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<b>Bonhams:</b> MANDELSHTAM, OSIP. 1891-1938. Autograph Manuscript, 2 pp, [Petersburg,] January 1913, entitled

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Skinner American Furniture & Decorative Arts Auction - By Bruce McKinney Every salad needs some dressing. By Bruce McKinney Skinner's, the Boston auction house, recently issued a catalogue for their upcoming sale of antiques and decorative arts. It will be held on November 7th. Their catalogues are always worth a careful examination even if your collecting interests are at the margin of the catalogue's focus. They combine the appeal of attractive four-color magazines with the potential for finding something to bid on. They are well done and this most recent catalogue is no exception. Book people will be wondering where the books are in this catalogue and I'll admit I didn't see any in the textual descriptions. Undaunted I looked further. Lot 1 looks interesting. This is an Auburn Boattail Speedster Style Convertible, a "custom fabricated reproduction" or as we say in the book trade, a reprint. If I'm going to drive down backroads looking for booksellers who haven't yet discovered the internet and want $10 for all their damn books I think I want to be driving this car. It's estimated at $25,000 to $35,000. For those who insist on buying a book I'll bet that an operator's manual is included. No. 111 is a painting and easy to include. It's an unsigned portrait of Ebenezer French [1787-1850]. To those who don't know him Ebenezer was born in Boston and originally worked for the Boston Patriot newspaper. Later he founded, with Isaac Monroe, the Baltimore Patriot which was the first newspaper to publish The Star Spangled Banner. He was active in the defense of Baltimore during the War of 1812 and later a minor official under John Quincy Adams in the State Department. This 26" x 24" piece of American history is estimated at $2,000 to $2,500. Lot 113 is an unsigned watercolor, guache, pen and ink work of Commodore Preble's attack and bombardment of the harbor at Tripoli in 1804. It is only fractionally larger than 9" x 13" framed but quite eye catching. Those who collect the Barbary States with a subtle American twist will find this appealing. $1,000 - $1,500 For book lovers there is lot 167, the portrait of Webster Tucker c. 1844 holding two books. It's a large painting, 45" by 32". It is also an expensive painting estimated at $100,000 to $150,000 so if you buy it you probably won't be buying much else for a while. Lot 305 is the unsigned Portrait of Fire Engine Pumper Excelsior Eagle 3. This is a beauty and looks like it should be on the wall behind one of those bars that charge $10 for a martini. It is a large painting, 44" x 77", so measure your den walls carefully before committing yourself to the fray. The estimate is $5,500 to $6,500.
Skinner American Furniture & Decorative Arts Auction - By Bruce McKinney Excellent transportation for book collectors, book dealers and scouts. For train buffs there is lot 306. It is a Schoolboy Watercolor Portrait of a Locomotive. It was painted by Franklin Terrell, June 27th, 1892 at the St. Patrick's School in Cleveland, Ohio. It is 19" by 27" and estimated at $800 to $1,200. For the book collector with an interest in camping there is lot 316, a 22" x 30" print by Nathaniel Currier of Camping Out, "Some of the Right Sort.," 1856. For the $2,000 to $2,500 estimate there is a four color presentation that includes seven people, three dogs, several fish and a deer. A lake and trees are also included. Lot 410 is two paintings of instant relatives. Both are inscribed on the back G. W. Fisher, artist 1850. One of the portraits is of a man holding a letter or as we say on AE, a manuscript document. The other portrait, of a woman, is shown with a book of music. It is estimated that a child born today will cost the average family more than $200,000 over their first 18 years. By comparison the cost of these acquired relatives is estimated at only $3,000 to $5,000 for the pair and they won't stay out late or talk back. No. 458 is a Portrait of a Young Boy with Hammer and Nails. Is this John Henry as a baby? The cataloguer apparently lost confidence in their estimation that the child in the dress is a boy because by the third line "he" is now described as "the rosy-cheeked child wearing a red dress." I think if the description went on a few more lines "he" would be "she." Estimated at $1,000 to $1,200. If you buy it you can write the definitive catalogue description. This is a fun sale. Go to www.skinnerinc.com for a closer look.

Skinner American Furniture & Decorative Arts Auction

- By Bruce McKinney

Every salad needs some dressing.

By Bruce McKinney

Skinner's, the Boston auction house, recently issued a catalogue for their upcoming sale of antiques and decorative arts. It will be held on November 7th. Their catalogues are always worth a careful examination even if your collecting interests are at the margin of the catalogue's focus. They combine the appeal of attractive four-color magazines with the potential for finding something to bid on. They are well done and this most recent catalogue is no exception.

Book people will be wondering where the books are in this catalogue and I'll admit I didn't see any in the textual descriptions. Undaunted I looked further. Lot 1 looks interesting. This is an Auburn Boattail Speedster Style Convertible, a "custom fabricated reproduction" or as we say in the book trade, a reprint. If I'm going to drive down backroads looking for booksellers who haven't yet discovered the internet and want $10 for all their damn books I think I want to be driving this car. It's estimated at $25,000 to $35,000. For those who insist on buying a book I'll bet that an operator's manual is included.

No. 111 is a painting and easy to include. It's an unsigned portrait of Ebenezer French [1787-1850]. To those who don't know him Ebenezer was born in Boston and originally worked for the Boston Patriot newspaper. Later he founded, with Isaac Monroe, the Baltimore Patriot which was the first newspaper to publish The Star Spangled Banner. He was active in the defense of Baltimore during the War of 1812 and later a minor official under John Quincy Adams in the State Department. This 26" x 24" piece of American history is estimated at $2,000 to $2,500.

Lot 113 is an unsigned watercolor, guache, pen and ink work of Commodore Preble's attack and bombardment of the harbor at Tripoli in 1804. It is only fractionally larger than 9" x 13" framed but quite eye catching. Those who collect the Barbary States with a subtle American twist will find this appealing. $1,000 - $1,500

For book lovers there is lot 167, the portrait of Webster Tucker c. 1844 holding two books. It's a large painting, 45" by 32". It is also an expensive painting estimated at $100,000 to $150,000 so if you buy it you probably won't be buying much else for a while.

Lot 305 is the unsigned Portrait of Fire Engine Pumper Excelsior Eagle 3. This is a beauty and looks like it should be on the wall behind one of those bars that charge $10 for a martini. It is a large painting, 44" x 77", so measure your den walls carefully before committing yourself to the fray. The estimate is $5,500 to $6,500.

Skinner American Furniture & Decorative Arts Auction

- By Bruce McKinney

Excellent transportation for book collectors, book dealers and scouts.

For train buffs there is lot 306. It is a Schoolboy Watercolor Portrait of a Locomotive. It was painted by Franklin Terrell, June 27th, 1892 at the St. Patrick's School in Cleveland, Ohio. It is 19" by 27" and estimated at $800 to $1,200.

For the book collector with an interest in camping there is lot 316, a 22" x 30" print by Nathaniel Currier of Camping Out, "Some of the Right Sort.," 1856. For the $2,000 to $2,500 estimate there is a four color presentation that includes seven people, three dogs, several fish and a deer. A lake and trees are also included.

Lot 410 is two paintings of instant relatives. Both are inscribed on the back G. W. Fisher, artist 1850. One of the portraits is of a man holding a letter or as we say on AE, a manuscript document. The other portrait, of a woman, is shown with a book of music. It is estimated that a child born today will cost the average family more than $200,000 over their first 18 years. By comparison the cost of these acquired relatives is estimated at only $3,000 to $5,000 for the pair and they won't stay out late or talk back.

No. 458 is a Portrait of a Young Boy with Hammer and Nails. Is this John Henry as a baby? The cataloguer apparently lost confidence in their estimation that the child in the dress is a boy because by the third line "he" is now described as "the rosy-cheeked child wearing a red dress." I think if the description went on a few more lines "he" would be "she." Estimated at $1,000 to $1,200. If you buy it you can write the definitive catalogue description.

This is a fun sale. Go to www.skinnerinc.com for a closer look.