Historic Paper Can Hold Many Secrets; Before You Throw Paper From An Estate In The Trash Call An Antique Dealer

HISTORIC PAPER, EPHEMERA, DOCUMENTS, LETTERS, JOURNALS AND LEDGERS? WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THEM?

YOU HAVE TO BE HISTORICALLY SENSITIVE, TO JUDGE THE MERIT AND VALUE OF PAPER HERITAGE! NO SHORT CUTS!

     "ALONG WITH MYSTERIES, WE ALSO ENCOUNTER HOAXES, AND HERE IS A GRISLY ONE," WROTE OLD-PAPER SLEUTH, HUGH MACMILLAN, A FORMER FREELANCE ARCHIVIST WITH THE ONTARIO ARCHIVES. IT'S A LITTLE JEWELER'S BOX CONTAINING A FADED NOTE AND A PIECE OF TANNED HIDE, THAT PURPORTS TO BE THE HUMAN SKIN FROM A SIOUX CHIEF, HANGED AT MANKATO, MINNESOTA, IN 1862. IN FACT, AFTER TESTING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICAL CENTRE, IT WAS DETERMINED NOT BE HE HUMAN SKIN AT ALL. IT IS PROBABLY FROM A DOG OR OTHER SMALL ANIMAL, BUT THE ACCOMPANYING NOTE IS SIGNED BY AN INDIAN AGENT IN THE US, WHO WANTS US TO BELIEVE HE COLLECTED THIS, AND MANY OTHER SUCH SAMPLES, AFTER THE MASSACRE AND SUBSEQUENT HANGINGS DURING THE SIOUX'S UPRISING IN 1862. APPARENTLY THERE ARE NUMEROUS SUCH LITTLE BOXES CONTAINING QUESTIONABLE BITS OF SKIN, OF QUESTIONABLE ORIGIN. OWNING ONE SHOULD BE ONE MORE THAN ENOUGH, BUT FOR SOME STRANGE REASON, THEY ARE STILL CONSIDERED TO BE COLLECTIBLES, AS A CONVERSATION PIECE IF NOTHING ELSE."
     NOW IMAGINE, THE ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE DEALER, FACING A SELLER, OVER THE COUNTER, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT SUCH A BOX, WITH ALLEGED "HISTORIC" SKIN INSIDE? IF IT WAS TRUE? AS NEGATIVE AS IT IS, AND REPULSIVE IN SO MANY WAYS, IT WOULD HAVE A STAGGERING VALUATION. ITEMS LIKE THIS, INCLUDING LOCKS OF HAIR SNIPPED FROM CELEBRITY CORPSES, ARE WORTH MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND THERE ARE COLLECTORS AROUND THE GLOBE, EAGER TO MAKE THESE PURCHASES. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS, AS MR. MACMILLAN POINTS OUT, SOMEONE PAID A LOT OF MONEY, TO OWN IT, ONLY TO FIND OUT IT WAS A FAKE. I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE, THAT A LITTLE BOX WITH A PIECE OF DOG SKIN PRESERVED INSIDE, NO MATTER WHAT THE NOVELTY FACTOR, IS WORTH A TINY AMOUNT IN COMPARISON. I USE THIS EXAMPLE, BECAUSE I KNOW MORE THAN A FEW DEALERS, WHO WOULD MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO BUY SUCH A HERITAGE ITEM, AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE. AND YES IT DOES HAPPEN, THAT A SELLER DOESN'T KNOW IT'S NOT ORIGINAL, AND THE VENDOR WINDS UP BUYING IT ON THE WORD, OF SOMEONE WHO HASN'T EXECUTED BASIC DUE DILIGENCE, TO GUARANTEE ITS PROVENANCE. WE GET A LOT OF OVER-THE-COUNTER SELLERS, WHO GET ANGRY AT US, BECAUSE WE INSIST ON THEM LEAVING A PIECE WE'RE INTERESTED IN, SO THAT WE CAN UNDERTAKE BASIC RESEARCH, TO ENSURE AUTHENTICITY. IF THEY WON'T GUARANTEE US SEVERAL DAYS, UP TO EVEN A WEEK, TO ANALYZE THE PIECE(S), WE DISPATCH THEM IMMEDIATELY. AND FOR THE VERY REASON, AS NOTED ABOVE, THERE ARE A LOT OF FRAUDULENT ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES FLOATING AROUND OUT THERE; AND A LOT OF FOLKS WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE PRETTY CLEVER, ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SPOT REPRODUCTIONS AND FRAUDS, WHO MADE IMPULSE PURCHASES. AND LATER HAD TO DIGEST REALLY BAD NEWS ABOUT THEIR INVESTMENT. IN THIS PROFESSION, WE'RE TEMPTED CONTINUALLY, BY ITEMS COMING INTO THE SHOP, WITH CUSTOMERS INTERESTED IN PROFIT MORE THAN POSSESSION. THERE ARE SOME ITEMS THAT ARE EASY TO IDENTIFY AND TURN INTO A DECENT TRANSACTION FOR BUYER AND SELLER. WHEN HOWEVER, WE ARE HANDED BOXES OF EPHEMERA, INCLUDING HISTORIC DOCUMENTS, PERSONAL LETTERS, JOURNALS, VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH ALBUMS, AND BUSINESS OR GOVERNMENT RECORDS, GADS, WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO ASK FOR TIME TO EVALUATE THE COLLECTIONS, ITEM BY ITEM BEFORE WE MAKE AN OFFER. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE SELLER HAS A FIGURE IN MIND, AND AFTER A GLANCE THROUGH, JUDGING AUTHENTICITY, PLUS GETTING THE PERSONAL INFORMATION ON THE REASONS THE INDIVIDUAL HAS POSSESSION OF THE PAPER HERITAGE IN THE FIRST PLACE, WE MAY DECIDE TO MAKE THE PURCHASE AT THAT MOMENT. IN ONE CASE THIS PAST SUMMER, WE ACQUIRED A SMALL BOOK AND PAPER COLLECTION, FOR JUST UNDER A HUNDRED DOLLARS, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THE SELLER WANTED FOR ALL THE MATERIALS IN SEVERAL BOXES. WHEN THE WOMAN CAME BACK, A FEW DAYS LATER, WITH MORE MATERIAL FOR US TO LOOK AT, WE PASSED ALONG SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY, BECAUSE WE FOUND MORE VALUE IN THE BOXES THAN WE HAD SEEN INITIALLY. THIS IS OUR BUSINESS PRIORITY, AND WE WANT EVERYONE TO FEEL THIS WAY, WHO DOES BUSINESS WITH US. HAPPY CUSTOMERS COME BACK TO SEE US.
     "THE MOST EXPENSIVE COLLECTION WE EVER SOLD, WAS THAT OF VIOLA MACMILLAN, KNOWN AS THE 'QUEEN BEE,' IN CANADIAN MINING CIRCLES. HER HUSBAND WAS MY THIRD COUSIN," WRITES HUGH MACMILLAN, IN HIS BIOGRAPHY, "THE ADVENTURES OF A PAPER SLEUTH," PUBLISHED IN 2004 BY PENUMBRA PRESS OF CANADA. "HER HUSBAND, WAS MY THIRD COUSIN, GEORGE, OF THE GLENPEAN LINE OF MACMILLANS. HE AND VIOLA WERE A FORMIDABLE PAIR IN THE MINING WORLD FOR MANY YEARS, AND SHE WAS AWARDED THE ORDER OF CANADA. VIOLA MACMILLAN PRESENTED $1.25 MILLION TO OTTAWA'S MUSEUM OF NATURE, FOR THEIR UNEQUALLED EXHIBIT OF SPARKLING GEMS AND FOR THE VIOLA MACMILLAN MINERAL GALLERY AND ACTIVITY CENTRE. HER PAPERS FILL MORE THAN 60 TRANSFER CASES. THE COLLECTION ELUDED ME FOR MANY YEARS. IT WAS ONLY AFTER DEATH, AT AGE 90, IN  1993, THAT HER ESTATE EXECUTORS ENTRUSTED TO US THE DAUNTING TASK OF SORTING THROUGH 120 CASES OF PAPERS. WE REDUCED IT TO ABOUT HALF BY DISCARDING DUPLICATES, AND EVENTUALLY PLACED IT WITH THE MUSEUM OF NATURE IN OTTAWA."
     VIOLA HUGGARD MACMILLAN, IF I RECALL MY LOCAL CEMETERY HISTORY CORRECTLY, IS BURIED IN THE SMALL, RURAL, UFFORD CEMETERY ON THE DOHERTY ROAD, A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE VILLAGE OF WINDERMERE ON LAKE MUSKOKA. SHE WAS FROM THIS REGION OF THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA. AS FAR AS HER PLACE IN THE CANADIAN MINING HALL OF FAME, SHE IS DEFINITELY OF LEGENDARY STATURE.
     HUGH MACMILLAN REFLECTED ON A SPECIAL PIECE OF EPHEMERA THAT HE WAS ABLE TO REPATRIATE WITH ITS NAMESAKE; WHICH IS ALWAYS A BUZZ FOR THE ANTIQUE DEALER. IT WAS A WELL PRESERVED GUEST REGISTRY FROM AN HISTORIC BRITISH "INN" THAT AS HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE, WAS OVER 600 YEARS OLD, LOCATED NEAR GUILFORD, IN COUNTRY SUSSEX. THE GUEST REGISTRY WAS USED FOR THE YEARS 1890 TO 1910. "THE EIGHT BY TEN LEATHER-BOUND REGISTER CONTAINED 160 PAGES WITH GUESTS' NAMES AND PEN AND INK RENDERINGS OF THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE CONTRIBUTED BY MANY OF THE VISITORS. NOTABLE GUESTS INCLUDED RUDYARD KIPLING AND BERTRAND RUSSELL. BOTH HAD ARTISTIC TALENT AND PENNED FINE SKETCHES IN THE REGISTRY. PHILIP SHACKLETON'S FATHER, HIMSELF A COMPETENT ARTIST, ACQUIRED THE GUEST REGISTER AT AUCTION, IN TORONTO, IN THE 1930'S. WHO HAD BROUGHT IT FROM ENGLAND TO CANADA, AND WHEN, REMAINS A MYSTERY."
     HE NOTES, "PLACING SUCH AN UNSUAL ITEM IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE. IN THIS CASE, I ASKED TORONTO ART HISTORIAN, ROBERT STACEY, GRANDSON OF THE GREAT ILLUSTRATOR, C.W. JEFFREYS, TO SEE IF HE COULD FIND THE SWAN INN FOR ME ON A TRIP HE WAS MAKING TO ENGLAND. THIS HE DID, AND ON OUR NEXT TRIP TO THE U.K. MURIEL AND I STAYED AT THIS VERY PLACE. THE CURRENT OWNER WAS ANXIOUS TO RECOVER THIS MISSING REGISTER, SO WE WERE WINED AND DINED. HE HAPPILY PAID US A THOUSAND POUNDS FOR IT. GETTING IT BACK WHERE IT BELONGED PROVED A VERY SATISFYING EFFORT IN EVERY WAY."
     ANOTHER OF HIS FASCINATING RECOLLECTIONS, INVOLVED A SINGLE LETTER, BUT MEANT SO MUCH MORE TO A BUYER WITH A CONNECTION. "IN CONTRAST WITH SUCH EXPENSIVE PROPERTIES, WE ALSO DEALT WITH SMALL ITEMS, SUCH AS A LETTER ABOUT FINANCIAL MATTERS, ON A SINGLE WORN AND SLIGHTLY TORN PAGE, LISTED AT $50 (IN THE NOR'WESTER PARTNERS CATALOGUE). IT WAS WRITTEN ON MARCH 6, 1771, IN FRENCH, BY FRANCOIS DAMBOURGES, A SOLDIER AND MERCHANT, FROM ST. THOMAS, WEST INDIES, AND WAS ADDRESSED TO A M. BEAUBIEN AT QUEBEC CITY. A MILITIA COLONEL AND MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, COL. DAMBOURGES WAS A LEADER IN THE DEFENCE OF QUEBEC, AGAINST THE AMERICANS IN 1776. COINCIDENTALLY, DAMBOURGES HAD IN THE ONLY COMPANY OF FRENCH CANADIANS IN THE 84TH HIGHLAND REGIMENT, WHICH FOUGHT THE REBELS IN THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE. IT IS ALWAYS A DELIGHT TO BE ABLE TO PLACE AN ITEM WITH EXACTLY THE RIGHT PERSON. SUCH WAS THE CASE WITH THIS LETTER, LISTED AS NO. 84 IN OUR CATALOGUE. AT A SCOTTISH CONFERENCE IN GUELPH, MY FRIEND GAVIN WATT, COLONEL OF THE RECREATED KING'S ROYAL REGIMENT OF NEW YORK, INTRODUCED ME TO A CAPTAIN IN THE RECREATED 84TH HIGHLAND REGIMENT. I HANDED HIM ONE OF MY CATALOGUES TO WATT. WHEN ROSS LOOKED IT OVER, HE BECAME VERY EXCITED, ASKING IF I STILL HAD ITEM 84. WHEN I TOLD HIM I DID, HE INSISTED WE RUSH HOME SO HE COULD GET IT RIGHT AWAY. 'IT'S A GOOD OMEN,' HE EXPLAINED. 'IT'S ITEM 84, A DOCUMENT SIGNED BY DAMBOURGES, WHOSE ROLE I PLAY, AND I AM NUMBER 84 IN OUR RECREATED 84TH HIGHLAND REGIMENT.' WE HAD A VERY HAPPY CUSTOMER."

WHAT HISTORIC RELICS STILL EXIST, WITH VALUATIONS KNOWN AND UNKNOWN

     I have talked to associate collectors I've companioned with, in the past, who know of the existence, of an Ontario lodge registry book, containing the names of Canadian Group of Seven artists, Arthur Lismer, and A.Y. Jackson. Beside their names, there are little sketches offered by both artists, presumably dating back to the late 1920's and 1930's. The fact they signed their names multiple times, over several visits, is a significant valuation on its own. Each trip to the lodge of course, meant they were on a sketching trip into lakeland surrounding the lodge, so they could well be part of the provenance of specific paintings done at that point in their personal biographies. The fact they also included some minor sketching, and for Lismer, some caricatures, does make this a profoundly significant piece of Canadian art history. I have never seen the book, but it's one of those ephemera grails, that provides the spark of insight, that there are many more pieces like this out there, carrying special heritage provenance. The problem, of course, is that many owners of these documents, letters, journals and registries, aren't as up-to-speed on what they represent in either historical significance, or market value. This is where the biography of Hugh MacMillan is spot-on, when it comes to the stewardship of such heritage materials. The most important aspect, is that, as steward, one has to investigate the full potential of what it represents beyond the hearsay of its origin and precise chronicle of past owners and contributors. The registry mentioned above, was passed along in family with provenance. Kin understood the rare and national significance of the book, and have guarded it accordingly. I have only heard the story, and have no additional information to add here. But there could be equally important documents, out there waiting to be rescued from obscurity, the names and illustrations remaining unidentified. The ugly scenario, is that estates, thinking them of no value, turf the paper heritage in the garbage bins. Some of it should be thrown out, but as I tell anyone settling an estate for family, ask us first, if we would glance over some of the material, to make sure nothing of value, historical or monetary, is disposed of with the rest of the typical rubble associated with estates. In one memorable case, I got a chance to evaluate paper heritage, as a painful retrospective, of what could have been a cash bonanza.
     I've shared this story previously with readers, but it does have relevance to today's blog. A customer came into our Bracebridge antique shop one day, and after a period of browsing, stopped to ask me about a tray of old invoices I had under glass. They were from a well known former retailer, and each invoice was priced at about ten dollars. They were all from the 1930's. She took a few books out of a bag she was carrying, and asked if I might be interested in buying them. She explained that they were from the estate of her father, who had run a well known business in one of our smaller communities. I said that I knew the business and was familiar with their history in West Muskoka. The books were of little value, and I may have purchased them for ten dollars. I'm not sure about this, but I am about the dismay I offered, when she told me that while cleaning out the estate property, the family had thrown out dozens of full bags of invoices, just like what I had on display in the cupboard; some going back further than the 1930's. I suggested to her, that she shouldn't try to estimate how much potential revenue was lost, by tossing out ephemera. She thought it worthwhile to run the books past the antique dealer, to see if there was any value, but what was most desirable for me, had been unceremoniously tossed in the garbage bin. From what she described, including accounting books back to the turn of the century, it is likely, that piece by piece, the loss was over ten thousand dollars. So when I suggest the sensibility of visiting an antique dealer before pieces are thrown out, in situations like this, it's based on stories just like this, and believe me, I've heard hundreds of similar tales. "But I didn't know it was worth anything," they whine on the verge of tears. Most antique and collectible dealers are part time historians anyway, so it's not a dumb idea at all, to visit a few shops, and get several (or more) opinions, on the overall worth of the items being hauled to the landfill site. None of us want to see history destroyed. Most of the time, we hear about these situations, long after the damage has been done. Nothing left to do buy get the crying towel.
     What I'd like to explain in the next couple of blogs, is how to determine historical significance, and if the ephemera has any investment value. I'd like to leave you with another of Hugh MacMillan's stories, on being watchful, and intuitive about paper heritage.
     "Tips come when least expected from all parts of the globe, and sometimes, from close to home. Right here in Ottawa, cartographer Ed Dahl, retired from the National Archives of Canada, put me in touch with a map dealer buddy of his in England. Within days of my arrival on my next overseas jaunt, I had acquired most of the existing papers of Sir David William Smith (1764-1837), Surveyor General for Upper Canada. This was my very first collection of a true antiquarian. Though Sir David spent only a few short years in America, his collection included a great number of individual items, meticulously catalogued right up to the year of his death. I was able to sell 20 volumes of his military history manuscripts to a Montreal collector, while five of his watercolor drawings went of an average of $2,500 each to other collectors and institutions. They depicted the fortifications of old Montreal, Fort George, at Niagara, and the officers' quarters in Detroit, where his father had been in charge before the American takeover from the British and French troops at the 1750 Battle of the Plains of Abraham, as recreated for visiting royalty 28 years later, in 1787. It is always a thrill to bring such antiquarian treasures back to Canada."
     More treasure stories to come.