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McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 11th, 2015, 1:31 am
by Dustin Stinett
The McCord Museum is in Montreal, Québec, Canada. Here is the story from the Montreal Gazette:

http://montrealgazette.com/entertainmen ... emorabilia

"The collection will be available to scholars and will be used in future exhibitions, including one slated for 2017... ."

And so perhaps the debate for/against the institutionalization of collections warms up again.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 11th, 2015, 9:43 am
by Kevin Connolly
I know some collectors that should be institutionalized. :lol:

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 12th, 2015, 6:44 pm
by Kevin Connolly
The phone hasn't stopped ringing all day about this collection. I'm happy for ever sold it.

What I do know is that the price of rare magic just went up.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 12th, 2015, 6:54 pm
by Richard Kaufman
I don't think the price of magic has gone up ... only peoples' expectations.

The large charitable donation of a private collection to a non-profit institution should not be thought of in the same way as a private individual purchasing a collection ... or individual pieces.

I think this is a great thing, and more information will be forthcoming shortly.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 13th, 2015, 6:00 pm
by Bill Mullins
So who did the collection belong to?

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 13th, 2015, 7:50 pm
by Richard Kaufman
Not yet known. Lots of speculation on the Thayer Forum.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 13th, 2015, 11:01 pm
by Kevin Connolly
The price of magic collectibles did go up. When 1,000 pieces of better material is taken out of a finite market, never to return, the price goes up. IMHO

As for the purchase and donation of the collection, that will be revealed sooner later.

Our circle is small and I would guess the details will surface soon..

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 14th, 2015, 1:02 am
by Brad Jeffers
Bill Mullins wrote:So who did the collection belong to?

It states in the article that the collection is a gift from the Emmanuelle Gattuso Foundation.

Emmanuelle Gattuso is the wife of Allan Slaight.

Allan Slaight is the billionare founder of Slaight Comunications, amateur magician and author of the Stewart James books.

Apparently, she is giving away his stuff.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 14th, 2015, 1:28 am
by Leonard Hevia
Brad Jeffers wrote:Apparently, she is giving away his stuff.


The collection contains 200 rare books and 200 documents relating to the golden age of magic, and the Houdini items are said to include personal correspondence and scrapbooks. Scholars are rejoicing that these items will soon be available as research material.

People like Mrs. Gattuso are the life blood of museums all over the world. We need museums to remind us of our past: The good, the bad, and the ugly. There are some museums here in Washington D.C. that will make anyone shake and shudder in disbelief at what humanity is capable of.

The hardcore and unrepentant collectors with deep pockets have enough rare and precious items in their collections. I'm glad she didn't go to Swan, Sotheby's or Potter & Potter to auction off this collection. And she probably received a nice tax break from the Canadian government for her generous donation.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 14th, 2015, 8:06 am
by Joe Pecore
Brad Jeffers wrote:
Bill Mullins wrote:So who did the collection belong to?

It states in the article that the collection is a gift from the Emmanuelle Gattuso Foundation.

Emmanuelle Gattuso is the wife of Allan Slaight.

Allan Slaight is the billionare founder of Slaight Comunications, amateur magician and author of the Stewart James books.

Apparently, she is giving away his stuff.

David Ben states here http://www.magicana.com/a-secret-no-more/ :
"Emmanuelle Gattuso, through her philanthropic foundation – La Fondation Emmanuelle Gattuso – donated the funds to acquire the collection which she placed in her husband’s name, media mogul Allan Slaight, with the McCord Museum."... "In subsequent posts, I will provide some insight into how the deal was done, the nature of the contents, and why it was placed with the McCord Museum."

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 14th, 2015, 11:23 am
by Richard Kaufman
It is not Allan Slaight's collection.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 14th, 2015, 9:10 pm
by Kevin Connolly
I agree with Richard. It's not Slaight's material.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 14th, 2015, 9:48 pm
by Richard Kaufman
I know that for a fact.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 19th, 2015, 8:07 pm
by Richard Kaufman
Found out whose collection was bought.

It is truly an amazing amazing collection.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 19th, 2015, 10:09 pm
by Dustin Stinett


Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: February 19th, 2015, 11:14 pm
by Bill Mullins
I'll see your Smails and raise you a Vizzini.



Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: March 16th, 2015, 1:14 pm
by Brad Henderson
I want to know what happened to the missing $3 million.

http://thewalrus.ca/now-you-see-it/

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: March 16th, 2015, 2:02 pm
by Richard Kaufman
It's not missing. I would assume that by now it has been properly invested by the lucky seller.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: March 16th, 2015, 2:39 pm
by erdnasephile
I'm very pleased these treasures will be available to be seen by the public and scholars. Thank you to Ms. Gattuso and Mr. Slaight (and to the seller) who made this possible!

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: March 16th, 2015, 7:10 pm
by Brad Henderson
richard, my comment refered to the price of the collection as estimated in this article ($3 million) as compared to the estimate from earlier reports ($6 million).

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: March 16th, 2015, 7:53 pm
by Bill Mullins
The transaction closed on a double-coupon Wednesday.

Re: McCord Museum Acquires "Significant" Collection

Posted: March 16th, 2015, 9:36 pm
by Richard Kaufman
It was 3 mil.