Evaluation of the Day: October 7th - Rembrandt van Rijn Etching

Studies of the Head of Saskia and Others 
Etching by Rembrandt Harmenz van Rijn (1606-1669), circa 1790s impression on laid paper by P.H. Basan, from C.H. Watelet/J and P.J. Mariette plates. Signed in plate, lower left.

More information soon.

Lewis Carroll, Salvador Dali and the Héliogravure

Today I had the pleasure of evaluating a copy of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, from a rare, limited edition published in 1969 by Maecenas Press - Random House, New York.

Printed in an edition of 2500, the unbound copies included an etching and twelve heliogravures, and with Salvador Dali's signature on the title page.

In case you're wondering, héliogravure is a process invented in the 19th century for reproducing photographic images and is regarded as the oldest of its type.

The copy is coming to auction in November, so I'll post more about it when it's auction catalog is released. In the meantime, here are a few quick images...

H.G. Wells's Copyright Set to Expire

I have served as Webmaster for the H.G. Wells Society since 2002. One of my responsibilities is to forward email inquiries to the society secretary for consideration and distribution. I’ve seen a lot of different kinds of inquiries through the years, but for a time, one appeared more frequently than all others: copyright.

The copyright protecting H.G. Wells’s work in Britain and the EU was once so obscure and confusing to the general inquirer that a special webpage was expanded around 2005 to better address the issue, and was inspired partly by a controversy I was involved in regarding film versions of The War of the Worlds that were in production around that time.

While copyright on much of H.G. Wells’s work has expired in the United States, for the EU and other territories throughout the world, it remains the date of the author’s death plus 70 years (through the end of the calendar year). In Wells’s case, of course this is 31^st December 2016, since he left us on 13th August 1946.

Until now, filmmakers have needed to obtain permission from the Wells estate, via agents A.P. Watt, to release films in protected regions. While the motion picture world is the big money customer, I have seen other inquiries for things as unusual as The War of the Worlds-themed gambling machines!

Beyond the motion picture world, other kinds of presentations, such as musical versions or plays were allowed through obtaining dramatic rights.

Of course H.G. Wells’s oeuvre remains a popular font of ideas for filmmakers, whether they intend to make movies or TV shows based directly on his books, or simply borrow characters for a 21^st century romp.

While I personally have rarely been satisfied or impressed by the intellectual content of the recent Wellsian reboots and palimpsests, as we approach the end of the calendar year of Wells’s death, I think it’s appropriate to say, for better and worse, I expect things will get interesting...

Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and a US Liberty Loan Prussian Spike Helmet Prize, 1918

It is sometimes said that while the rest of the world goes to war for territory or to protect an empire, America goes to war for souvenirs. It's a cynical notion, clearly, though still manages to raise a smile here and there, especially among those for whom collecting historical militaria is a serious hobby.

As I'm sure we're all aware by now, nearly a century ago, the United States declared war on the Kaiser's Germany. At that time, the USA was a minor player on the world stage, despite having the most impressive industrial base of all. When congress did declare war in April 1917, the idea, at least according to President Wilson, was to 'make the world safe for democracy,' and acknowledging all the subtexts that go along with that grand-sounding idea.

Interestingly, the American army was not quite ready for combat on the scale the Great War demanded, both in terms of men and material. But as is usual in times of crisis or need, Americans rose to the challenge.

In 1913 - and about four years before the US 'threw its hat in the ring' of the Great War, the 16th Amendment to the US Constitution imposed an income tax on both individuals and corporations. Despite the influx of money to government coffers, made even greater by wartime tax increases, various drives and fundraisers were common and served very useful purposes, and none was more famous than the series of four Liberty Loans.

These loans, or bonds, were usually sold by Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and by the war's end, 2.3 million had been bought, with a total of $354 million owed to the people of the United States.

Various prizes were awarded to stimulate interest in the campaigns. One such item was this patriotic-painted Prussian enlisted spike helmet.

Captured from a Prussian soldier, the original black leather was repainted with patrioticAmerican red and white stripes across the crown, fore to aft, while the front visor was adorned with white stars on a blue field. A late 19th century braided horsehair cavalry plume was added to the spike top. 

The example pictured, sold by Manion's in September 2004, included the original leather liner. Special attention was paid to the detailing, meaning that the gilt Prussian eagle wappen (front plate), round spike base, and front visor trim were removed for painting and reapplied. 

A 'rare bird,' as we said in those days!

July Absence

July was a very busy month for my family, so the blog was neglected. I will at least post a bit about the adventures of my son and I at the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation sometime soon. But, in an effort to at least post one thing every month, here's a quickie.

I've enjoyed reading the "Old Farmer's Almanac" every year since 1979, when my grandfather put me on to it. So, turning the page to August, I see a cute little aphorism, "If the first week in August is unusually warm, the winter will be white and long."

Weather forecasts are for a very warm week indeed. Oh boy!

I also grew a beard this month that was shaved earlier today. :)

Macabre Victorians: The 'Hand of Cleopatra'

Doing some online research today and stumbled across this fun bit. Sold by Ancient Resource, LLC in March 2014, it reached a little over half the low estimate. See link for more images. 

It's worth noting Antony and Cleopatra's shared tomb has not been discovered as yet, so...

Mummified hand of 'Cleopatra'

A once in a lifetime opportunity to own the hand that may have caressed the face of Caesar and Mark Anthony! This same hand may very well have been one that held the asp that took her life. Please read the details below: The mummified hand of 'Cleopatra' with documentation. A preserved mummified left hand from the collection of the English General Bowser, who acquired it in 1794 while in Egypt. It was presented to the General as the 'hand of Cleopatra, daughter of Ptolemy Auletes'. L: 7 7/8 in (20.3 cm). The hand is in great condition with slender finger and well-preserved nails and yellowish leathery skin still on top, the palm with hand bones visible. Accompanying the hand is the original 1894 article about its rediscovery by Mr. Jordan in a lady's collection containing the facts per Rev. John Wharton. The hand is within the original mahogany case constructed by Mr. Jordan with original label and photo. Also included is a piece of Mrs. L. Jordan's stationary with notation about her husband's prior ownership of the hand, an insurance form for £500 dated 1/4/59, as well as two letters regarding the sale of the hand for L. Taylor at Sotheby, both on their stationary, one dated August 28th, 1958 and the other December 31st, 1958. Also included is a late 19th century pamphlet about Cleopatra's Needle, which is an Egyptian obelisk in England. Below are some of the details within the paperwork outlining the history of the hand: The mummified hand was presented to the English General Bowser, who defeated Tippoo Sahib in 1783-1794, in 1794 when he was visiting Egypt on his way back to England. Since this was not the usual route from India to England he must have been there for some exploration and acquisition. A letter in an 1894 English newspaper recants the rest of the history of the hand as told by Rev. John Wharton: 'The account which I have always heard is this: as the General was residing in the country various excavations of mummy pits were being made, and one magnificent but ponderous sarcophagus was brought to light.

The inscription was not, I should think hieroglyphic at so late a date, indicated the mummy as that of the celebrated Cleopatra. one of the hands was immediately presented to the valiant English general, and this is that identical hand'. The hand was rediscovered in a curio collection of one Miss Emma Thompson of Kirkby Stephen in 1894 by a Mr. Jordan, who purchased the piece. The hand had been in the Thompson family for three generations and had been given to them by General Bowser, apparently in or slightly after 1799, as it was wrapped in quarto-sized paper dated 1799. The 'authenticity' of the hand and it's incredible story was supported by the facts given by Rev. John Wharton, having been informed many years prior by the late Mrs. Thompson of Appleby (perhaps Emma Thompson's mother). This was all included within a newspaper article about the hand in an English paper of 1894. Great interest was stirred up by this 'discovery' and many people examined the hand, one man offering 500 pounds for the hand for purpose of exhibition! In 1958 the widow of Mr. Jordan, a Mrs. L. Jordan, an antiques dealer herself, sold the hand to one L. Taylor of Tynemouth, Northumberland. This L. Taylor Esq. had the hand insured and began corresponding with Sotheby in late 1958 and early 1959 about placing the mummified hand into one of their auctions, which they showed interest in doing. The hand however remained in the Taylor family until its sale in late 2010. A most interesting item with an unbroken history of ownership since its acquisition in 1794!

Live confidently:

Be sure of identity and value. Call your appraiser!