An auction catalogue for an auction which took place at Sotheby’s
in New York, on 20 January, 2006. As the title says, the auction was for
“Important Americana: Including Property from the Collection of Elisha Hanson
to Benefit the National Gallery of Art.” The catalog is full of beautiful
antique items, of the sort you would expect to discover in an old American
estate or mansion. Tons of furniture, decorative items, lots of rare silver,
and much more. Naïve art, grandfather clocks, folk art, paintings, and much
more. Items range from 1700s and 1800s – lots of colonial and early American
items. The sale consisted of 608 separate lots, all of which have
extensive descriptions, all with full colour photos, and some of them even
being full-page photos. Each item has a description, giving details of the
artist or workshop, the work itself, dates, material, and so on. Also details
of provenance, and provides an estimated price. This is great for the
collector, so you can compare the value of these works with others. Also a
great reference, as these artworks were assembled here once, only to be
dispersed to different private buyers, most not to be seen in public again for
a generation. The colour illustrations are stunning, and it’s like having a
gallery or museum on your shelf! A great addition for anyone interested in
American history, U.S. art, colonial historical material, and so on. The book
is large format, measuring about 8 x 11 inches. It has a glossy cover, and is
484 pages long. The book is used, but in good condition. With only minor shelf
wear, the book is in good condition. The glossy pages make this extremely heavy
(well over 3 pounds), so the top bidder should add $13.90 postage in Canada,
18.90 postage to the USA. I have other, similar catalogs up now, so check
that out too, and save on postage. Please e-mail me if you have any questions,
and thanks for bidding!