| Press Contact: | Catherine Riedell | Stuart Whitehurst |
| Director of Marketing | Director of Books & Manuscripts | |
| Skinner, Inc | Skinner, Inc | |
|
978-779-6341, x231 |
978-779-6241 | |
SKINNER TO OFFER COLLECTION OF WELL-KNOWN
ARMENIAN HISTORIAN:
THE LIBRARY OF MARK KALUSTIAN: A LIFETIME OF TRAVEL AND EXPLORATION
Single-Owner Sale Features 860 lots from
Well Documented, Researched Collection;
17th – 20th Century Material; Broad Range of Offerings
BOSTON, Mass. – May 31, 2002 -- www.skinnerinc.com -- Skinner, Inc., one of the nation’s leading auctioneers and appraisers of antiques and fine art, will hold a very special auction of Rare Books & Manuscripts on Sunday, June 23, 2002 at 10:00 a.m. in its Boston gallery. The auction is a single-owner sale of the Library of Mark Kalustian, noted Armenian activist and historian. Kalustian’s extraordinary collection features 860 lots of very fine travel and exploration books and documents, with over 500 lots relating to travel in and exploration of the Near East, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
Each item in this collection was painstakingly documented and researched by Kalustian over his lifetime of collecting books and materials relating to Armenia, its people, and its heritage. Each book in his collection features an index card footnoting any reference to Armenia, including page number and subject matter. Kalustian’s collection was so well documented in large part due to his desire to educate others and preserve Armenian heritage. This collection offers great appeal to historians and those interested in travel and exploration, and particularly anyone interested in Armenian culture and heritage and the history of Near East and Asia Minor.
“The extraordinary aspect of this collection is that it is so broad in its subject matter, with material ranging from the 17th to the 20th centuries, and books from $10.00 to $10,000,” notes Stuart Whitehurst, Skinner’s Director of Books & Manuscripts. “Kalustian’s collection is a testament to his passion for travel, exploration and the history of Armenia – a passion he shared with some many others of Armenian descent.”
Born in 1911 in Westminster, Massachusetts, Kalustian studied engineering at MIT and worked for many years for the prestigious Boston-based engineering firm, Stone and Webster. He resided in Arlington, Massachusetts and was a very active figure in Armenian community. A scholar by nature, he was fluent in five languages and spent the greater part of his adult life dedicated to the study of Armenia.
An illustrated catalog of the sale (#2109) is available for $26 ($35 for foreign requests) from the subscription department at Skinner at 978-779-6241 ext. 240. Prices realized at the auction will be available at www.skinnerinc.com following the sale. For more information, call 978-779-6241, fax 978-779-5144, or visit www.skinnerinc.com.
Note to Editors:
Photos available upon request. Contact Catherine Riedel at 978-779-6241 x 231.
About Skinner:
With galleries in Boston and Bolton, Mass., Skinner is a one of the nation’s leading auction houses. As a full-service auction house, Skinner provides auction and appraisal services for all manner of antiques and fine art, and its appraisal experts are regularly seen on the PBS series, The Antiques Roadshow. Skinner conducts auctions year-round and has received world-record prices for many pieces sold at auction. Departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, Paintings & Prints, English & Continental Furniture & Decorations, Fine Ceramics, Jewelry, Couture, 20th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Art, Fine Judaica, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Science & Technology, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographic Art, and Discovery. For more information on upcoming auctions, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com.