Rare Book Monthly
Articles - November - 2007 Issue
The Black Orchid of Ohio
Joe Dush, the great Ohio collector.
For the Columbus sale, John Block, whose family owns the Toledo Blade and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, was present. That day he spent $10,000, a tenth of the day's total and a substantial sum for local history. Mr. Block was also aware of the documented book sale to be held one week later in Maryland. The Columbus auction was simply the hors d'oeuvre tray.
For Chris Bready, the Baltimore cataloguer and auction entrepreneur, the upcoming sale was a milestone. He had started out with Harris in 1979 and established Baltimore Book Auction in 1989. Eight years into life on his own this sale was significant. The Dush collection had been waived at Christie's and later Swann where interest was expressed only in selling the marquee items. A complete solution was needed and Mr. Bready, already known to Robert Freeman, was chosen. He was a logical choice and did not disappoint. He produced a 100-page catalogue of 6 and 8 point type detailing 412 lots that were deemed the better material. Lot 305, "Laws of the Territory", was the best book in the sale. The only lot that brought more would be lot 315, an early broadside pertaining to the Ordinance of 1784 which brought $90,000. The full sale would bring $417,080 plus hammer, ten percent in those days.
Months ahead, John Block had spoken with Bill Reese, the Connecticut dealer, about the upcoming sale. He in particular was interested in lot 305. The estimate was set at $15,000 to $25,000. Mr. Block, over the ensuing weeks set his limit at $40,000 and then increased it to $55,000 when he learned there was "buying interest in Chicago," at $50,000. Two days before the sale he further raised his limit to $70,000. It seemed sufficient.
At the sale there was a good crowd. It was well publicized and most of the important Ohio dealers were in the room. As well, many dealers from distant places: Reese, Bauman, Respess, Frank and Andrea Klein, Clarence Wolf, Bartleby, Palinurus and certainly others were in the hall. There were of course order bids and strong voices on the six phone lines set up for the sale.
At lot 305 the bidding quickly moved to and through all levels predicted. At $65,000 Reese had the bid. At $70,000, Bob Emerson, then of Connecticut and now partner in Emerson-Hoffman of Columbus, raised him. Reese then threw in his commission to take the bid to $75,000 and Emerson silenced the opposition at $80,000. He had set a limit at $85,000. Neither he nor Reese was deterred by the statement in the description, "This copy actually lacks leaf A2" as they believed the A2 to be a cancelled leaf. Thomas Streeter had included this book in his 1952 classic; Americana-Beginnings, and the odd pagination was detailed.
