Florida Mom Finds Famous to Boost Literacy, Inspire Others
JENSEN BEACH, FL–Eyebrows of rare book and signature collectors will rise this fall when an extraordinary collection with a tender mission will be available for an online auction beginning November 5, 2009. Dubbed The Little Auction That Could (www.littleauctionthatcould.org), the 70+ collection includes signatures from some of the most iconic figures of our time, including President Barack Obama, John H. Glenn, Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, J.K. Rowling and Tiger Woods.
Passionate about education and literacy, volunteer mom Karla Preissman wanted to foster a love a reading among children living at Jensen Beach, Florida-based Hibiscus Children’s Center who have suffered from abuse and neglect. First, she helped create the Reef Library within the shelter and filled it with hundreds of books and resources. But that wasn’t enough…she wanted to make sure that these resources would be replenished and the library maintained and supported by staff that would help make literacy a key component to the healing received at the foster care center.
She came up with an idea. Why not ask famous people what books inspired them as a child and ask them to simply sign their names in a copy that would be auctioned for the benefit of Hibiscus Children’s Center? What started off as a simple request has mushroomed into a wildly varied and fascinating glimpse of what some of the most famous people on the planet believed to be a motivating book from childhood. Other iconic figures, such as President Barack Obama, signed a book symbolic of his time in office–a first edition pop-up White House children’s book.
Author and poet Maya Angelou submitted three signed books, one coming from her personal library called Story of Phillis Wheatley detailing the life of a slave turned poet during the American Revolution. How do you place a value on a collectible item like that?
According to the Professional Autograph Dealer Association (www.padaweb.org) website, the following key elements will determine the price: authenticity, condition, content, rarity and demand. For example, nearly 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln signed for the declaration of war against the south and today the document is on the market for $850,000. Flash forward 100 years, and John F. Kennedy’s signature accepting his nomination for the Liberal Party in 1960 is on the market for $40,000. Imagine the future 100 years from now, what will be the value of the signature of our nation’s first African American President while he was in his first term of office, signing a first edition copy of a children’s book entitled The White House? Anyone’s guess.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based antiquarian book dealer and appraiser Robert Hittel believes, “Owning one or more books from this eclectic collection would be the cornerstone of anyone’s collection.”
For the complete listing of signed books and information about bidding, go to www.littleauctionthatcould.org. To see the collection firsthand, visit the exhibition at the Elliott Museum in Stuart, Florida (www.elliottmuseumfl.org) beginning November 6 through November 29, 2009.
Founded in 1985, Hibiscus Children’s Center is a non profit organization that addresses abuse and neglect issues throughout the Florida Treasure Coast. Programs include Foster Care, parental support, counseling for families in crisis and services to reunite children with their families, when appropriate. www.hibiscuschildrenscenter.org.
A sampling of celebrity signed books:
| • Jimmy Buffett | Treasure Island | A must read, one of my favorite books. |
| • Jane Goodall | Tarzan | If only Tarzan had married the right Jane. |
| • Alonzo Mourning | Where the Wild things Are | Reading will help you accomplish all your dreams. |
| • Carl Hiaasen | Secret Of the Old Mill | I wish I’d written this! Best Wishes. |
| • Maya Angelou | Story of Phillis Wheatley | To the winning bidder at Hibiscus Children’s Shelter, Joy! Maya Angelou; July 24, 2009 |
