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(C) MBN 2006 William Hoehne

Rocks Star at Bonhams & Butterfields

Natural History Auction Brings

Nearly $2-Million on December 3 in Los Angeles

Collectors expressed tremendous interest in the December 3, 2006 Natural History sale at Bonhams & Butterfields Los Angeles salesrooms, breaking auction records and setting a precedent for sales in this category. The Bonhams & Butterfields auction brought $1,991,587 for fine fossils, minerals, gold nuggets, lapidary works of art, meteorites, amber, jewelry, gemstones and archeological artifacts. 

The standing room only saleroom was filled with bidders and buyers from around the globe. We were pleased to offer such a strong selection of unique and rare items, said Tom Lindgren, Bonhams & Butterfields consulting director of Natural History. He added, “The sale featured rare and unusual examples of the newest and the oldest collecting categories on Earth -- stemming from noted institutional and private collections. 

International interest was sparked by the eclectic and spectacular array of items along with one-of-a-kind collections including a famous group of gold nuggets dubbed ˜The Gold Nugget Collection from the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada and the Levi Smith Mineral Collection, which featured rare 1880s azurite and malachite specimens from Bisbee and Morenci, Arizona said consulting gemologist Claudia Florian, G.J.G

The December 3 sale opened with lots from the Levi Smith Mineral Collection  one of the most significant institutional de-accessions of a mineral collection to be offered at auction for many decades. The collection, which sold for more than $256,000, had been donated to a Pennsylvania school district by Smith, a major player in the oil business in the late 19^th century. Bidding exceeded estimates on many lots catalogued by the auctioneers as superb examples of their type. A large and stunning Bisbee, Arizona malachite specimen covered in a rich velvety layer of minute crystals sold above estimate for $14,340 while a pair of malachite specimens richly sprinkled with azurite crystals nearly doubled its estimate to bring $11,353.

-News stories across the globe inspired interest in a spectacular 65-million year old Raptorid dinosaur egg nest – displaying the greatest number of extent raptor egg embryos ever offered at auction. The nest sold for $419,750, far above the pre-sale estimate of $180,000 to $220,000, and setting an at-auction world record price for a dino nest. Other fossils brought strong prices: a lower Jurassic sea lily, found in Germany, features three distinct intertwined individuals – which appear to be a plant, but are in fact an animal -- a distant relative of todays starfish and sea urchin (sold for $44,813); a spectacular Jurassic fish fossil, Lepidotus elvensis, measures 38-inches in length and displays beautifully preserved scales and skull bones (sold for $26,888); and an ancient fossil turtle from Wyomings Green River formation is forever trapped in limestone with two other fish fossils (sold for $56,763).

One of the most famous and recognizable collections of gold in the United States  dubbed the Golden Nugget Collection, brought $227,250. The 32-piece collection included several nuggets with quartz inclusions as well as several “named nuggets acquired from noted prospectors who worked the creeks and rivers of Alaska during the mid-20^th century. A collector paid $117,250 for an 84 ozt highly three-dimensional gold nugget from Western Australia and several other gold nuggets sold after competitive bidding. Unmounted stones and jewelry were offered late in the sale with multiple lots selling to strong bidding. A suite of emerald nugget jewelry brought $32, 863, comprising a necklace, bracelet and ear pendants -- altogether 850 carats of emeralds mined from Columbia. 

A beautiful butterfly brooch expertly crafted of 18k yellow gold and featuring 49 carats of gem-quality spinels and 1.5 carats of brilliant-cut white diamonds and natural yellow diamonds attracted interest from multiple bidders to sell for $31,668. 

Lapidary works of art included exquisite carvings from masters of their craft such as an Oregon contra luz opal carving titled Aurora Borealis Over Mt. Ranier by Thomas Harth Ames which brought $20,315 and a Gerd Dreher carving in Morganite and green Beryl of a toad, which sold above estimate for $12,548. 

As long-time pioneers of these sales, the Natural History Department at Bonhams & Butterfields has celebrated the extraordinary while expanding the spectrum of offerings beyond the strict association with million-year old remnants of plant and animal life or rough mineral specimens, to consign rare and unique objects d'art, exquisite jewelry and wearable gemstones as well as exceptional dcor within the departments sales. The departments next auction is slated for May of 2007.

Holiday Entertainment Memorabilia Auction in LA Features
Rare Collectibles from Superstars of Stage and Screen

Live from the Sunset Strip, a star-studded line-up of vintage and
contemporary TV, film and rock memorabilia from pop culture icons and
groundbreaking artists comes to auction at Bonhams & Butterfields in
mid-December.    Rare glimpses into the private lives of superstars include: a
Marilyn Monroe handwritten note to Marlon Brando and his telegram in
response; Judy Garland¡¦s never-before heard first recording session; an
Orson Welles Xmas card drawing; stage-played guitars; an Emmy"µ and
multiple Gold Records¡K

Who:    Bonhams & Butterfields, the premier West Coast auctioneers

What:   Preview the Entertainment Memorabilia and Rock n¡¦ Roll
Collectibles, as well as Classic Animation Art and Vintage Film Posters

Where:  Bonhams & Butterfields, 7601 Sunset Blvd. (at Curson)

Auction highlights include:  1937 Disney animation cel from Snow White &
the Seven Dwarfs (est. $4,000/6,000) as well as cels from Cinderella,
Bambi and more; Jane Russell on huge six-sheet poster for The Outlaw
(est. $15,000/20,000); Marilyn Monroe¡¦s handwritten note to Marlon
Brando and his telegrammed response (est. $5,000/7,000); the only-known
copies of records from Judy Garland¡¦s first recording session (est.
$30,000/40,000); an incredible 1944 book with hundreds of celeb
autographs from the Hollywood Canteen (est. $15,000/20,000); Warren
Beatty love letters circa late 1950s (est. $3/5,000); much more¡K      
-End-

Fan websites and Internet blogs devoted to the legendary Judy Garland have been buzzing as of late - chat about existence of what insiders call "The Lost Judy Recordings" is now being confirmed as auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields announce the pending sale of a remarkable pair of 1935 acetate (or shellac) discs from the first-ever recording session of a then-12-year-old who would become a world famous superstar.

The two records, created in a recording studio in Hollywood in March of 1935, feature never-released renditions of songs sung by Judy Garland in her early Vaudeville shows - including the torch song Bill, from the Broadway musical Showboat. Garland's Vaudeville era spanned from 1924 to 1935, and her dramatic rendition of Bill was memorable as it presented the then little Frances Gumm perched on a piano with just a tight spotlight on her face. Cheers would follow the performance after the spotlight broadened to reveal that a child had sung the song and not an adult woman. No known childhood recording of Bill by Judy Garland exists outside of the recordings to be offered on December 17 at Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles.

Margaret Barrett, director of Bonhams & Butterfields' Entertainment Memorabilia Dept., places a value of $30,000 to $40,000 on the pair of records and said, "they were thought to have been destroyed or erased; the versions of the particular songs on these discs have never-before been heard by the public."

According to Scott Schechter's book, Judy Garland: The Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Legend [2002/2006], that March 1935 session marked the first time Garland was ever in a recording studio in Hollywood - quite an historic day. She was accompanied to the - studio by her mother, Ethel Gumm, who also played the piano as Judy sang. It is believed that Garland made a third recording on that day, Moonglow, with her sisters (professionally known as The Gumm Sisters), but only these two discs have surfaced; the other recording is still thought to be lost (as these were until now). Schechter has heard the discs and notes that "it is obvious that even at the age of 12, Judy Garland was magical all on her own -- before MGM. 'Bill' is especially thrilling, and the experience of hearing this performance is something the listener will keep with them forever. These first-ever Garland records are pure, priceless, and true show business history."

It is also unclear if these particular discs are the original records pressed that day, or if they were pressed later for Garland's own personal library. The records were discovered in material destined for the trash bins as a family cleared out a Beverly Hills home formerly inhabited years before by Garland herself. The woman, who as a young girl, found them in 1960, has held on to the discs for more than 40-years, understanding that Judy Garland records might have some value.

The first disc has a green label inscribed "Recordings Incorporated / Studio / 5505 Melrose, Hollywood, Calif." with handwritten notations in black ink which read "Bill / Just My Bill [crossed out] / Judy Garland / at 11 yrs" [though she was actually 12 years old at the time]. The second disc has a similar green label with handwritten notations in black ink reading "Good Ship Lollypop / Object of My Affections / Dinah / by / Judy Garland; this disc records Garland singing a medley of the three songs noted on the label.

These rare Garland records will be offered to bidders during the Entertainment Memorabilia auction to be held in the Sunset Blvd salesrooms of Bonhams & Butterfields, the world's third largest fine arts auctioneers. The sale will include TV, film and stage collectibles and memorabilia, vintage film posters and rock & roll material. The property will be exhibited for the public during the preview days beginning Friday, Dec. 15, continuing daily from 10am-5pm until Dec 17 and the 10am start of the auction.

International fine arts auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields are pleased to announce the sale of The Leithold Legacy Part Three: the continuation of a series of sales of property from the Louis Leithold Collection of vintage movie posters - all to be sold without reserve. This segment of the collector's property contains a number of titles spanning the history of cinema from the silent era to the contemporary blockbuster. Pieces from the noted educator, author and dealer will be offered following the sale of Entertainment Memorabilia in Los Angeles on December 17, 2006.

Louis Leithold was a major figure in national High School Advanced Placement (AP) circles, known not only for his workshops for AP calculus teachers, but also for the development of the textbook credited with revolutionizing the methods of mathematical study -- "The Calculus 7". Passing away just days before his calculus class at Malibu High School was to take the AP calculus exam, his 16 students vowed to honor their long-time teacher. Fourteen students received 5s --the highest possible score on a five-point scale-- while two earned 4s. It was the best performance of any class taught by Leithold, who, at 72-years of age, began teaching at Malibu High in 1998.

Leithold was a mentor to many math teachers, including Jaime Escalante, made famous when portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the film "Stand and Deliver." Escalante gained recognition for his success teaching calculus to inner city students. The legacy of Liethold lives on through his students, publications, teachings and collection of rare Hollywood memorabilia.

Although he was most famous as an author and a professor, many knew Leithold as a poster dealer. His love of movie poster art began in the 1950s, when he owned the Kiva, a movie theater in Scottsdale, Arizona, frequented at the time by a young Steven Spielberg.

In later years he founded and ran the Cinema Poster Gallery, selling vintage Hollywood posters to some of the best-known collectors in the country. In addition, Leithold also owned a contemporary art gallery in the 1960s and 1970s, and was a representative for artist Stanley William Hayter, among others.

A collector, connoisseur and dealer, Leithold focused on classic Hollywood cinema, including the genres of film -- noir, musicals, comedy, drama, westerns, and science fiction/horror. "Without a doubt, The Leithold Collection is one of the finest single-owner poster sales to come to auction in recent history. No film-lover can fail to be impressed with Louis' inventory; and this selection of lots are perfect for any collector." said Margaret Barrett, Director of the Entertainment Memorabilia Department

Selected highlights from part III of the Louis Leithold Collection (all to be sold without reserve) include posters from noted films such as: Breakfast at Tiffany's, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Dial M for Murder, In a Lonely Place, Rear Window, Notorious, The Shining, Meet John Doe, Laura, The Awful Truth and The Lady from Shanghai among countless others (estimates range from $25 to $3,000).

Preview events are scheduled for December 14-16 in Los Angeles.

The Silver Screen Shines Brightly

at Bonhams & Butterfields Holiday Auction of Entertainment Memorabilia in LA

Live from the Sunset Strip, Bonhams & Butterfields, the world's third largest auction house, is cueing up for a premier, star-studded line-up of vintage and contemporary film and rock memorabilia from pop culture icons and ground-breaking artists -- to be offered to the highest bidders on Sunday, December 17, 2006 in Los Angeles.

· A Marilyn Monroe handwritten note to Marlon Brando and his return telegram to her

A short note penciled on two pages of light blue notepaper from the 'Los Angeles Institute for Psychoanalysis'; evidently scribed for a later telegram, the text reads in part: Dear Marlon / I need your opinion about a plan... please phone me as soon as possible Time is of the essence / Marilyn. Also included is Brando's Western Union telegram response, dated 1962 Jan 13 1:06, it reads in part: Tried to reach you by fone [sic] must leave city this weekend / sorry / Marlon." The pair of communications is expected to fetch $5,000 - $7,000.

· A Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller signed wedding day gift to their Rabbi

A signed record album jacket gifted to the officiant of Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller's religious wedding ceremony. The jacket (disc missing) is from Arthur Miller's record album titled Arthur Miller Reading from The Crucible and Death of a Salesman. It is signed and inscribed on the verso in blue ballpoint ink by the playwright as well as by his new bride who signed as "Marilyn Monroe Miller." According to Entertainment Memorabilia Dept. director Margaret Barrett, "This is quite likely the first time Marilyn ever signed her name this way."

The signee, Bob Goldberg was Rabbi Robert Goldberg who performed the religious ceremony for the couple two days after they were legally married in a civil service on June 29, 1956. Interestingly, Monroe also signed her Certificate of Conversion to Judaism that same day (as did Goldberg) but because she converted before the ceremony, it reads only 'Marilyn Monroe' without the added 'Miller.' This signed album jacket is housed in a specially-made black cloth display case with gold embossing on the cover reading "Marilyn Monroe / Arthur Miller." (est. $6,000/7,000).

· Ava Gabor, Green Acres

A collection of Eva Gabor personally-owned scripts from the 1960s CBS Television series Green Acres stems originally from the actress' own estate. The group includes 20 volumes beautifully bound in forest green leather with gold embossing on each cover reading "Green Acres / Eva Gabor," encompassing the complete scripts from every episode of the series (except its last year of 1971). Each book has further embossing on spine noting the particular year and volume number 1965-1966 / Volume I. (est. $1,000/1,500). When Gabor passed away in 1995, these bound scripts went to her friend and manager Raymond Katz, whose widow has consigned them to this auction. Other Green Acres lots on offer include an Eva Gabor dress from the series (est. $3/500). The two-piece ensemble consists of a sheath dress made of whitish-silver silk brocade fabric and matching jacket adorned with fancy rhinestone-encrusted buttons; worn on the comedy series by the actress as she portrayed Park Avenue princess Lisa Douglas.

· Mary Ford's World Famous War Time Eatery - The Hollywood Canteen

From the property of Dan Ford, grandson of award winning director John Ford, comes The Hollywood Canteen 1944 datebook. Gifted to Ford by his grandmother, Mary Ford, wife of director John Ford, the book takes a page straight from the history book of Tinsel Town itself.

The Hollywood Canteen [located at 1451 Cahuenga Boulevard in Los Angeles] was a wonderful institution supported by both film studios and celebrities alike. It was a place where the average soldier, sailor, airman, or marine could meet, visit with, dance with, or be entertained by some of the most prominent movie stars and musicians of the World War II era. Ford's grandmother, one of the organizers of the Canteen [along with co-founders Bette Davis and John Garfield] collected the names of celebrities each day that she arrived to volunteer. Her book is more than an autograph collection, it is a snapshot of daily life during an entire year, 1944, when America was at war and Hollywood did everything it could to help the troops. Mary Ford's efforts for The Hollywood Canteen are documented in Pappy: The Life of John Ford, a 1979 biography Dan Ford wrote about his grandfather.

The red leather datebook, embossed on the cover "Hollywood Canteen / Mary Ford / 1944" was compiled by Ms. Ford herself, virtually every page in this book has been autographed by a veritable "who's who" of Hollywood. Estimated to bring $15,000 - $20,000, the guestbook is signed by: Bud Abbott, Gracie Allen, Desi Arnaz & Lucille Ball, Lionel Barrymore, Anne Baxter, Jack Benny, Ingrid Bergman, Mel Blanc, Ray Bolger, George Burns, Rod Cameron, Eddie Cantor, Kitty Carlisle, Jack Carson, Charles Coburn, Ronald Colman, Perry Como, Lou Costello, Joan Crawford, Bing Crosby, George Cukor, Bette Davis, Yvonne DeCarlo, Betty Grable, Sidney Greenstreet, and countless others.

· The Outlaw

One of only three known six-sheet posters from Howard Hughes Production's The Outlaw (1943) to have come up for auction, this particular poster, approximately 84 x 84-inches, is slightly bigger than a standard six-sheet. Obtained by the original owner in the late 1940s, the poster has been kept folded in its original separate panels and is estimated to fetch between $15,000 and $20,000.

· A Charlton Heston costume from the Academy Award^® winning film Ben-Hur

The costume is comprised of a knee-length brown nubby cotton tunic with decorative embroidery around the collar, cuffs, and hem; interior label reads "C. Heston" handwritten on top portion; together with a brown, rust and yellow striped nubby cotton cloak and an entwined cord sash, est. $5/7,000). Heston is first seen wearing this ensemble when he visits the Valley of the Lepers to see his mother and sister and remains in the ensemble for a good portion of the remainder of the film, including the major scene when he walks away from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Ben-Hur held a nearly 40-year record for winning the most Academy Awards^® (eleven, including Heston's for 'Best Actor') until 1997's Titanic, which tied by also winning eleven. Included with the costume is a color still showing Heston wearing this collectible piece of Hollywood history.

· A John Entwistle signed Vox electric bass guitar likely used on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

A mahogany hollow body, maple neck with rosewood fret board and mother of pearl dot inlayed VOX electric bass guitar with brass lettering of "VOX" affixed to head, "(est. $4/6,000). It is believed that this guitar is the one used by Entwistle on the now-infamous September 17, 1967 episode of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour when The Who sang My Generation, ending the performance by literally blowing up the set. (Pete Townshend's hair even caught fire for a couple of seconds.) According to the consignor, the guitar was acquired at a charity auction a number of years ago where it was represented as having been donated by Entwistle himself, whose signature appears on the body in gold ink (evidently signed years later, for the charity auction). Images of Entwistle on the show the night of September 17, 1967, do show him playing a guitar that looks identical to this one, though the telltale "VOX" letters were hidden with a wide piece of black tape; reportedly, sponsors of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour didn't want Entwistle "advertising" his guitar brand.

Additional highlights from the December sale include: Gene Kelly's yellow wool doublet from Singin' in the Rain, 1952 (est. $3/5,000); an assortment of scripts personally-owned by Frank Nugent, the noted Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of many John Wayne and other Western films-- consigned by his son Kevin Nugent (estimates range from $500 to $2,000); a

1974 oil on board prop painting of Gene Wilder from Young Frankenstein (est. $5/6,000); a Warren Beatty archive of personal papers from his early years as a struggling actor in New York City -- including: a copy of a script from Splendor in the Grass, four signed contracts, bank statements, numerous signed and cancelled checks and never-mailed intimate letters he wrote to several people (est. $3/5,000) and 'The Lost Judy Garland Recordings' from the12-year old starlet featuring never-released renditions of songs sung by Garland in her early Vaudeville shows - including the torch song, Bill, from the Broadway musical Showboat (see separate press release).

Also on offer are a selection of classic and modern cinematic posters from the collection of noted educator and collector Louis Leithold - many to be offered without reserve.

Animation art is to be offered, with depictions of favorite Disney, Warner Bros. and Hanna Barbera characters and others. A Charles Shultz original drawing of the irascible Lucy could bring as much as $2,000 while a celluloid of Fred Flintstone's adoring wife Wilma is estimated at $400/600.

Los Angeles preview events are scheduled for December 15-17 or by appointment.

Rocks Star at Bonhams & Butterfields Sunday

Incredible Examples of Natural Wonders,

Human Evolution and Organic Design at

Bonhams & Butterfields in LA

Bonhams & Butterfields, the premier West Coast auction house, brings an eclectic and spectacular array of Natural History to auction on December 3, 2006 in Los Angeles.  The sale will feature rare and unusual examples of the newest and the oldest collecting categories on earth -- stemming from noted institutional and private collections. 

As long-time pioneers of these sales, the Natural History Department at Bonhams & Butterfields, under the guidance of Thomas Lindgren and Claudia Florian G.J.G, has, while celebrating the extraordinary, expanded the spectrum of offerings beyond the strict association with million-year old remnants of plant and animal life or rough mineral specimens, to consign rare and unique objects d'art, exquisite jewelry and wearable gemstones as well as exceptional décor within the department's sales.

Highlights from the winter 2006 sale include: the Levi Smith Mineral Collection - one of the most significant institutional de-accessions of a mineral collection to be offered at auction for many decades (est. $250/350,000); a rare 65-million year old Raptorid dinosaur egg nest - displaying the greatest number of extent raptor egg embryos ever offered at auction (est. $180/200,000); an array of significant prehistoric human artifacts including The Collection of Ed Francis; an Oregon contra luz carving titled 'Aurora Borealis' by Thomas Harth Ames (est. $20/30,000); one of the most famous and recognizable collections of gold nuggets in the United States - dubbed the "Golden Nugget Collection" as the nuggets had been on display for nearly 30-years at the famous Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada (estimate upon request) and a spinel and diamond butterfly brooch (est. $35/45,000) - one of more than 180 lots of jewelry to be sold to the highest bidders.  A wide selection of fine fossils, lapidary works of art, meteorites, amber, gemstones and archeological artifacts should attract collector interest. 

-End-

Sale 14046 - Natural History
7601 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, 3 Dec 2006

Order of Sale
8001-8120 Levi Smith Collection
8121-8157 Minerals
8158-8163 Rough and Cut
8164-8186 Native Metals including Gold and Gold-in-Quartz
8190-8210 Amber
8211-8234 Archaeological Artifacts
8235-8242 Meteorites
8243-8249 Curiosities
8250-8265 Seth Haber Collection
8266-8360 Fossils
8370-8388 Décor and Objects D’art
8395-8435 Lapidary Works of Art
8390-8394 Carvings
8440-8620 Jewelry, Pearls and Unmounted Gemstones