Auction disperses contents of historic Balsams resort

Saturday's auction included more than 2,400 items, many encompassing the entire contents of guest rooms and other spaces. Mahogany chairs were being sold in groups of eight, dishes stamped with the hotel logo in sets of 10 and everything from towels and sheets to tablecloths in groups of 25.

Some of the quirkier items included chairs from the resort's ski lift, an antique fire pump truck and an old barber's chair, which sold for $1,600.

More than 2,500 people, most of them registered bidders, showed up for the auction, said Scott Tranchemontagne, spokesman for Balsams View LLC, which bought the hotel in December.

“We're obviously pleased with the turnout, and the bidding has been robust,” he said.

Tranchemontagne said all the items up for bid had been sold in the auction that lasted nearly 12 hours. No tally was immediately available, he said.

Bidding was particularly brisk for the vintage barber's chair, with two people bidding back and forth before it sold. A copper water-cooling machine sold for $850.

The auctioneer was even able to sell a biomass plant in its entirety. Earlier its turbines, generators, tools and other parts separately, but by the end of the auction, the entire plant was sold, Tranchemontagne said.

The Balsams, located in remote northern New Hampshire, is one of four hotels that remain from the state's grand hotel era, which ended around the turn of the 20th century. It has four private lakes, a golf course and a downhill ski area and could accommodate up to 400 guests. It closed in September.

Balsams View LLC, led by two local businessmen, plans to re-open the hotel in July 2013 after extensive renovations, though a recent snag involving approval for subdividing the land has temporarily stalled the project. A special meeting to address the planning board's concerns is set for later this month.

The hotel got its start as a small inn, the Dix House, which opened just after the Civil War. In 1895, industrialist Henry Hale bought the Dix House and renamed it The Balsams. He completed a major renovation in 1918, doubling the resort's capacity to 400 guests.

For decades, the hotel has been known for its role in the presidential primary. The auction did not include any furniture or photos from the famed Ballot Room, where residents vote just after midnight every four years, but a few memorabilia items from there were up for grabs, including the posters on which votes were tallied for the 2008 and 2012 primaries.

Auction officials said they expected total sales to add up to between $200,000 and $250,000.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-05-13-12 0339GMT

Unemployed Ohioan finds Picasso poster in thrift store

After a closer look at markings on it, he sold what's believed to be a signed Picasso print for $7,000.

“A pretty darn good return,” said Zachary Bodish of Ohio with a chuckle. “Can't get that at the bank.”

The private buyer wants to remain anonymous.

The 46-year-old Bodish said an online search led him to the print's history as a French exhibition advertisement. He began to look closely at some faded red writing on the print, which he originally thought were random pencil marks.

“It wasn't until I realized where the signature would be, and that those little red marks were right where the signature should be, that I got a stronger magnifying glass out and determined that ‘Holy cow! It's really a Picasso,’” Bodish said.

Bodish said he consulted with art experts and met with a representative from Christie's auction house to authenticate the piece. A Christie's representative confirmed that Bodish met with a specialist, but the auction house said its policy is not to comment on items that aren't sold through it. In this case, Bodish decided to sell the print privately in April.

Lisa Florman, an associate history professor at Ohio State University, has written several essays and a book on Picasso. She examined the print only through photos but said it's very unlikely the piece is forged because the piece would sell for so low in the grand scheme of major art fraud.

She said she's examined many forged Picasso signatures in the past but felt confident about Bodish's print.

Florman said Picasso designed the print to advertise a 1958 exhibition of his ceramic work in Vallauris, France. There were 100 prints made for the exhibition, and Picasso signed them all.

But Florman said Bodish's print, which is marked as number six, is valuable for being in the artist's proof range. That means it's possibly one of only a handful he personally reviewed before they were mass-produced.

Florman said Picasso signed so many prints, it's very plausible the piece ended up at a thrift store in the Midwest.

“It's kind of a fun story,” she said. “There's nothing about it that seems fishy.”

Ed Zettler, a retired English teacher, claims the print sat in his basement for years before he decided to donate it to the thrift store. Zettler has no hard feelings.

“I gave it away. Someone else found it. He fortunately saw more. It's his,” Zettler said. “That's the risk you take when you bring something to the thrift store.”

Bodish said he plans to use the money for day-to-day bills, including his mortgage, utilities, food and even more thrift store finds.

“It's just been a rough struggle to make ends meet,” he said. “I may have been fated to find it.”

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-05-10-12 1647GMT

Eagle Scout spends 3 years restoring early jet aircraft

Florence teen Frankie Slemmer invested three years into the restoration of a decades-old Lockheed T-33 “Shooting Star” airplane that had been ravaged by time and neglect.

Slemmer saw the old jet airplane sitting out front of the Darlington County Jetport several years ago and didn't fully know then that it would become a shining example of his dedication and perseverance.

He decided he wanted to refurbish the plane as a service project to get his Eagle Scout, and it just so happened he was trying to get his Aviation Merit Badge, too.

“I wanted to do something original that would reflect my patriotism and love for aviation, so I asked about this airplane in front of the airport,” Slemmer said.

He proposed it would only take three months but it ended up taking three years and 222 hours of work.

The aircraft had been moved to the Darlington Jetport some years ago and been sitting there decaying for over a decade. Originally, it was a gleaming example of polished aluminum that was used as a jet trainer for pilot trainees starting in the 1950s.

Once he got approval from the airport commission, Slemmer set to work and spent virtually every minute of spare time polishing, painting and repainting every square-inch of the airplane.

Needless to say, it was a big project. Slemmer said it was tough, but he wanted to look back and say that he had accomplished what he set out to do and be proud of it.

James Marsh, a family friend and a member of the Darlington County Jetport Commission, lent his aviation expertise along with tools to the cause.

Slemmer said he sometimes spent a whole day on one small portion trying to get the plane to shine again.

Marsh said he admired Slemmer's dedication to remove more than 10 years of oxidation that had dulled the plane's finish.

“It was an enormous task and not an easy project,” Marsh said. “I really enjoyed seeing the progress week-to-week, especially from a young man that's doing something for the community.”

Slemmer said he couldn't have done it without the help from friends and family.

“It feels weird now that it's done. I spent every summer out there and would come home covered with grime and paint,” he said.

Because of Slemmer's efforts, the airport has plans to continue keeping up the plane's appearance.

“Having that airplane out there shows that we take pride in our airport,” Marsh said. “It's gone from an ugly duckling to a pretty white swan and will last indefinitely.”

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Information from: Morning News, http://www.scnow.com

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-05-09-12 1356GMT

Saratoga track to celebrate 150th anniversary next year

Members of the Saratoga 150 Committee held a news conference Thursday at Saratoga Race Course to announce plans for next year's five-month-long celebration.

Organizers say a friends group, website and forums for collecting old Saratoga images and memorabilia are being set up ahead of the May 2013 start of the 150th anniversary celebration.

The first thoroughbred races were held in Saratoga Springs in the summer of 1863. The next year, the races were moved across the street to their current location. The historic track is considered the oldest sporting venue in the United States.

This year's Saratoga racing season runs from July 20 through Labor Day.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-05-10-12 0703GMT