July 2, 1999
Greetings Accumulators!
Back from the tropics of East Texas. I don't have to tell you what it was
hotter than! For those of you who watched Good Morning America yesterday,
I hope you enjoyed it. It sounds as if you did. When I got back last
night, there were more than 700 emails, and more are coming in all the
time. If you wrote to me and haven't received a personal reply, I
apologize. I was overwhelmed! I'm going to try to respond to some
questions that seemed to be common threads:
The man named Don who had the apartment-sized oak icebox paid $425 for it.
The segment was short because, as is the norm with live news programs, things happen that take up time originally allotted to other things. The uncertainty is actually part of the excitement of doing live TV. Although I haven't spoken to anyone in the production department about it, my guess is that the segment before mine, the one on cleaning your deck, ran long.
For those of you who wanted to know whether I'll be making regular appearances on Good Morning America, the answer is I don't know, but I hope so.
For those who wanted contact information for Good Morning America, so you
can express your opinion, here is the URL for their email form:
GMA Email
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CREEPY MUSEUM DISPLAY
The Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, TX is located in the former Texas School
Book Depository at Dealey Plaza, the place from where Lee Harvey Oswald was
alleged to have fired the shots that killed President John F. Kennedy. The
museum has launched a website and, in a bizarre attempt to make this
historic event real to couch potatoes everywhere, has installed a
television camera at the very window at which Oswald was said to have
installed himself in order to do the deed. So, you can visit the site and
get an exclusive live view of what Oswald must have seen in 1963. It is
exclusive because access to that windowsill is denied to museum visitors.
Another reason to stay home. To visit the Museum, go to:
Sixth Floor Museum.
DOING THE RIGHT THING DEPARTMENT
Sometimes I think this celebrity memorabilia thing has gone too far. J.D.
Salinger, the hermit/author of "Catcher In The Rye", has been a source of
fascination for the literary world for years. It seems that one Joyce
Maynard, a 45 year old divorced mother of three, was once Salinger's
paramour, living with him briefly, 27 years ago. A smart cookie, she's held
onto his love letters all these years and recently, finding herself in need
of some cash to finance her children's education, she offered them to the
highest bidder. Computer software mogul Peter Norton paid $156,000 for the
letters. He recently announced he'll return them to Salinger or destroy
them - whichever the author prefers. No response from Salinger on this,
and none expected. As Norton speculates, he may not even care. So, is
Norton really The Prince Of Sensitivity? Or has he just read the letters
already?
HOW TO MAKE YOUR CAREER LAST FOREVER
In Chicago, comedian Del Close, longtime director of The Second City Comedy
Troupe, has died. According to his will, his skull has been donated to the
Goodman Theatre. Robert Falls, the artistic director of the Theatre, is
hard at work drumming up roles for the skull. The obvious first choice
would be Yorick, the dead court jester to whom Hamlet addresses his
soliloquy. Falls promises that the skull will get full billing and program
bio for every role it plays.
It's time to go, Accumulators. Artie and I are headed up to the country house for the weekend. Tomorrow night, the ever-popular BarnMan will be holding an auction at The Old Red barn in Cuddebackville, NY, and we'll be there. Looks as if some great furniture is going on the block.
I wish you all the happiest of holidays with great food, great company, and
great finds at yard sales and flea markets. Please, please, please drive
carefully, wear your seatbelts, and stop drinking at least an hour before
you leave the party. And watch out for the other guy. Maybe nobody loved
him enough to take away his car keys.
Have a great week, Accumulators. Happy hunting!
Best,
Judith
© 1999 Judith Katz-Schwartz. All rights reserved.
Antiques and Collectibles Newsletter #90
U.S. Library of Congress
ISSN 1520-4464
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