On the heels of Hamilton mania brought on by the mega hit musical, a recent sale of a first edition of the Federalist Papers – Hamilton was one of three co-authors – went up for auction at Freeman’s in Philadelphia. The two-volume set with an inscription was estimated to sell for $60,000 to $90,000. It ended up going for $93,750.
A Masters Trophy belonging to Arnold Palmer sold for $444,012 on Sunday morning. It’s the second-highest price paid for a piece of golf memorabilia, behind only Horton Smith’s 1936 Masters jacket, which sold for $682,229.
A part of rock history will be auctioned on New Year’s Day when one of Jimi Hendrix’s treasured wah pedals and an amplifier he used to record hit songs go up for auction at J. Levine Auction & Appraisal in Scottsdale, Arizona. The consignor, “Amp Doctor” Dave Weyer, built the wah pedal for Hendrix prior to Woodstock and said the amplifier he repaired and modified for Hendrix was originally used to record songs during his early days with the Jimi Hendrix Experience and used as a preamp later. No est is given.
A pair of “bloomers” (underwear) owned by Queen Victoria are expected to fetch up to $7,500 at auction in Wiltshire. They have a 42.5in waistband and are made of fine linen that’s embroidered with the VR monogram. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the item is “in remarkable condition – she probably only wore them once or twice.
A game enjoyed by Jane Austen more than 200 years ago is to be sold at Sotheby’s on Tuesday. The author’s cup and ball game – also known as bilbocatch – is expected to fetch between $30,000 and $40,000. The game is over 200 years old. Jane mentions it in a letter to her sister, October 29 1809:
“We do not want amusement: bilbocatch, at which George is indefatigable; spillikins, paper ships, riddles, conundrums, and cards, with watching the flow and ebb of the river, and now and then a stroll out, keep us well employed; and we mean to avail ourselves of our kind papa’s consideration, by not returning to Winchester till quite the evening of Wednesday.”
