The real surprise was a 1925 challenge playbill from Gimbel Bros, which sold for a whopping $8000! Most challenges like this sell in the neighborhood for $400. I have no idea why this challenge went so high. Apart from the recognizable Gimbels name, I see nothing special about it. Maybe two deep-pocketed Gimbels collectors were competing?
Many of the Houdini lots in today's auction came from the Kevin Connolly collection. As always, congrats to the buyers.
So I downloaded the family photo from the auction page. Are all those kids Hardeen’s kids or do you know? Also… is that a toy car?! ❤️🥺 - Abby Martin
ReplyDeleteThe little boy in the toy pedal car is Hardeen's son. He's sitting in an expensive toy car that has pedals underneath to propel it forward. John magnificently deduced that the photo was taken in 1911 in Hardeen's Brooklyn neighborhood. Most likely near his house. The matriarch of the family sits in the back seat with her hair uncommonly down. Probably happy that the next generation of the family are in better financial shape than she was.
DeleteThanks. But you deduced Hardeen's Brooklyn neighborhood. I just deduced summer 1911. I think the family is gathered for Marie Rahner's wedding.
DeleteThanks but you guessed Brooklyn and nailed the date from that Weiss brothers photo in the Silverman book. I also suspected it might be Brooklyn but the date eluded me until you pointed out the photo in the Silverman book. $9,000 for this family photo! That's wild!
DeleteJohn great auction today, Do you know why Kevin is selling his stash HH? Or this just small side collection? Hope he sells more it was fun…
ReplyDeleteDon't know. I can't even access Kevin's FB group anymore. But I know he's been selling a lot lately. Some in private. Now at auction.
DeleteWell his collection is one of the best and biggest, so maybe this was just test run. Which he should be happy, as I am with five new HH items. Would rather buy straight from him as in the past…
ReplyDelete