partly because they are no longer rolled.

From The Independent (UK):
All the fun of the fairs: the art world gathers for Frieze

As the financial crisis continues, art dealers and collectors are heading to London for the annual Frieze art fair, which opens next Wednesday in Regent's Park. The Independent profiles top artists whose work will be sold at the fair and offers tips for easy navigation. Last year's fair drew a fair number of celebrities rubbing shoulders with the other 68,000 or so patrons. In just six years of existence, the Frieze has established itself as one of the premier events on the art fair calendar—even the major auction houses now plan their contemporary art auctions around Frieze week.

From Bloomberg:
Metallica Drummer Puts $12 Million `Boxer' Basquiat Up for Sale

Lars Ulrich, perhaps known better for his drumming skills and Napster litigation than his art collection, is selling a large painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat at Christie's New York on Nov. 12. "Boxer," an 8-foot-wide canvas painted in 1982 when the artist is said to have been in his prime—isn't the first Basquiat the Metallica drummer has sold at Christie's. The 2002 sale of a group of Basquiat paintings yielded $5.5 million. Dealers expect the painting to go for between $15 million and $20 million, and may set a record for the artist.

WorthPoint—the premier Web site for art, antiques and collectibles

Bob Hope Auction: Live on Auction Network by Christopher Kent

Beverly Hills is an excellent location for the Oct. 18-19 sale of the legendary Bob Hope estate. The sale features personal items, presidential mementos, sports collectibles and a rare and unique collection of radio, film and television items that mark the life and time of this incredible performer and humanitarian. It is being run by Julien’s Auctions. To add to the excitement and collector accessibility, Auction Network will be carrying the auction in real time, online.

I will have the good fortune to be a part of this sale working with Auction Network on site. Some of the items that I find of special interest are Lot 452, an original photograph of Bob Hope, photographer unknown, with an estimate, low in my opinion, of $100 to $150. The photo is a three-quarter pose showing Hope in a reflective mood. Has great collector appeal.

You will find a number of ways to look at the items in the auction at the end of this article including 1) a link to the items on the WorthPoint site, 2) a direct link to Auction Network and also 3) a link to Julien's online catalog.

If you want to look at what similar items have sold for in the past, you can also find a scrollable list of Bob Hope items that are in GoAntique's PriceMiner®, a huge data base of items that have recently sold at auction.

Lot 345, the Gruen Curvex Precision wristwatch engraved “Bob Hope, Hollywood Press Photographers” and an accompanying Movado rectangular wristwatch engraved “Bob Hope, The Cleveland Press Christmas Show 1944” are estimated together at $600 to $800. I feel that items such as these will have great appeal as they are of a personal nature.

Bob Hope ran for president?

Lot 447 has Bob Hope-for-president buttons. The pins, with Hope’s photograph, read “Hope for President NBC October 28 1980.” Estimate of $200 to $300 for a collection of 17 buttons.

An oil-on-canvas, lot 546, a half-length Hope portrait by American artist Louis Saphier carries an estimate of $1,000 to $1,500, which I predict will be blown out of the water.

Presidential Worthologist expert Tom Carrier thinks the Lot 98 photograph has merit because President Richard Nixon personally signed the photo of Hope and himself as opposed to most other presidential photos that were more than likely autopen signed. Carrier also feels this particular photo has significance due to the personal nature of the inscription, which reads “To Bob Hope, Like me the Nose is all, from Dick Nixon,” and the fact that Richard Nixon rarely signed his name on a dedication as “Dick.” To a collector, this piece is significant and will exceed its $400-to-$600 estimate.

Nixon cufflinks

Tom is also interested in Lot 101, a pair of presidential-seal cufflinks with an estimate of $1,000 to $1,500. The cufflinks were presented to Bob Hope by President Nixon and are designed in a polychrome enamel over gold. They are accompanied by a personal letter from Nixon typed on White House stationery, dated September 8, 1972. What will give these cufflinks more value, according to Tom, is if there is an engraved signature of the president, as was usually the case, on the back. The catalog makes no mention of this, so I will be sure to flip them over when I’m there.

Chris Hughes, WorthPoint’s militaria specialist, is intrigued by Lot 10, army boots, probably worn by Hope on a USO tour. Hughes feels the boots will be interesting to a collector because they were a private purchase as opposed to standard issue. This sets them apart from the norm. He thinks the estimate of $75 to $100 is very good.

Chris also feels that Lot 28, a theater-made cap with hand-embroidered “Vietnam” on the front, part of the Special Services Entertainment of 1966, is different and collectible. The estimate of $40 to $60 is low. He believes Lots 59 and 64 are significant. Lot 59, a Vietnam jungle jacket with USO and name tapes, embroidered with “Bob Hope #1 Citizen,” is very conservatively estimated at $200 to $300.

Personalized army boots

Chris sees Lot 64, army boots made by Genesco, as unique and underestimated at $100 to $150. These are not army issue but instead are personalized with colorful side panels and would have even more potential value attached if connected with a specific USO show.

Chris and I both agree that Lot 177, a sterling-silver golf club made by Tiffany for Hope’s 95th birthday, is a highlight pick from the large collection of sporting memorabilia. The estimate of $2,000 to $3,000 is good going in and because of its uniqueness, will probably top much higher.

I think Lot 408 will be one of the favorites of the show—Bob Hope’s Native-American headdress. This headdress with red-and-white feathers on a beaded band was worn on the 1971 Fourth of July "Stars and Stripes Show" special and was also featured on the May 11, 1962, cover of Life magazine.

– Christopher Kent is a Worthologist, a member of the WorthPoint board of advisers and director of evaluations for WorthPoint. He is also an antiques and collectibles generalist, fine-arts broker and president of CTK Design.

For more information check out the following links:

WorthPoint's Bob Hope Auction Special Feature

Bob Hope Estate Auction items to be sold on Day 1- October 18, 2008

Bob Hope Estate Auction items to be sold on Day 2- October 19, 2008

Register to bid live and online at Auction Network

Julien's Auctions

Take a look at PriceMiner's scrollable list of historical prices from similar items sold at auction.

Sample Historical Prices Realized by

BOB HOPE's Jacket from Road to Rio Sold For: $350.00 Date: 10/25/07 Bob Hope and President Gerald Ford Dual Signed Baseball Sold For: $202.50 Date: 5/26/07 BOB HOPE His Golf Hat Comedy Pics Autographed to Him! Sold For: $650.00 Date: 1/2/07 ACTOR/COMEDIAN BOB HOPE OWNED SILK ROBE Sold For: $256.00 Date: 3/28/08 Bob Hope Paulette Goddard The Ghost Breakers 1940 WC Sold For: $598.88 Date: 10/12/06 Bob Hope Plexi Glass Table Lighter Gift To Lana Turner Sold For: $350.00 Date: 7/27/07 Bob Hope Signed Sheet Music AUTOGRAPH 1970's *RARE* Sold For: $345.00 Date: 4/22/08 BOB HOPE COSTUME SKETCH"CASANOVA'S BIG NIGHT" SUPER Sold For: $338.00 Date: 11/22/07 Bob Hope, Spencer Tracy original lobby cards Sold For: $262.89 Date: 2/2/08 Vint 8x10 Negative BOB HOPE Sold For: $213.50 Date: 3/12/07 Bob Hope Signed Baseball Sold For: $177.00 Date: 12/15/06 Bob Hope Signed Autographed Signed 8x10 Photo Sold For: $150.00 Date: 5/21/07 Source data provided by eBay Market Data and Premier Auctions

WorthPoint—the premier Web site for art, antiques and collectibles