Public Enemy No. 1

One of the nation’s most notorious criminals, John Dillinger rose to infamy during the Gangster Era of the Great Depression. An upcoming auction thrusts the desperado back into the headlines. By Paul Kennedy During the Great Depression, many Americans, nearly helpless against economic forces they didn’t understand, celebrated outlaws who took what they wanted at […]

Daniel Boone’s Compass Sells at Auction

Daniel Boone’s gift. Daniel Boone (1734-1820) was America’s legendary frontiersman and pioneer, but even he needed a compass. One of Boone’s personal compasses went on sale at Heritage Auctions earlier this year and brought $109,375. According to two late 1930s newspaper articles among the accompanying provenance, Boone had given the compass to a 12-year-old boy […]

Carving Out a Place in History

Wood art often doesn’t sell for prices as high as those of similar notable pieces made in glass, metal or pottery, unless it is made into useful furniture.   But hand-carved wooden sculptures, plaques, busts and figures can tell a story. A recent auction by Bonhams Skinner in Massachusetts included nearly 400 lots of carved wood […]