Silent Partners Estate Sales is pleased to announce that they have been chosen to liquidate the estate of Milburn Calhoun, M.D., and his lovely wife Nancy.  Dr. Calhoun was the owner and driving force of Pelican Publishing Company for many years.  He was a legend in regional publishing circles, and published such classics as Cajun Night Before Christmas, the New Orleans Architecture series, the Justin Wilson cookbooks, and Zig Ziglar's bestselling "See you at the Top."

Their beautiful English Turn home is the setting for this 3-day sale.  If you are at all interested in antiquarian and regional books, regional photography, rare ephemera, and Louisiana memorabilia, you will NOT want to miss this sale.  The library alone - modeled after the one in the film My Fair Lady -  is phenomenal, with two floors and thousands of volumes.

This is literally the collection of a lifetime.

No children (that means anyone under 18) will be admitted to this sale - please leave your young ones at home - we will make no exceptions.  There will be controlled admittance to the home, so get there early or be prepared to wait.  The Gate is going to want to see the driver's Driver's license - if that is a problem, don't come to the sale - their rule, not mine.

We will continually be adding items and photos to this listing as we uncover the treasures - so check back!!

Some highlights:

Some years ago, Dr. Calhoun purchased the library of Grace King, well-known local historian and author. A beautiful bookcase that belonged to her is in the sale, along with many of her (inscribed) books and lots of family papers - personal letters to/from Grace King and her family, the personal account records, school books, scrapbooks, et. MANY items of interest, including a condolence letter from Ellsworth Woodward and Francis T. Nicholls, written entirely in their hand on their stationary, floral tribute card from "Comus", mourning ephemera, etc.

Spectacular 15 foot long, 8.5 foot tall mahogany breakfront/bookcase with keys - dates from 1780.  This special item is available for pre-sale.  Contact us if interested.

Fantastic photographs of local interest, including an original Jay Dearborn Edwards photograph of the fire station at 700 Girod Street (with hook and ladder wagon).  Jay D. Edwards was one of the first photographers to document sites in the City of New Orleans. Taken before 1860 and extremely rare.  Original photo  - 1902 Tulane Theatre Box Office featuring Henry Breese and Harry L. Campbell.  Early streetcar photos - too many other to mention.There are many other wonderful early local images, along with some cased examples (dags and ambrotypes)

CDVs of Confederate generals - Beauregard, Stonewall Jackson, Sterling Price, Joseph Johnston, others

Great selection of old maps, focusing on Louisiana - some very early.

Early stereoviews, including some of New Orleans, Vicksburg and St. Augustine, Florida - as well as an interesting stereoscope to view them on.

Books - too many to mention - highlights include "To Glorious Immortality: the Rise & Fall of the Girod St. Cemetery, #592 of 100, signed by the author (1st ed) to Stuart Landry, previous owner of Pelican Publishing, Children of Strangers (1st edition - signed) by Lyle Saxon, First Edition William Faulkner's "Pylon', George Washington Cable signed 1st editions, Lafcadio Hearn first editions, many, many others.  

Vintage Mah-Jong Set

Dozens of important Historical Monographs/Pamphlets (we will be continually adding to this sample list):

     Two pamphlets from the personal library of Henry Clay Warmouth, Reconstruction Governor, one inscribed in his hand

     Police Regulations of the Parish of West Baton Rouge, 1828, in French

     Trials of the Hon. James Workman and Lewis Kerr before the United States Court for the Orleans District in a charge of High Misdemeanor, New Orleans imprint, 1807

      Les Imperials (A. Lusson), in French, 1841, New Orleans imprint

      Address of the LA Native American Association to the Citizens of LA and the inhabitants of the U.S., (New Orleans, 1839), with list of members.  Extremely rare Know-Nothing Party Anti-Immigration Screed.

      Memorial of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Inhabitants of New Orleans, 1827 (2 maps) - 20th Congress House of Representatives

       Official Souvenir Program - Transfer of Louisiana from France to the United States (New Orleans Historical Society, 1903), New Orleans imprint

        Memorial to Joseph Numa Augustin, Jr., 1898  - extremely rare memorial to a Donaldsonville native who fell in the Charge on San Juan Hill

        Report of the Joint Committee on Pauperism and Destitution on behalf of the Councils of the 3 Municipalities of New Orleans and of the City of Lafayette, 1851 (former property of Grace King and signed in her hand on cover).

         Reminiscent Story of the Great Civil War (A memoir by Henry H. Baker, Washington Artillery), New Orleans imprint, 1911 - 2 vols.

         Historical Sketch of the St. Louis Cathedral - Ursuline Convent - Mortuary Chapel by Roger Baudier, 1936 First Edition

         Poetical History of Louisiana (Cotton Exposition souvenir), New Orleans imprint, 1885

         Speech of the Hon. J.P. Benjamin of Louisiana delivered in the Senate of the U.S. 11 March 1858 - Slavery Protected by the Common Law of the New World - 1858 - extremely rare         

         J.P. Benjamin's Speech in Defense of the National Democracy Against the Attack of Judge Douglas - Constitutional Rights of the States, Washington City 1860 - extremely rare

          1915 Program - Dedication of the Battle Abbey (Old Spanish Armory), 9 Jan 1915

           Centenary College of Louisiana - Commencement Program - July 1847

           Code of Honor - Rationale and uses, 2nd Edition, New Orleans imprint 1883.  An important treatise on the rules of dueling - very scarce.

             History of the Riot at Colfax by the Committee of 70, published 1874 -  VERY RARE

             The Charity Hospital of Louisiana, 1923 edition, contains lists of doctors who practiced there - signed by author

             New Orleans Cremation Society Pamphlet, Charter and Prospectus, 1884, contains list of members - extremely rare

             Levee Board monograph on the employment of convict labor, 1867

             Jefferson Davis - a sketch of the Life and Character of the President of the Confederate States, 1908 - presented to the public school children of Louisiana and Mississippi on the Davis Centennial - printed by the New Orleans Times Democrat

             History of Germans on the Lower Mississippi, 1889 - In German

             Nos Hommes et Notre Histoire, 1911 - in French. Monograph on the history of free men of color and the writers of Les Cenelles.

             Dorothy Dix.....Herself - autographed by the author (famous newspaper woman)

             Speech of Hon. Jacob M. Howard of Michigan- Joint Resolution for Recognition and Readmission to the Union of the State of Louisiana - delivered in the Senate 1865

              Maille's Divorce Laws of Louisiana, New Orleans imprint, 1884

              Rare copy of "What I have Learned in Twenty Years as Captain of Comus" by George Janvier - inscribed by him to his "good friend Stuart O. Landry."

              Some Interesting Papers of John McDonough pertaining to the LA purchase and the Liberian Colonization, 1898

              Original Newspaper - New York Times, 9 May 1862 - Front page news is the Capture of New Orleans

              Address to the Vestry of the Church of the Epiphany at Opelousas, LA - 1856, Opelousas imprint - very rare

              Libretto from Opera performed at the French Theatre (New Orleans) in 1856 - The Devil's Home  - in French & English

              Libretto from Opera performed at the French Theatre - 1857 - The Queen of Cypress - in French & English

              Libretto from Opera performed in Napoleonville  - 1856 - Charles VI - very rare

              Masonic Interest - LA Freternite Revue de la Maconnerie Universelle - 1870, in French - New Orleans imprint

              Street Railway Guide to the City of New Orleans - all the streetcar routes - 1884 original

              Original program/menu from St. Charles Hotel - Banquet honoring President William McKinley, 1901

              Composition book owned by Nina King, younger sister of Grace King, 1875, written in her hand - essays and musings

              Thesaurus dated 1888, owened by Annie Ragan King, sister to Grace King

              1 original issue of the Double Dealer (local literary magazine), N.O. imprint, Nov. 1925

Furnishings - nice sofas, beds (king and twin), chests of drawers, dining room/breakfront, coffee tables, antique barrister bookcases (over a dozen), baby crib, Henredon bedroom furniture, much more - we will be adding to this description.

Framed Art - including a large antique engraving of "The Last Meeting of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson"

Very nice leather Lazy-Boy Recliner

Lovely piano with bench - great tone

Vintage Doctor bags and microscope

Ladies clothing, including a lovely vintage mink stole

Kitchenware of all types - small appliances, cookware, bakeware, some Pyrex - hostessware, some vintage, cast iron, Magnalite roaster

Tons of miscellaneous and holiday decorations