NARRATOR: Major funding is provided by, Alex Cooper Auctioneers, since 1924 has been serving the Mid-Atlantic states, featuring monthly gallery antique auction sales, our staff can assist clients with the disposition of their valued possessions.

Alex Cooper Auctioneers.

KATHLEEN HAMILL: Coming up on Chesapeake Collectibles.

ROSS KELBAUGH: You've brought in one of the most interesting groupings that we have had on the show relating to the Civil War and particularly exciting that relates to Maryland.

PATRICK REDDING: That what you got here is a Gilbert's Island tribal ceremonial sword, made out of shark tooth.

KATHLEEN: I hear we have a really interesting story about them, why don't you tell me who this handsome man is?

GUEST: Here he is.

KATHLEEN: You?

And how old were you in the painting?

GUEST: I think I was about ten.

ROSS: With my years on Chesapeake Collectibles, I've been waiting for somebody to bring this iconic newspaper in.

GUEST: For the Babe Ruth I paid $25.

ALLAN STYPECK: Well you did very, very well.

Your junk shop is really a treasure chest.

GUEST: I'm going back.

ALLAN: You better!

Okay, and take me with you.

GUEST: Okay.

GUEST: I have no idea what it's worth I just, I think it's pretty cool.

(theme music plays).

♪ ♪ (inaudible studio chatter).

ROSS: With my years on Chesapeake Collectibles I've been waiting for somebody to bring this iconic newspaper in.

GUEST: Well, I decided to be that person.

ROSS: Well today is your day, what can you tell me about this?

GUEST: What I know is this particular paper was produced about 150,000 copies.

I acquired it via a purchase on eBay, where buy it now, and I paid off $769.

And the company I work for used it in a display for an athletic company in the Midwest.

And I've held on to it since '06.

ROSS: Well it is the iconic newspaper, the iconic headline "Dewey defeats Truman", uh, Thomas E Dewey which sometimes people referred to him at the time is looking like the man on top of a wedding cake.

And he was predicted by the pundits in the experts to win the presidential election from 1948.

When the Chicago Tribune had to get to press to be able to print out the papers, the early results look like that he was going to.

But then as the delayed results came in it turned out there then then later on that night that Truman had actually won.

So they had already printed and distributed right the 100, approximately 150,000 newspapers around Chicago.

So they reprinted em, and they went back and gathered up the ones that were still out and put the updated versions were out there.

And of course later had that iconic photograph of uh, Truman taken on the back of a railroad car after the election where he's holding one of those up.

So it's an incredible piece of American politi-ana And it is in fact complete and original.

Uh, have you ever had a current value placed on this?

GUEST: I have not, I've no idea what it's worth, I just, I think it's pretty cool.

ROSS: Well it is and it's something that, being such a historic newspaper, the values continue to go up because there are demands.

I would put a value, being complete and considering the condition that it is in, uh a value somewhere between $3,500 and $5,000.

GUEST: Wow.

ROSS: Today, so you actually made a very good investment.

Now my recommendation to you would be to be able to store it in acid free envelope or backing, because these newspapers of the 20th century were made out of wood pulp.

And the wood pulp is highly acidic, so it's very important to how you be able to store the newspaper.

And it's getting to the point now where it might be worth being able to put in the hands of a conservator, there are processes that they can use to be able to neutralize the acidity that is in the wood pulp, that's the whole thing, that's why newspapers over a period of time began to turn yellow.

GUEST: Mm-hm.

ROSS: So it, now they're at the price that could be worth to be able to look, investigating into that, at least having an acid fee, free container to be able to keep it in.

GUEST: Cause right now I don't, it's just in a plastic bag.

ROSS: I saw what you had it in so I gotta smack your hands, and say... and say, "this is worth taking the extra step to really take care of it".

GUEST: And we have no idea how many of this is actually out there?

ROSS: No I don't know if anybody's ever done an inventory of them, but they do sell.

And I was just a quick look that I was taking, a number the dealers that had them they were already marked sold.

GUEST: Wow.

ROSS: So getting up into the element about $4,500 to $5,000.

In fact I know a dealer just sold one for $5,000.

So it's a great piece of Americana, you made a good investment, and I want to thank you for bringing it in and sharing it with uh, the show and our audience.

GUEST: Well I'm glad I could be that person that brought it in after 11 years.

ROSS: Finally after all this time, thank you.

(inaudible studio chatter).

ALLAN: Welcome to Chesapeake Collectibles, what did you bring us?

GUEST: I bought two items, uh, first item that I have is an autographed picture of Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown.

It's authenticated.

And the other one is a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth card.

I got them both at a consignment shop, I guess you could call it consignment, it was a junk shop, uh in Annapolis Maryland, uh, under a pile of stuff.

And I dug through, I saw these two items and I said "couldn't be" and I thought, "I got to have it" so I bought them both.

ALLAN: Right, and when you got the photograph it already had the certificate of authentication?

GUEST: Yes.

ALLAN: And when you found the card, did you ask the proprietor where he got the card from, by any chance?

GUEST: Yes, he told me that they came from a gentleman that he had done business with before, that had been a collector for over 40 years.

And had just decided he want to get rid of all his stuff that he had, and some of the stuff he didn't know what he had, he just piled it up over the years, brought it in, piled it there.

ALLAN: And people at the, your junk shop, right, didn't do any research, or any curiosity to know what they had?

GUEST: No.

ALLAN: They just put it indiscriminately out on the floor, and you walked in?

GUEST: These two items were with dolls.

ALLAN: With dolls?

GUEST: With dolls.

ALLAN: Okay, I can't make that connection, you can explain that to me.

GUEST: I can't.

ALLAN: Okay, well let's start with the photograph.

GUEST: Okay.

ALLAN: This is an iconic photograph of Jim Brown and Muhammad Ali.

For years, the market always had the um, two signatures for sale anywhere in the vicinity of about $1,000 to $1200.

With the, with Jim Brown's recent passing, this becomes a new landscape of value which really hasn't been established yet.

So considering that we would have to reappraise the item for that purpose.

Now the Babe Ruth card is, explain this card is a Goudey card, it's number 161 of 240.

It has its backup documentation here, and it is never been graded, which is very important.

Now, I'm looking at this card and determining it in the mid-range grading of maybe five to seven and that's just by sight.

I haven't taken it out of the acetate, so I don't know if there's any minimal damage to it, but it looks pretty clean here.

So, without it being graded, I would appraise it for a specific level.

But once you got it graded, I would change that price.

So before I give you those prices, how much did you pay for both items?

(laughing).

GUEST: For the, the photograph I paid $60.

ALLAN: Mm-hm.

GUEST: For the Babe Ruth, I paid $25.

ALLAN: Well you did very, very well.

Your junk shop is really a treasure chest.

GUEST: I'm going back.

ALLAN: You better!

Okay, and take me with you.

So let's, the photograph, the photograph in the future is probably going to be marketed probably for minimum of $2,000, as they come back up for sale with the double signature, both deceased.

Where that value will wind up is for the market to establish.

And that's basically uh, a seller's market to begin with, and then it'll become a buyer's market as more come out.

The Babe Ruth card, without grading, I would price for about $1,000.

What you should go get this graded, because if this grades anywhere from 5 to 8 in a point of 10, it's probably worth between six... $3,000 and $7,000.

GUEST: Wow.

ALLAN: So considering your what $85 investment, you potentially are looking at somewhere in the vicinity of about $10,000 if you have a high grade on that, and the market generates interest in the double signature.

So thanks for coming and uh, take me, please take me to the shop.

GUEST: No charge, I'll come and get you.

ALLAN: No I'll, I'll give you commission.

GUEST: Thank you so much, I appreciate it.

ALLAN: Thank you.

(inaudible studio chatter).

KATHLEEN: Hi!

Thank you so much for coming in and bringing these two pieces to me.

I am so excited to hear all about them.

I hear we have a really interesting story about them, why don't you tell me who this handsome man is?

GUEST: Here he is!

KATHLEEN: You?

And how old are you in the, in the painting?

GUEST: I think I was about ten?

KATHLEEN: Ten?

Wow!

And tell me about the artist.

GUEST: The artist is David Park... KATHLEEN: Okay, out of California.

GUEST: Who was a very well-known uh, artist and this was, uh... it was uh, my dad who suggested that he do a painting, because he was sick and they wanted to give him some money, and make sure that he could uh continue to do his artwork, etc.

KATHLEEN: And he ended up passing away quite young, didn't he?

GUEST: Yes he did.

GUEST: Yeah, he died... right, he died in I think '60 you said, um 1960.

KATHLEEN: 1960, 1911 to 1960.

So, how did your dad come to know such a famous artist?

GUEST: Uh, because he lived in Berkeley California, and that's where the artist lived, and they were friends, and so it was, my dad was in academia he was a professor of English, and so all part of sort of the college scene.

GUEST: The University of Berk... of California at Berkeley.

KATHLEEN: How fabulous.

And how did you feel about um, the portrait when it was done?

GUEST: Not so great.

(laughing).

KATHLEEN: I love it!

GUEST: And the person who was even more disturbed was my dad.

KATHLEEN: Oh!

GUEST: He did a picture of both my sister and myself and he was told go for it with me.

My sister was a little more vain, she was teenager, and so that's what he came up with.

And my dad was not so thrilled when he saw it.

But now that we see it... KATHLEEN: And now that you know, you know all of his work that he was able to produce in his portraiture and his figured, figurative works, like now you're like "oh that's actually very beautiful".

GUEST: Well it is totally his style, where his sisters was... softened.

KATHLEEN: So you have the more authentic piece.

GUEST: Yes, and if you look at the, uh... KATHLEEN: Right, which brings us over here to this drawing, this story is so amazing.

So if I'm correct the artist did this drawing to thank your father.

GUEST: That is correct.

KATHLEEN: Can you tell me who these people are, and then especially explain to me the portrait of you that's depicted in this drawing.

GUEST: Well, because my dad was so upset, he did a picture of me as a bunny uh, rabbit and, and she was to look very beautiful.

KATHLEEN: Right.

And your, your father thought that this portrait that the artist had made you look like you had rabbit ears, right?

GUEST: Exactly.

KATHLEEN: Right, and so the artist kind of took that and ran with it.

GUEST: Exactly.

A great artist, a great friend to the family, and we helped him out during a difficult period where he needed some, uh, financial assistance.

KATHLEEN: And that's just such an amazing story it's so nice to hear that.

Well have you ever had them appraised or evaluated before or...?

GUEST: No.

KATHLEEN: Well, in today's market I would predict that these would have an auction estimate of around $125,000.

GUEST: That's lovely.

GUEST: That's, that's worth more than I am!

KATHLEEN: Well and of course the story and the um, sentimentality of it is worth more than that.

GUEST: But if you were separating them, this is just a drawing by David Park, does it have any particular um... KATHLEEN: Um, well his drawings do have some value in the thousands.

What makes it such an attractive set is the story, I would never separate them.

GUEST: Yeah, no, we wouldn't either.

KATHLEEN: Well that was just such a fun story, and thank you so much, I really loved seeing them.

GUEST: You're welcome.

KATHLEEN: Thank you so much for bringing them in.

They're amazing.

GUEST: Thank you.

(inaudible studio chatter).

ROSS: I'd like to welcome you to the show, you brought in one of the most interesting groupings that we have had on the show relating to the Civil War, and particularly exciting that it relates to Maryland.

And what did you bring in?

GUEST: Yes sir, I brought in a uh, Civil War registry and a diary.

I own a building in Havre de Grace, and it was their father's, uh diary and he had lost it during the Civil War.

And it was picked up by a soldier from the other side, and continued with and when he got shot um, somebody picked, took it off his body, and some a reporter in Ohio ended up with it, and then sent it back to the Pidcock family.

So that, that's how I ended up with it is, is I've got a business up in Havre de Grace, Maryland and this is where this is from, is Hartford County Maryland.

And they had this store from 1918 to 1988, and I now have the business.

ROSS: And so they came and gave you the, the diary?

GUEST: Yes sir, it's sort of on temporary permanent loan.

ROSS: Well this is a story that, I've seen a lot of diaries, lot of letters but uh, because that was a really literate era for diaries and for letters to be written.

But I've never seen a story like this.

The company H was in the 11th Maryland regiment, had been part of the second Eastern Shore regiment, and they actually saw action in July of the Battle of Falling Waters in Virginia.

So going through his diary would be interesting to be able to get it all transcribed to what's in there.

But amazing that he lost the diary, then had a confederate soldier, an officer, pick up the diary and if I recall I think his name was in there, other than...

GUEST: It's Lieutenant Ashley.

ROSS: Lieutenant Ashley, which is another story and so he gets killed, and another Union soldier picks up the diary, and takes it home with him.

And he made some inscriptions into it I believe as well.

GUEST: Yes sir.

ROSS: But it ends up back in Ohio.

Must have taken it to that local newspaper the Bee, showed it to the editors, and they decided since the address of the original owner was in there to seek him out and return the diary to him.

GUEST: Yes sir.

And we even have the letters and correspondence from the gentleman at the Bee, back to the family.

ROSS: Oh well it's, it's definitely unprecedented story for a diary that I've ever heard of.

Have you ever had it all appraised?

GUEST: Oh now sir, that's, that's why I'm here just to find out more about the history and what it may be worth.

I know it's priceless to the family and to me.

ROSS: Sure, and with the potential for some doing some more research on it as well.

These regimental registers are very popular, particularly amongst those who collect uh, Maryland related Civil War material.

You have listed in there everybody was in the regiment and what happened to him.

So those themselves can sell for generally about the $400 to $600 or more, depending on what the regiment is, go from there.

Depending if it was a regiment that saw a lot of fighting action the price could go up uh, on that.

Uh, the diary is what an incredibly unique story it is.

I would place a value on that probably at least $2,500 to $3,500.

And as we could get in and transcribe it, maybe there'd be more of the story of what his experiences of what he's writing about and all that, so I would encourage you to do that.

GUEST: I have it all scanned.

ROSS: Okay, good.

To be able to get that transcribed, and to find out the story of the confederate soldier who was killed, whose body it was taken off.

That it just just amazed me we've had a couple good diaries on the show and I just said never ever seen anything like this.

So I got to thank you very much for, for uh bringing it in.

And you know we should hopefully have the rest of the story as it unfolds with doing some more work with this.

GUEST: I will try and get it sir.

All together.

Thank you very much.

(inaudible studio chatter).

PATRICK: Hello, and welcome to Chesapeake Collectibles, thank you for coming in today.

GUEST: Hi, Patrick thanks for having me.

I appreciate it.

PATRICK: What can you tell us about what you brought in today?

GUEST: Well I'll tell you what I know, uh, and it's, it's quite a bit really.

This, this piece goes way, way, way back in my mother's family.

Her maiden name was Scott.

We grew up in Darlington, Maryland which is Harford County, and she grew up in a home, an octagonal home that was built from a clipper ship.

PATRICK: Oh wow.

GUEST: It was, the ship was disassembled in the Baltimore Harbor and the lumber from it was transported up to Darlington and assembled into an eight-sided house.

And it's on, as I say it's on the Maryland Historic Registry.

This object, the sword has been in that home ever since I was born, really and way, way, way... and I'm 76 years old so that's a long time.

The home is still in our family but that as I say, when I, and I might say I spent the first six years of my life living in that home.

This sword I viewed every day, it was hanging on the wall above a door.

And we, I know that it goes back somewhere into the mid-1800s.

Uh, on the Scott side of the family one of my ancestors was a captain uh, of a ship.

He sailed in the Pacific we're pretty sure about that.

And from what we've been able to gather with, with your help actually, this kind of a object comes from the Gilbert Islands down in the South Pacific, Southwestern Pacific.

PATRICK: Correct.

GUEST: And so, that's kinda where it is, you know, and my memory doesn't go back any further than that.

PATRICK: Very good.

Well you brought in quite an unusual piece today, something that you don't really see out of the norm.

And you're correct about the Gilbert Islands.

The Gilbert Islands are north of Australia about 2,800 miles.

And when we saw this today we are trying to figure out what the uniqueness of it and, and what it could have been used for.

And after doing quite a bit of research we found out that what you got here is a Gilbert's Island tribal ceremonial sword, made out of shark tooth.

And you see how sharp the shark teeth are and what they used it for was they used the shark teeth to rake over their targets.

And they did this in tribal ceremonials in order to prove their strength and their honor.

GUEST: Wow.

PATRICK: So, the shark teeth are held on by leather that they would used around on the islands and what's unique about this is, is it has three blades on it.

So you have the single blade coming over here, and you have a double blade coming down here, and then of course you have the overall long blade there.

So there's a lot of shark teeth on this.

GUEST: There sure are.

PATRICK: And you know, and the thing that's kind of really interesting to me about this is the the fact that they used a bone handle on it.

A lot of the ones that I saw were wooden.

Now this one here is scrimshawled.

On this side over here you actually have trees and huts...

GUEST: You do.

PATRICK: And on this side over here you actually have an island man walking away from the scene.

So it makes me believe this was for somebody very important.

GUEST: Wow.

PATRICK: Because the overall length and the size of it, and all the characteristics it has, it's kind of out of the norm for that type of time period.

And you're correct, this would have been in the mid 1850s, 1860s when this would have been made.

It's kind of intriguing that you said that your relative was actually a ship's Captain, then maybe he acquired that...

GUEST: I think so, I plan on researching that more myself.

I have a cousin who actually, first cousin who actually lives in the house now, the octagonal house.

She's done extensive research on the Scott family, and I'm sure that I can gain some more information from her.

PATRICK: Absolutely.

GUEST: And kind of nail this thing down, moreso than what I, what I already know about it.

PATRICK: Well it's really unique, as we said before the overall size of it, and with the way the handle is.

And it's really nothing you can really compare it to, and it's not something you're going to find normal in the market today.

In your travels have you ever had this looked at or appraised before?

GUEST: No, we never have.

PATRICK: Never have.

GUEST: We never have, huh.

PATRICK: Well the uniqueness of it and the size of it, I would put it in the estimation in that $3,500 to $5,500 range.

GUEST: Fantastic.

PATRICK: You truly have a great piece there and I look forward to hopefully and you find out more information about it and ties to your relationship.

GUEST: Well thank you, it'll stay in the family it's not going any place.

PATRICK: I love to hear that, that's great.

GUEST: For sure.

PATRICK: Very interesting, we appreciate you bringing it in today.

GUEST: Well thank you Patrick, myself and my family appreciate it very much.

PATRICK: Thank you, nice having you.

GUEST: Thanks, appreciate it.

ROSS: Next time on Chesapeake Collectibles.

P RAAB CHRISTHILF: I don't need to ask you what you brought today because we can see them right next to us.

ED MORINO: This set is even more interesting, because you have two pieces that are from one maker, in other words the pourer and the teapot is made by Van Buren, out of New York, and then this one is... the sugar is made by Bailey.

GUEST: Well first of all, I brought a picture of my father, professional photographer Jack Kennedy, he ran Kennedy Studio in Frederick, Maryland.

And he took this picture in May of 1960, when John F Kennedy was running for president in the Maryland primary.

GUEST: Going through his materials I just have hundreds of documents and hundreds of photographs, and it covers the entire Martin Luther King Civil Rights era.

Rosa Parks uh, Bernard Lee uh, Jesse Jackson just, just... Dr Joseph Lowry, there's just so many photographs and information.

GUEST: I brought a signed baseball from all the New York Yankees, and a complete 1956 Topps baseball card collection and an almost complete 1957 Topps baseball collection, it's just missing two cards.

ALLAN: Which cards are they missing?

GUEST: Uh, Jackie Robinson and Sandy Koufax.

ALLAN: Oh, pretty important people, but you know, a nice collection of material.

How did you come in possession of this material?

NARRATOR: Major funding was provided by, Alex Cooper Auctioneers, since 1924 has been serving the Mid-Atlantic states, featuring monthly gallery antique auction sales, our staff can assist clients with the disposition of their valued possessions.

Alex Cooper Auctioneers.

GUEST: Well I learned first of all, contrary to what my wife said, that they're both worth something.

They're, both were authentic.

GUEST: What I learned about this item is that I have not been taking care of it properly, and that I need to conserve it.

GUEST: This was a blast, so many people, the different appraisers, very friendly.

This was a great atmosphere, I love it.

GUEST: It was fun.

Um, and it's interesting to see how it works from the inside.

GUEST: Oh my gosh yes I mean it's just been a wonderful experience.

GUEST: I can tell you that I paid $769 for this back in the day, it's was now in the $3,000 to $5,000 range, kind of liking that!