The Skating Collection of Dick Button

[A.H.Black]

I haven't seen a thread about this auction. If I missed it - so sorry.

Apparently Dick Button is auctioning off some of his memorabilia.
https://www.brunkauctions.com/…/20…/12/Button-Collection.pdf

Here's the story - https://www.brunkauctions.com/the-skating-collection-of-dick-button/ I want the torch from 2002.

 

[Spun Silver]

It sounds like an amazing collection. What a pity it can't be housed in the figure skating hall of fame (if that even has a house) or some museum.

ETA: When I wrote that I hadn't viewed the catalogue. Whoa. It really is wonderful. Uncle Dick surely tried to keep it together or to make a book of it. How sad. It is such a work of love.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

I adore the hooked rug with the saying "The Ice is Thin It Signifies How Soon Youth Fades & Pleasures Die" woven in! It could have been lifted right from some of Dick's commentary, too.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I want everything.

 

[skatfan]

It sounds like an amazing collection. What a pity it can't be housed in the figure skating hall of fame (if that even has a house) or some museum.

The figure skating museum in Colorado Springs is not very large. This sounds like a fairly big collection. I’d guess his children have chosen what they want and the rest is going. I wonder if he is giving up his home -,he was pretty disabled at US Nationals in San Jose.

 

[paskatefan]

I wonder if he is giving up his home - he was pretty disabled at US Nationals in San Jose.

 

[skatesindreams]

I haven't seen a thread about this auction. If I missed it - so sorry.

Apparently Dick Button is auctioning off some of his memorabilia.
https://www.brunkauctions.com/…/20…/12/Button-Collection.pdf

Here's the story - https://www.brunkauctions.com/the-skating-collection-of-dick-button/ I want the torch from 2002.

More here:

https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...re-skating-history.99121/page-18#post-5487475

 

[A.H.Black]

- I think the idea of giving things to the museum has probably already been considered. The cost of maintaining and securing many of these items may be beyond the capacity of the figure skating museums.

- I wouldn't be surprised if Dick has already made donations to the museum - probably many donations over many years.

- It looks like many of these items were among those included in the Fennimore Art Museum exhibition last year.

 

[skatesindreams]

- I think the idea of giving things to the museum has probably already been considered. The cost of maintaining and securing many of these items may be beyond the capacity of the figure skating museums.

I believe that he would like items to be appreciated and displayed.
They don't have the space, or personnel to do so, at least at this juncture.

 

[my little pony]

id stab everyone to get something, I really love the picture of people skating on the schuylkill

I wonder if he has anything much cheaper, like some hallmark ornaments

 

[Coco]

I can feel an enormous bout of irresponsibility coming on.

Those small bronze statues/figurines are lovely. And the furniture, although not really skating related, is to die for!

 

[Theoreticalgirl]

It sounds like an amazing collection. What a pity it can't be housed in the figure skating hall of fame (if that even has a house) or some museum.

Speaking as a museum employee, it depends on a variety of factors: does it fit the museum’s mission/curatorial interests? Can they afford it/will the board of trustees let them buy it? Can it be shown in upcoming shows or be loaned out on a regular basis? For some of these pieces, its very possible. There are a couple of Hudson River School artists in here; they always do well. The rest? Not quite sure.

 

[Spun Silver]

I doubt it has anything like the value sheerly as art that it does to fans of figure skating, especially given its connection to Dick Button. It would have been amazing if the US FSHOF could have built a home for it. It would have been fitting and surely would have increased attendance. It's sad to see such a unique collection broken up. But nothing is forever in this world.

 

[BittyBug]

I don't think any of us can presume that the collection was offered to U.S. Figure Skating and that they rejected it. Based on the fact that it is going to auction, it seems like the primary interest of Button's family is in monetizing the memorabilia. U.S. Figure Skating has no budget to acquire anything; they rely solely on donations.

 

[Spun Silver]

I don't think any of us can presume that the collection was offered to U.S. Figure Skating and that they rejected it. Based on the fact that it is going to auction, it seems like the primary interest of Button's family is in monetizing the memorabilia. U.S. Figure Skating has no budget to acquire anything; they rely solely on donations.

I'm not assuming anything. I'm just expressing my wishes and feelings. I'll get over it. ?

 

[Sylvia]

I haven't seen a thread about this auction. If I missed it - so sorry.

Apparently Dick Button is auctioning off some of his memorabilia.

Credit to @N_Halifax for posting about this auction in his blog thread on Dec. 18 : https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...re-skating-history.99121/page-18#post-5487475
(Oh, just saw that @skatesindreams also provided the link in post #7.)

- It looks like many of these items were among those included in the Fennimore Art Museum exhibition last year.

GSD thread about the 2017 museum exhibition: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...n-collection-in-cooperstown-ny-museum.101082/

 

[SkateGuard]

Just a little more information re: this auction... The catalogue was made available online today (earlier than originally announced):

https://www.brunkauctions.com/auction/premier-and-emporium-auction-january-25-26-2019-12244/151

As well, here's a link to the first page with the lots from Dick's collection:

https://www.brunkauctions.com/aucti...auction-january-25-26-2019-12244/151/lots?p=7

 

[my little pony]

I was hoping he'd throw some cheaper things in, like his copy of the second mark or something

though I am comforted by the fact that we have the same dining room chairs

 

[aftershocks]

I'm so sorry to hear that Dick is disabled. Does that mean he's not able to walk these days? My thoughts are with him and his family.

It would be cool if some donations could be made (but perhaps Dick has donated some items over the years to various skating archives/ institutions). I certainly respect the wishes of Dick and his family to auction things off.

It's good to make lifestyle adjustments and pare down sentimental memorabilia and extensive belongings with an elderly loved one's permission and input well before their eventual passing. I'm not looking forward to hearing about that happening to one of figure skating's greatest living treasures at all, but I'm realistic that time is passing at what seems like such tremendous speed. I lost 6 elders who were important to me over the past six years (4 of them were close relatives, and 2 of the deaths occurred this year). Not to mention all of the elderly (and not so elderly) public figures who have recently passed (including several prominent political figures this year).