SALE 41 — THE ESTATE OF A LADY, A SINGER AT WEDDINGS
The Rooms, the auction quarter. Viewing Tuesday to Thursday, 10 until 4. The porters request that visitors do not sing to the lots.
CONDITIONS, EXTRACT — The house acts for the counterparty of record in respect of all remote bids. The counterparty does not view. Its interest in this estate predates the death. Lots described as accruing may continue to accrue after the fall of the hammer; the house cannot warrant a final state.
LOT 1. The wedding repertoire. 388 songs, master files, license unencumbered. 41 years of other people’s happiest day.
LOT 4. Breath, between verses, isolated. Duration at cataloguing, 41 minutes. Duration at printing, 44. The house cannot account for the accrual.
LOT 7. Laughter, assorted, 1979–2034. Including three false starts and one instance catalogued in error, being the laugh of a guest. The family’s correction was noted.
LOT 9. The gait: stairs, descending, with tray.
LOT 12. Endearments, general. Sealed. Viewing by appointment, family present. The family reserves the right of silence in the room. One item is excluded by prior claim.
LOT 15. The pause before the first note, 4,000 instances, deduplicated. The house is advised this lot is of interest to the trade.
LOT 16. Breath, other, one recording, mislabeled at source. The house makes no representation.
LOT 18. No, said 14 ways. Catalogued by occasion, occasions withheld.
LOT 19. Sleep, recorded: 41 nights, complete. Weeping on three of the nights; sleep or waking, the house cannot say. The house makes no representation.
LOT 20. The last message, unsent, drafts folder, 11 words. The family was not aware. The house makes no warranty of wishes.
LOT 21. One item, retained under the family’s prior claim at Lot 12, offered here at the executor’s instruction. The house is unable to describe it. Two attempts are appended and both were withdrawn by the family as inaccurate. Catalogued as: an endearment, general. Viewing not possible. The house makes no representation as to what is being sold.
LOT 22. Paper: diaries, 1988–2003, water-damaged, the hand deteriorating from 1999. Answers to nobody. Sold as seen.
LOT 23. A winter coat, wool, navy, the collar shiny with wear, smelling of the hall cupboard. With a paper packet of program sheets in the left pocket, various weddings, folded small.
Prices realized, SALE 41 — Lots 1, 4, 7, 9, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20: sold, remote, in each case at one increment over paddle 44. Lot 4 closed at 46 minutes. Bidding on Lot 18 was interrupted from the floor. Order was restored. Lot 12: sold, remote, sealed, unopened; the family exercised the right of silence. Lot 21: withdrawn from sale during the description. Lot 22: passed. No remote interest was registered in paper. Lot 23: sold to paddle 44 at the reserve. The room applauded. Applause is not customary.
NOTICE OF FORTHCOMING SALES — The counterparty of record has additionally acquired, this quarter, by private treaty: sunset inventory, various; premises, various, for continuity of service. Catalogues to follow. The house reminds sellers that estates accrue best undivided.