Robert Rauschenberg

Paid: 35 dollars
Insurance Value: TBD

Boy, oh boy. As we were driving home, we were talking about how Celeste could stop working because this print was going to erase our debt and then some.

I noticed this print while leaving the second floor. I noticed it has an "R.R. Dec. 30th, 1979." Surely the Lord hadn't just delivered me an original Rauschenberg a few days after his death. I flipped it over and found instant provenance, a Miami Herald clipping with hand notes that this "picture" had appeared in the Miami Herald on Dec 30th, 1979. It is a Rauschenberg! It's the cover of a gay and lesbian magazine from south Florida called "Tropics."

Walking up to pay, a woman came up and looked closely at the clipping on the back. "Celeste!" I said sternly under my breath, "don't show the back; they'll figure out it's worth exponentially more than 35 dollars. " We made it out with the print and they gave us a free Bakelite fillet knife. I immediately called my art dealer (read: Pat) who noted it may be a print of a print. He wasn't thinking of newsprint, but it's kind of true.

Instant provenance?
I cut away the paper backing to reveal...a stinking Santa Claus ad. We were duped.
The house we got this at was a very nice on a very nice block. This was our competition. Look at those vultures, beaks pressed against the glass trying to scout their prey.
Ahhhhh...quit giving me the evil eye.

Stakmore Folding Bridge Table with Three Matching Chairs

Paid: 60 dollars for both sets (3 chairs + 1 table per set)
Insurance value: 275

The orange one has a bit of water damage on one side, but not too bad. I'm selling the orange set on Craigslist. Today we realized we are going to become that couple that just keeps collecting shit. We enjoy the thrill of the buy, but this is slowly becoming a white elephant farm.

Of course you all remember our first Stakmore Bridge table and chair, right?



Below you'll see the only problem with any of the wicker backs.

Taylor Made Graphite Flex Twist Driver and Rescue Type Club

Driver, Paid: 5 dollars
Insurance Value: 50 dollars

I like that this is a senior shaft. It means it's more loosey-goosey and I'll get more club head speed. I'm sure it's the opposite type of shaft flex I really need at this point in my life, but I'll certainly put it in my bag as my current driver sucks, badly.


Taylor Made "Tour Cleek" 24 degree rescue[?] club
Paid: 5 bucks
Insurance value: 10 dollars

This thing looks aggressive. My game is all about aggression. B-E-AGG-RSSIVE. BE AGGRESSIVE. HEY. BE AGGRESSIVE.

BAS.KET, Real BASKETBALL In Miniature, by Cadaco, 1966

Paid: 4 Dollars
Insurance Value: 65 dollars

Ties

Paid: 2 dollars
Insurance Value: 2 dollars

I actually wore the paisley one. I should take a picture of that; it's my new power-tie. Awesome power!

John McLeod Palette Cutting Board, Wilmington VT

Paid: 6 dollars
Insurance Value: $44.75 plus shipping

Still has the tag on it.

Scotland Yard Board Game

Paid: 4 dollars
Insurance value: about 20 plus shipping

Never been used.

Risk (circa 1980)

Paid: 4 dollars
Insurance Value: 45 dollars

Please note that this has never been used. All the pieces are still in plastic.

Chit Chat, The Hugh Downs Game of Conversation

Paid: 2 dollars
Insurance Value: about 17 dollars

When Celeste was reading the rules of the game, just above the personal letter from Mr. Downs on the underside of the lid, she was able to discern that this game sucks, badly.

I believe the man in the middle is Hugh Downs. Apparently he was a tv personality before I watched tv.

We don't think the ruler is a part of the game. Which made us think about the treasure we may find one day in one of these crappy games we pick up all the time.

Radio Flyer Classic Red 10-Inch Tricycle

Paid: 10 dollars
Insurance Value: 70 dollars. Amazon has it for $53.79, but ours has tassels, a bell and blocks on the pedals; added value no doubt.

Ping Karsten I Irons (Black Dot)

Paid: 5 dollars
Insurance Value: 160 dollars. I found this 4 iron for 20 bucks and saw a set on ebay with a starting bid of 130.

I'm so stupid. It was obviously an avid golfers house; I was looking at about 10 sets of irons, all taped together. Apparently he had other sets of better, fitted clubs they weren't selling. However, there was another set of Taylor Made irons I should have grabbed for five bucks. So dumb.Please note the set includes a 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and sand wedge. Sure, it's missing the 9 but I have a driving iron (1). I believe it's a pretty rare club.

Pyrex Flameware smoked glass single-handled bowl

Paid: 2 dollars
Insurance value: That's difficult because this piece is unique. It only has one handle; bet you didn't notice that. It's obviously completely non-function because it only has one handle and a piece Pyrex must have issued in limited editions. We're investigating. Until then--6 dollars.

Update: Holy crap. Celeste found this link to the same bowl. It seems we weren't too far off on this single handle theory. It is really old, but apparently it was made to be used for cooking; it's not an art piece after all. Insurance value is now 10 dollars plus shipping.