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Judith H. Dobrzynski on Culture

Tragedy At Sotheby’s: The Copley Library Sales

I wandered over to Sotheby’s over the weekend, and came out aghast. I had overlooked or forgotten the news, in January, about the dimensions of tomorrow’s sale of historical documents from the James S. Copley Library. It is a tragedy. This immense library collection, of about 2,000 items, is being sold by the Copley Press newspaper chain. Heaven knows, newspapers need the money nowadays, and I don’t begrudge a company a sale of assets it was always the unlikely owner of, but…

Gwinnett.jpgThese documents — which include letters and manuscripts signed by Washington, Lincoln (see his letter to George McClellan, below), et. al. — are likely to go to many private collectors. They include a broadside printing of the Declaration of Independence ($600,000 to $800,000) from that July of 1776 and a 1776 Congressional document signed by Button Gwinnett (a signer, picture at left, who died in a duel within a year, leaving few autographs) valued at $500,000 to $700,000.  

Who knows when they will be seen again?

And they’re unlikely ever to be seen together, as they were in the Copley Library in La Jolla, which apparently has been suffering from neglect.

One measure of the richness of this collection, whose manuscripts cover literary, artistic and scientific achievements as well as historical ones: It will take Sotheby’s eight sales to disperse it: four big sales and four single-lot sales. Sotheby’s created a sales video about the collection (here) that tells more.

LincolnMcClellan.jpgCopley, the adopted son of the utility magnate Colonel Ira C. Copley and his wife, collected for less than 10 years before he died, and his interest was sparked by, of all things, service as chairman of the U.S. Bicentennial Commission.

“This library is a love lettter to America,” said David Redden, vice chairman of Sotheby’s, on that video. Later, he added, “He was absolutely inspired by the story of America.” Redden said it’s unlikely that a collection of this size and quality could ever be assembled again.

So where is someone who will step forward with the $15 million total estimate, and buy it for a public institution? Hundreds of paintings have sold more more.

I’m not sure whether I hope that places like the NYPL and the Ransom Center at UTexas have been out there beating the bushes for a willing billionaire to buy it for them or not. Failure, at such a low price, considering the value, is incomprehensible.

If it doesn’t happen tomorrow, there are more chances with the rest of the sales. Here’s the press release.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sotheby’s (bottom)

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About Judith H. Dobrzynski

Now an independent journalist, I've worked as a reporter in the culture and business sections of The New York Times, and been the editor of the Sunday business section and deputy business editor there as well as a senior editor of Business Week and the managing editor of CNBC, the cable TV

About Real Clear Arts

This blog is about culture in America as seen through my lens, which is informed and colored by years of reporting not only on the arts and humanities, but also on business, philanthropy, science, government and other subjects. I may break news, but more likely I will comment, provide

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