How Much a Light Bulb?
To Our Patrons:
We are pleased to extend the auction of the effects of the late Mrs. Onassis to include a Garage Sale, consisting of several lots of incalculable personal and historical value just uncovered in a final sweep of attics, basements, lockers and closets. The notice of bidders is drawn to:
Lot No. 4268
Two unopened cans of Tab Cola dated between 1963 and 1964, recovered from a cooler stored at the Kennedy family compound at Hyannisport, Mass. Its provenance is pure Camelot--the remainder of a six-pack donated as a house gift by Mr. Peter Lawford in the summer of 1963. Potable.
12 oz. each
Estimate: $1.5 million
Lot No. 4275
A set of three perfectly matched G.E. Sof-Glo light bulbs, identified as spares for the lamps in the study of Mrs. Onassis’ New York apartment and stored in the same closet as her collection of autographed Christmas cards from world leaders.
100 watts
$1.2 million
Lot No. 4515
Collection of autographed Christmas cards from world leaders, with original envelopes, tied with twine and dated 1968, 1969, 1971 and 1972. Personal greetings from the prime minister of New Zealand, the Dutch ambassador to Mexico, the Jamaican minister of health, and others. Includes handwritten note, “Throw out.”
$2.6 million
Lot No. 4547
An August 1978 National Geographic magazine with a 12-page article, “Patagonia, Land of the Dreaming Past,” missing, probably personally removed by Mrs. Onassis during research for a planned vacation, later canceled. Clear notation on outside back cover, “Meet (indecipherable), Le Cirque, Thurs. 1:30,” in Mrs. Onassis’ hand.
$750,000
Lot No. 4563
A very fine box of 100 Staples #1 nonskid paper clips, a 1992 gift from Mrs. Onassis’ personal secretary.
$1.2 million
Lot No. 4632
A page from the July 21, 1972, issue of Paris Match, with a photo of author Gore Vidal circled, in pen, over a three-line handwritten comment, in French, that is an extremely rare example of Mrs. Onassis’ mastery of the scatological French vernacular. Photo slightly defaced.
$4.6 million
Lot No. 4789
Eberhard-Faber “Mongol” HB pencil, yellow. Tooth marks attributed to Mrs. Onassis by dental experts.
Approximately 6 in.
$2.4 million
Lot No. 5723
A mint 1983 copy of the Manhattan Yellow Pages, used as a doorstop at Mrs. Onassis’ New Jersey residence.
1483 pages
$645,000
Lot No. 5749
A very fine linen dish towel, soiled, in red-and-white-checked weave. Used to clean up after a formal dinner for Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Stern, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas P. (Tip) O’Neill Jr., former French Cultural Minister Jack Lang, Gelsey Kirkland, formerly of the New York City Ballet (who did not eat), artist James Rosenquist, Queen Noor of Jordan and Michael Jackson, in September 1982.
12 x 24 in.
$1.8 million
Lot No. 5897
Pencil shavings from beneath Mrs. Onassis’ personal study desk where they fell, or were swept, during the period (late 1990) when she was drafting dinner menus for the holiday season, probably using the Eberhard-Faber “Mongol” HB pencil described above.
2.4 oz. loose lot.
$489,000
Lot No. 5897b
Pencil-eraser crumbs, from tip of pencil described above, and historic proof that even Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis sometimes made mistakes.
$6.5 million.
