An Unexpected Literary Discovery: The Handwritten Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien
How a nearly 60-year-old letter revealed a fascinating connection between the author of The Lord of the Rings and one of the 20th century's most celebrated poets.
One of the most exciting parts of the auction business is never quite knowing what you're going to find. Sometimes, an ordinary-looking object turns out to have an extraordinary story. And sometimes, that story takes a little detective work to uncover.
Recently, while researching items for an upcoming auction, our team at Wardlow Auctions came across a handwritten letter signed by none other than J.R.R. Tolkien, the celebrated author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
How We Sold a Million-Dollar Commercial Property in Less Than a Month- Starting the Bidding at $1
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What happens when you take a commercial property worth around $1 million, put it up for auction, and start the bidding at one dollar?
It sounds a little terrifying.
But that’s exactly what we did with a 10,000 sq ft daycare building in Louisville, Kentucky. By the end, the seller made a profit, a new daycare franchise found its next location, and we walked away with an even better understanding of what it takes to successfully market and sell a million-dollar commercial property at auction.
Here's how we did it...
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Tribute to Kentucky Wildlife Artist Ray Harm (1926-2015)
We’ve been selling his prints for years. Ray Harm, famed Kentucky wildlife artist, died April 9, 2015. He was 88 years old. Known for his intricate wildlife paintings Mr. Harm had been described as Kentucky’s “most noted bird artist since John James Audubon”. Surprisingly, Mr. Harm never used photos or mechanical devices to create his artwork. He relied on field sketches and knowledge of his subject matter to produce his work. In 1962 Mr. Harm was commissioned by President John F. Kennedy to do a painting of a family of bald eagles. And in 1964 he was named Kentucky’s Man of the Year. The next time you see one of Mr. Harm’s prints, please take a few seconds to pay your respect to Mr. Harm and thank him for his exceptional, artistic talent and contributions to the world of wildlife artistry.
