Sale 14244 – The Private World of Truman Capote. New York, 9 Nov 2006.
| Three hundred-plus piece collection belonging to Joanne Carson to be offered at auction by Bonhams New York
Twenty-two years after his untimely passing in 1984, his name still commands attention, interest and excitement, inspiring the recent 2005 film Capote, featuring an Academy Award®-winning performance, and the upcoming feature film Infamous due out in October. The Truman Capote collection consists of hundreds of items providing a unique and fascinating insight into the life and character of the man. Highlights include the tuxedo worn in 1966 to his famous Black and White Ball at The Plaza Hotel; his personal pair of ice skates; the intriguing collage boxes he created in the early 1980s; needlepoint pillows; Baccarat glass; as well as books, prints, photographs, manuscripts, jewelry and furniture. |
The catalog describes a varied collection of stuff including scraps of paper with notes, postcards addressed (mainly) to Joanne Carson, ex-wife of Johnny Carson and longtime friend of TC’s, his passport, his MasterCard, clothes, ephemera, memorabilia, sketches, paintings, silver, pillows, cigars and suitcases.
Lot No: 1104. Ed Ruscha. Dish, (E. 67), 1973
Lithograph printed on Rives paper, signed in pencil, dated and numbered 32/250, with the blindstamp of the publisher, Cirrus Editions, Los Angeles, printed by Ed Hamilton, with full margins, in apparently excellent condition, framed (not examined out of the frame). 10 x 13 1/2in sheet
I’d love it, but Estimate: $1,000 – 1,500.
I’d also love the copy of A signed Esquire magazine featuring “La Côte Basque 1965″.
“La Côte Basque 1965″ was the short story that promised a peek at what Capote intended to do with ANSWERED PRAYERS. That peek caused his high society friends to break off long-lived friendships and snub him for the rest of his life for being a gossip and a tale monger.
The catalog itself has bits of quotes from Capote and from people who knew Capote that don’t show up on the Web site.
An interesting quote from Aileen Mehle reads,
When I went to stay with him in Palm Springs, he was writing ANSWERED PRAYERS, the shocking book I thought ruined his life. “Want a peek?” he asked me one night after a few margaritas, showing me what he had written in his crabbed little hand on a yellow legal pad. Describing Henri Soule, the famous New York restauranteur whose chic establishment La Côte Basque (which figured in ANSWERED PRAYERS) drew the tippy-top elite of the city, he had called him “a fat pink marzipan pig”. “My God, Truman,” I said, “You can’t do that. Soule is still alive. You go to his restaurant all the time.” “Never mind,” said Truman, “a writer writes what he thinks, knows and feels. He’s given a special license.” And that, as we all know was that.
Indeed.
If you’re planning to bid on any of the lots, be sure to take the added Important Notice under advisement.
| Buyers of property lots offered in this catalog will not acquire any copyright, intellectual property, publicity or similar rights in the property (including without limitation the artwork, photographs, books and manuscripts being offered) or in the images or likenesses that may be contained therein. Accordingly, buyers of lots may not publish, reproduce, distribute or create derivative works of any such property without the prior consent of the holders of such rights.
Please note that Truman Capote’s personal wardrobe lots are in various states of condition. As with all lots offered at auction, we recommend that potential auction participants request detailed condition reports before bidding. The Truman Capote Literary Trust is neither a participant nor sponsor of this sale. |