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Article: Maxwell's Plum Pickings; $766,975 for Items From N.Y. Cafe
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- January 13, 1989
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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"We're about to dismantle a legend," announced auctioneer William
J. Doyle to the standing-room-only throng at Maxwell's Plum's now
shuttered grand cafe.
A sweaty four hours later, a staggering array of glitzy objects
had fetched $766,975.
Every item sold except for the last, a gigantic leaded-glass
ceiling on which the owner-creator of Maxwell's Plum, Warner LeRoy,
had placed a $1 million reserve, or minimum selling price. The
ceiling got one bid at $800,000 and was withdrawn. Before the sale,
LeRoy said he "would be sad to see it go."
Alternating between roles of stand-up comic and stern
schoolmaster, auctioneer Doyle quipped, "It's only money," as LeRoy's
sconces, chandeliers, ...