Mae West: Possession

What if you were fortunate enough to own a keepsake that had belonged to MAE WEST? Would you sell it? Could you prove it legitimately did come from Mae's household? Listen in.
• • • • QUESTION: I have an unusual, 2-foot-tall ashtray in excellent shape that once belonged to actress Mae West. I got it at an auction in the 1970s for $350. I am retiring soon and want to sell it, but I have no idea of its current value. Can you help me? — — T.B., San Jose
• • • • ANSWER by Steven Wayne Yvaska
• • The saucy Mae West (1893—1980), remembered for her quips, once said, "He who hesitates is last." [sic] In this case, it was smart of you to wait and ask for advice before selling off your unusual treasure.
• • I shared photos of your Art Deco-style ashtray — — stainless steel with two black spheres — — with appraiser Stephen G. Turner, a decorative arts and fine arts consultant for Bonhams & Butterfields, the notable San Francisco auction gallery.
• • He brought up a key point that helps establish the value of objects such as yours: the provenance, or history of ownership.
• • "Anything that can be proven to have been owned and used by a 'celebrity,' whether an actress or the president of the United States, exceeds its lowest common denominator," Turner said.
• • He told me Mae West's estate was sold in Los Angeles in 2000 by what was then called Butterfields.
• • If you obtained your ashtray at this show, a sales catalog and, perhaps, the sales receipt would be sufficient proof showing the item was owned by the fabled star.
• • If you cannot prove provenance, your ashtray is nothing more than an interesting artifact. And it may not even be worth what you paid.
• • If, however, you can identify the item as one that belonged to West, Turner says it could be worth from $800 to $1,200. ...
— — Excerpt: — —
• • Article: Seasoned collector: What's it worth? A roundup of appraisals by Steven Wayne Yvaska
• • BY: Steven Wayne Yvaska | Correspondent
• • Published by: mercurynews.com
• • Published on: 29 January 2010
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• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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