Abraham Lincoln Has Become My Best Friend! And Someone Else Wants Him Too!

(Since I discovered the treasure of the A. Lincoln notes and other ephemera in a client's estate closet, sending out a press release to the Frederick News Post and the Gazette, I have been interviewed by: The Frederick News Post, The Gazette, NBC News, ABC News and the Washington Post. I think it was CBS who called me on Friday trying to find a new angle to the story- asking if they could go to the house where this stuff had been discovered and film the empty closet it came out of. Of course not, said I. The job is done. I thought what a silly story that would be; an empty house, an empty closet. No visual "meat" in that. Anyhow, so be it.

 The auction is happening now, at http://www.mearsonline.com. Going OK. 4 days left to go.

Yesterday, as Murphy would have it I got a call from a guy who has frequented my estate sales in the past. He's an antique's dealer, so he says, and calls himself an "appraiser," although I'd love to see that license.  Christopher Keller. The kind of "dealer" who low balls me on my pricing at every estate sale I have conducted.

I would not want him near my  senior clients!)  Mr. Keller called and left a hostile message accusing me of selling HIS A. Lincoln documents in this auction and telling me he had called an attorney! What a predatory stance!

 I haven't talked with Christopher for a year. I was incredulous! This an accusation- pulled out of some dark hind region.He says he bought an estate from me 13 years ago and these were part of it!

He actually called the writer at the Washington Post, The Gazette and god knows where else, telling this story! The writers called me immediately and gave me the opportunity to 'defend' myself. He was not convinced Keller was on the level, and being a professional, ethical, journalist he threw some questions his way. Christopher Keller had not even looked at the Lincoln items he was saying he owned. He could not identify them!

He says he owns them but does not know what he owns? And, if he owns  the material why do I have it? If he owns it, where is his bill of sale? If he owns it , why has he waited "13 years"to claim it as his?

Regardless of his delusion, these items were uncovered in 2010 ago at a client's estate, not 13 years ago. I have the inventory, the contract and dated photographs.

At a sale I conducted in 2001 I found a tin Civil War mail tube with a  bundle of Assignations of Rank from the Civil War, and other family documents belonging to the estate where I was doing the sale. Some were signed by Lincoln.

In my contract, any personal family documents are turned over to the family, not sold, unless by special arrangement, as I am doing with the current Lincolns. I called my client that day. She handed them over to her brother, a DC attorney. In fact I met her at his house in Chevy Chase and gave them to her there. I made no money on them.

He never came close to these documents and has never purchased the Lincolns' at auction now or at any earlier date.

Bottom Feeders abound. Poor character surfaces eventually like sewage on the surface of a clear running stream. Mr. Keller, you are in trouble with me and you will hear from my attorney.

All I want is peace. The opportunity to do my work for my clients and make a fair buck. People like Christopher Keller who attempt to capitalize on another person's hard work and success, through libel and slander, need to be called down. I will do so.