John McInnis LLC – Fine Antiques Estates Collection Auction
Live In-Person Event In Two Sessions
Sunday, February 25th at 12 noon
76 Main Street, Amesbury, MA
Mcinnisauctions.com

AMESBURY, MASS. — More than 100 rare and historically significant lots pertaining to the Kennedys — mostly JFK, but also to include RFK, Jackie and Ted Kennedy, with some of the items coming from the estate of longtime Kennedy assistant Helen Mary Keyes — will headline an antiques and estates collection auction planned for Sunday, February 25, by John McInnis Auctioneers. It will be live in the John McInnis Auctioneers gallery and telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

The auction will be conducted in two sessions. Session 1, starting at noon, will feature lots 1-265. Session 2, later on in the day, will begin with lot 301 — the Kennedy lots — and conclude with lot 469. The catalog will feature Americana, historical items, baseball, porcelain, fine art, furnishings, weathervanes, eagle collections and, of course, the Kennedy lots.

Helen Mary Keyes had long and storied ties to the Kennedy family. Her father was the dentist to Joe and Rose Kennedy’s children and the families’ children became friends. Keyes played a major role in JFK’s 1952 Senate campaign, hosting famous “Ladies’ Teas” for the rising star of the Democratic Party. Her involvement continued in the 1960 presidential campaign of 1960.

Numerous lots in the auction are letters from JFK and RFK to Keyes, either typewritten or handwritten, but always hand-signed by the Kennedys and often with humorous inscribed asides, showing their warm, compassionate side. For example, a 1952 handwritten letter from JFK, thanking Keyes for her help in the US Senate campaign, bears the inscription, “This expresses inadequately my thanks for all that you did. As I heard Ohara said at the Clover Club dinner, Mr Lodge was drowned in 500 gallons of tea you had poured” ($2/4,000).

A two-page letter written by Robert F. Kennedy in 1952 on Hyannis Port stationery, thanking Keyes and Polly Fitzgerald for making the Ladies’ Teas a success and aiding in JFK’s Senate campaign, is signed “Bobby” ($500-$1,000). A rare 1952 silk scarf promoting JFK’s US Senate bid, 30 by 33 inches has images of JFK ($500-$1,000).

A Royal Worcester tea and dinner service from the Fitzgerald family was used in the hosting of Campaign Teas during JFK’s runs for political office. Polly Fitzgerald was instrumental in the success of the teas ($2/4,000). An original JFK autograph for “Skip + Billy” dated October 15, 1958, from Kennedy’s visit to Transitron Electronic Corp. in Wakefield, Mass., along with the pen JFK used is estimated $400/800.

Estimated $400/800 are two lots, one a group of four photographs, three of Jackie Kennedy and daughter Caroline and one of Jackie and her sister Lee holding Lee’s son Anthony, all from 1961, taken by Jacque Lowe, signed and framed. There is also a group of four photographs by Lowe, all showing Jackie and Caroline, taken in 1961 in Hyannisport, Mass.

There’s much more to the catalog than just Kennedy items. For example, a rare 13-star American parade flag printed with a raccoon (the symbol of the Whig party) for the 1844 presidential campaign of Henry Clay and Theodore Frelinghuysen contains the slogan, “The Same Old Coon” ($5/10,000).

Babe Ruth comes to bat not once but twice in the auction. Included is a 1933 Sport Kings Gum #2 Babe Ruth card graded SGC 2.5 GD+ ($8/12,000) and a 1933 Goudey Gum Co. Ruth card, no. 181 out of 240 baseball stars featured that year ($4/8,000).

A scarce Coventry Glass Works (Coventry, Conn.) Masonic flask (GIV-29), an olive-colored pint bottle blown-molded with a crescent, hour glass and twin pillars (Boaz and Jachin), 6 inches tall, should realize $3/6,000. Also, a Nineteenth Century (circa 1876-88) Louis Vuitton steamer trunk with period Rayee-Stripe canvas and original hardware carries a vibrant original interior label ($3/5,000).

Original artwork will feature two paintings by Joe Abbrescia (1936-2005), one an oil on Masonite titled “St Mark’s Basilica, Venice”; the other an oil on canvas titled “The Grand Canal, Venice,” (each $3/5,000); plus an oil on canvas by Arthur Clifton Goodwin (1864-1929) titled “Park Street Church, Boston,” 1912 ($2/4,000).

The Americana category will be abundant, with weathervanes pointing the way. They include a full-bodied prancing horse weathervane with patina and a weathered surface ($3/6,000); a mid-Twentieth Century weathervane with Lady Liberty holding a 13-star flag with a weathered gilt surface ($2/4,000); and a late Nineteenth Century folk art elephant weathervane with a history of make-do repairs ($2/3,000).

In-person previews will be conducted February 16-24, from 2 to 6 pm Eastern time. The gallery will open on auction day at 10 am; a preview takes place throughout the day. Online bidding is available on LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. In addition to the live and online auction on February 25, there will also be a pair of timed, online-only auctions on Thursday and Saturday, February 22 and 24, both starting at 7 pm.

John McInnis Auctioneers is at 76 Main Street. For additional information, 978-388-0400 or www.mcinnisauctions.com.

Featuring Americana, historical, baseball, porcelain, fine art, furnishings, weathervanes, eagle collections, the Helen Mary Keyes Archive, longtime Kennedy assistant with other major JFK Kennedy related material
BID ON OVER 400 LOTS
Absentee and Phone Bidding Accepted
Live In-Person Preview For All Events February 16th thru 24th 2-6pm Each Day
Feb 25th auction day, gallery opens at 10am • Preview all day throughout the auction
978-388-0400 | Mcinnisauctions@yahoo.com | Mcinnisauctions.com