Presidential hats and china offered in Bonhams auction tied to 250th anniversary
An online auction of 46 lots from the Louise Taper Collection opened June 14 and runs through June 23. Items include hats worn by presidents and a first printing of the Bill of Rights.
New York PostAn online auction of presidential memorabilia opened June 14 and continues through June 23. The sale features 46 lots from the Louise Taper Collection and is presented in connection with 250th-anniversary events.
Items and estimates Ronald Reagan’s signed Marine One baseball cap carries an estimate of $800 to $1,200. One of Lyndon B. Johnson’s fedora hats is also listed. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s silk top hat and pocket watch are offered with estimates of $20,000 or more for each piece.
Auctioneers state the top hat was worn at his 1933 inauguration and on later state occasions. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Caxton fedora is included in the sale. A dessert plate from the Roosevelt state dinner service, once owned by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, opens with a $2,400 bid.
Historical documents and tableware The earliest obtainable printing of the Bill of Rights, published in The Gazette of the United States on September 26, 1789, is estimated at $8,000 to $12,000. Congress had approved the amendments on September 25, 1789, and George Washington sent copies to the states the next day.
A set of 1782 Niderviller Service china once owned by George Washington is estimated between $50,000 and $80,000. Roosevelt’s straw boater hat, given by Eleanor Roosevelt to household staff, is also listed. The full collection is projected to exceed $1.2 million in total sales.
