Reminder: One Week Until Housing Works Auctions Major “Early American Prints” Donation
EVENT: “Early American Prints, Part 2” a live charity auction with Kathleen Guzman
DATE: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
TIME: Viewing hour, 6 pm to 7 pm. Live auction, 7 pm to 9 pm
LOCATION: Housing Works Gramercy Thrift Shop, 157 E.23rd St (betw. Lexington and 3rd)
WEBSITE: www.housingworks.org
COST: FREE and open to the public.
BENEFITS: Housing Works, which provides lifesaving services such as housing, medical care, meals and job training to homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS.
On Wednesday, January 27, celebrity auctioneer Kathleen Guzman will host “Early American Prints, Part 2,” Housing Works’ second and final live auction of collectible early American prints, including dozens of works by legendary engravers Currier and Ives.
See the prints! The whole collection will be on view starting Monday, January 25, at the Gramercy Housing Works location (157 E. 23rd).
Just in time for President’s Day, the auction will include numerous portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, as well as horseracing prints, pastoral scenes, and events and maps. Eighty lots containing 90 items in total will be auctioned, and live bidding will be available during the auction from Liveauctioneers.com.
While most items are estimated at or below $500, one auction item is a map worth approximately $15,000. “The Seat of Action Between the British and America,” is a hand-drawn 18th century map depicting the area where the Battle of Long Island took place. If the map earns above $15,000, it will be the most Housing Works has raised from a single secondhand donation. “This is truly a rare map,” says Guzman, who appears frequently on the Antiques Roadshow, has worked for Christie’s and Sotheby’s, and has auctioned everything from Michael Jackson’s silver glove to Dorothy’s ruby slippers. She has been volunteering at Housing Works since January 2009. WNYC profiled her last month.
The first Housing Works early American prints auction in October pointed toward a resurgence of interest in the genre. Fifty-six lots earned an astonishing $40,000. “I was gratified by the response to the first auction,” Guzman said. “I encourage collectors who love early American prints to come to the auction in January to score great deals while you still can. You’ll be raising money for a fantastic organization at the same time.”
The “Early American Prints” auction events were prompted by an anonymous donation of nearly 300 engravings and prints. Many were originally sold by the famed Kennedy Gallery.
The well-known auction house Swann Auction Galleries and the collectibles website Worthpoint.com are contributing support to “Early American Prints, Part 2.” The Works, Housing Works’ catering company, will provide light hors d’oeuvres and beverages.
If you cannot attend the January 27 live auction, a silent auction of a separate selection of prints will take place on Housing Works Thrift Shops’ auction site, Shophousingworks.com. Silent auction online bidding starts at 12 am on Friday, January 22 and ends at 7 pm, on Wednesday, February 3. Online auction items will be featured in the windows of Housing Works Gramercy Thrift Shop (157 23rd St.) on Friday, September 25.
Posted on January 21, 2010 at 1:45 am
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