Treasure Trove Of New York City History Will Hit The Auction Block
NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- A treasure trove of historical artifacts from New York City and beyond is going up for auction later this week.
Amazing city treasures including art-deco fixtures from the Chrysler building and gates from St. Patrick's cathedral are attracting interest from around the world.
As CBS2's Vanessa Murdock reported, history stares at you from every angle as you walk through a collection that was built over owner Gil Shapiro's lifetime.
He picked up his first artifact from a drug store when he was just a junior in high school.
"I had my first date there. It was going out of business. I felt like I should have a piece of that," he said.
Now, with more than his warehouse can hold, everything will be auctioned off by Gurnsey's.
"This has got to be one of the most popular events. People are calling from all over the world," Gurnsey's President, Arlan Ettinger said.
Shapiro has had the gates from St. Patrick's for over 25 years. They were built in the 1930s and tower more than 15-feet high. It's arguably one of the greatest masterpieces of ironwork ever done.
The more I look at the less likely I am to root for it to sell," he said.
The doors will likely fetch up to $90-thousand, as will a pair of torches circa 1931. They stand 7.5-ft tall. They once stood in the soaring mosaic lobby of One Wall Street.
An art deco pendant hung in the stairwell of the Chrysler building and is worth at least $8,000.
Many smaller pieces will go for less than a grand. Like a 1920s gargoyle and the 'Let There Be Neon' clock from the 1980s.
Stepping beyond the borders of New York City, you can travel back to an 18902 soda fountain in Ohio. An onyx syrup locker dispensed twelve flavors.
At auction it will likely be worth $30,000.
A public preview of the items starts on Tuesday, the live auction will be held on Friday and Saturday.
