Freelance
Shopping

Larry Cox

Q I purchased this item at a local flea market and not even the person I bought it from knew what it was. Even though everyone in my immediate family has examined it, no one has a clue. Can you solve this mystery for us? – Donna, Tucson

A You have a pie bird that was used to vent and support the crust and act as a ventilator for pies, especially fruit and berry ones. According to “300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles” by Linda Campbell Franklin (Krause, $29.95), pie birds have been in use since the early 18th century. They were especially popular during the 1890s when dozens of “pie chimneys” were manufactured in both ceramic and glass.

In recent years, pie birds have become collectible, especially ones depicting hens and roosters, pigs, birds, cats, frogs, Dutch girls, bears, and licensed characters such as Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. As with most collectibles, prices are determined by several factors including condition, rarity and desirability. Typical prices are Donald Duck, circa 1940, $150; white china bird, British origin and from the 1920s, $65; a chef on a pedestal, $35; and a “mammy,” probably from the 1940s, $175.

It was necessary to vent pies, especially ones such as the humongous pie on wheels that was made in January 1770 for Sir Henry Grey in London. This special pie included the following ingredients: 2 bushels of flour, 20 lbs. butter, 4 geese, 2 turkeys, 2 rabbits, 4 wild ducks, 2 woodcocks, 6 snipes and 4 partridges in addition to 7 blackbirds and six pigeons. The pie weighed 168 pounds and required two men to carry it to the table. Although it is not reported that pie birds were used, some type of ventilation had to have been necessary to make certain it cooked through and through.

Some sources that might be helpful are Piebirds Unlimited, a quarterly publication for collectors, P.O. Box 192, Acworth, GA 30101; and dealer Deborah Vanden Heuvel, Global Galleria, 209 Riverwalk Circle, Cary, NC 27511. Also experts Lillian Cole, 14 Harmony School Road, Flemington, NJ 08822 and Linda Fields, 158 Bagsby Hill Lane, Dover, TN 37058.

Freelance

Postcards are among America’s favorite collectibles. Since this is National Postcard Week, it seems a perfect time to discuss their collectibility and salute one of the area’s best clubs for enthusiasts, the Tucson Post Card Exchange.

According to Kovels’ Antiques & Collectibles by Ralph and Terry Kovel, the first legally permitted postcards originated in Austria in 1869. The first “penny” postcards were mailed in the United States in 1872. Most of the picture postcards are from the early years of the last century.

The price of postage fluctuated, so it is often possible to determine when a card was mailed both by the postal mark and the amount of the stamp. For example, the rates are 1872 (1 cent), 1917 (2 cents), 1919 (1 cent), 1925 (2 cents), 1928 (1 cent), 1952 (2 cents), 1958 (3 cents), 1963 (4 cents), 1968 (5 cents), 1971 (6 cents), 1973 (8 cents), 1975 (7 cents), 1976 (9 cents), 1978 (10 cents), March 1981 (12 cents), November 1981 (13 cents), 1985 (14 cents), 1988 (15 cents), 1991 (19 cents), 1995 (20 cents), 2001 (21 cents), 2002 (23 cents), 2006 (24 cents), and 2007 (26 cents).

Postcards can vary in price depending on rarity, condition and desirability. A quick check of eBay revealed dozens of interesting cards being offered for sale including a Halloween card depicting a black cat from the 1920s, $35; a real photo image of Phoenix from 1910, $45; a Santa in blue robes promoting a laundry soap, circa 1915, $65; a view of the Titanic, $275; and a series featuring seven movie stars from the 1930s (Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, Gary Cooper, Mae West and George Brent), $65 for the set.

The value of postcards has continued to increase, especially for older, more desirable cards. In special demand are holiday cards, designs by important illustrators such as Hank Feilig and Harrison Cady, cards relating to politics and labor, and images of small town America.

One of the premier clubs is the Tucson Postcard Exchange Club. Members meet the first Sunday of each month at 2:30 p.m. at the Pima County Medical Society Building, 5199 E. Farness. The meetings are open to the public. Membership dues are $15 per year.

For additional information, contact club president Jack Mount at jdmount@cox.net

LARRY COX

Citizen Staff Writer
Entertainment

Entertainment news about personalities and events with an Old Pueblo twist.

Items in Ritter collection

to be auctioned in N.Y.

Famed Tucson collector Mel Ritter will have a little more spending money in his pockets after some items in his impressive collection are auctioned off May 5.

Limited edition works – once showcased by the University of Arizona Museum of Art – by famous artists such as Matisse, Picasso, Dali, Hockney and Warhol will be up for sale at Swann Auction Galleries in New York, according to a news release.

Items up for auction include:

• A collection of 10 aquatints by Picasso, one of only 220 copies signed by the artist ($8,000 to $12,000).

• A collaboration between Jasper Johns and Samuel Beckett of aquatints and lithographs, watermarked with Beckett’s initials and Johns’ signature. ($15,000 to $20,000).

• “The Apocalypse, the Revelation of Saint John the Divine” by Jim Dine ($15,000 to $25,000). “Created in the long tradition of illustrating the Apocalypse, the text is set in two sizes of type as a reading device to differentiate the speakers,” the release states.

Citizen’s Buckley, Graham

vie for local arts awards

The Tucson Citizen’s own Daniel Buckley and Chuck Graham have been nominated for Lumies Arts Awards.

The awards will be handed out May 7 by the Tucson Pima Arts Council, which each year honors “outstanding luminaries who have made significant contributions to the arts in our community.”

The event is from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. Tickets are $35 general admission, $75 for VIP seating. They’re available at the temple box office or by phone at 622-2823.

Buckley, who has covered the arts (with specialties in classical and mariachi music) for the Citizen since 1987, is vying for the Lifetime Achievement Award.

An arts writer (with specialties in film, jazz and theatre) at the paper for 35 years, Graham is nominated for Arts Supporter.

The categories and nominees are:

Lifetime Achievement Award

Joseph L. Bourne, Daniel Buckley, Nicholas Burke, Matt Finstrom, Lynn Rae Lowe, Eva Zorilla Tessler, Richard Warner, Alida Wilson-Gunn and To-Ree-Nee Wolf McArdle.

Arts Supporter

Jessica Andrews, Ruth Baron, Regina Ford, Chuck Graham, The Long Rangers, Pamela Mox, Jim Rowley, Robert Weede and Vicky Westover.

Emerging Arts Organization

Dancing in the Streets Arizona, The Rogue Theatre, Studio Connections, Tohono O’odham Nation Cultural Museum & Center

Established Arts Organization

The Arizona Repertory Singers, El Centro Cultural de las Americas, Tohono Chul Park, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Friends of Chamber Music

Arts Volunteer

Frank M. Lopez, Gail Munden

Arts Educator

Iris J. Arnesen, Renee Blakely, Shawn Campbell, Elsmarie DeMars, Pat Dolan, Julie Gallego, Jeffry A. Jahn, Ruth Marblestone, Marcela Molina, Haydee Pack, Hirotsune Tashima, Larry D. Wollam

Large Business

Cox Communications, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc.

Arts Education Organization

The Giving Tree Outreach Program, SharMoore Children’s Productions, Sonoran Glass Art Academy, The Symphony Women’s Association

Individual Achievement/ Emerging Artist

Kimi Eisele, Louis David Valenzuela

Send submissions to calendar@tucsoncitizen.com.

Citizen Staff Writer

RYN GARGULINSKI

rynski@tucsoncitizen.com

Readers, writers and even folks who haven’t picked up a book in years are invited to a two-day gala affair at the University of Arizona campus this weekend.

The first Tucson Festival of Books is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free.

More than 350 local authors will be on hand, signing, discussing and presenting their work. Topics range from true crime to westerns, horror to romance, teen books to children’s storytelling and activities. Screenplays and TV writing are also in the mix.

“There is going to be something for everybody,” says Bill Viner, CEO of Pepper Viner Homes, and a founding member of the Tucson Festival of Books.

“People might think this is like an old time book fair – it’s not,” he adds. “It’s a very unique thing coming to the community. People can really enjoy something that’s different, educational and fun. They don’t have to be intellectuals or avid readers.”

Some of the notable headliners at the event include Stedman Graham, speaking on the importance of education; America’s Poet Laureate Billy Collins and southern Arizona’s own best-selling author J.A. Jance.

Editor’s note: Tucson Citizen staffer, artist and poet Ryn Gargulinski will be reading her poetry at 4 p.m. March 14 on the main stage of the UA BookStore (next to Starbucks).

350-plus local authors expected at book fest

IF YOU GO

What: Tucson Festival of Books

When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

Where: Various locations at the University of Arizona

Price: Admission is free

Info: www.tucsonfestivalofbooks.org

Citizen Staff Writer
Outdoors

CHUCK GRAHAM

cgraham@tucsoncitizen.com

The jets are coming: No propellers, please.

This weekend the Tucson Jet Rally 2009 takes over the flight line of the Tucson International Modelplex Park Association as model airplane versions of full-scale jets take to the skies. The annual event draws pilots of these radio-controlled craft from all the Western states. The rally’s director, Debbie Sherrow, says everyone loves the field’s wide open spaces.

Making full use of the city’s clear skies and TIMPA’s unobstructed visibility, these pilots use remote radio control systems to fly their craft at speeds approaching 200 mph. Everyone’s first impression of these unique flying works of art is, “They sound just like real jets.”

Perhaps that is why elaborately detailed scale models are so popular in this branch of aeromodeling. These models with sweptwing spans of more than 6 feet, can cost between $15,000 and $20,000. Many are scale models of military aircraft, lending a sense of aviation history to the event.

The rally is not a competition, but a “fun fly” with all pilots sharing the skies equally. A highlight of the event is the showcase when all aircraft are parked on the flight line for closer inspection by spectators.

TIMPA is located west of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, west of Sandario Road, far beyond the suburbs. Just consider the drive part of the adventure for a family outing where admission is charged by the carload.

Some families bring along their camping gear and pitch a tent to stay overnight. Others park their RVs in the equally spacious parking area. Lawn chairs, sun hats and sunscreen are all recommended. Indoor restrooms and running water (but not drinking water) are at the park. Food concessions will be available.

Give your props to pilots of 200-mph model jets

IF YOU GO

What: Tucson Jet Rally 2009

When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday-Saturday, only limited flying Sunday

Where: Tucson International Modelplex Park

Price: $5 per car

Info: 744-0633, www.tucsonwarbirds.com; www.timpa.org for a map to the park.

Directions: From the Northwest Side, take Ina Road west from Interstate 10. Go left on Wade Road, right on Picture Rocks Road, left on Sandario Road, right on Manville Road, left on Reservation Road (a dirt road) for two miles to the marked park gate.

From midtown, take Speedway Boulevard west past I-10, through Gates Pass and turn right onto Kinney Road. Continue west where the main pavement turns into Mile Wide Road at the entrance to Saguaro National Monument. Continue west on Mile Wide across Sandario Road, following the pavement until it ends at Reservation Road (a dirt road). Follow the dirt road about a mile to the park’s gate.

Freelance
Shopping

LARRY COX

Tucson Citizen

Q:
My mom graduated from the University of Arizona in 1971. She rented her
first house that same year and furnished it with things that are fairly
representative of that decade. In addition to an orange push-button
desk phone, she has given me an astrological tapestry, a Jimmy Carter
for President poster, an 8-track tape player and tapes, a smiley-face
clock, an assortment of kitchen stuff and 125 issues of Rolling Stone
magazine. I’m not quite sure what to do with these collectibles and
hope you will give me some ideas. – Stacey, Tucson

A: If you think things from the 1960s and ’70s have little or no
value, you should spend an afternoon strolling through our area antique
malls. After the “kids” of the 1970s became adults, many became
nostalgic and began collecting items they remembered from their youth.
This increased interest triggered price increases. For example, Life
magazines from the era routinely sold for about 26 cents a copy until
recently. They now pop up in shops and at garage sales selling for at
least a $1 or $2 each. Editions with covers that feature such icons as
Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and the Beatles sell for much more.

Typical prices in Tucson include a Holly Hobbie doll, $15; a peace
symbol tie from 1971, $25; a “smiley face” mug, $15; a canister set
featuring a mushroom design, $30; an owl clock, $20; a polyester
leisure suit in electric blue, $45; and a large “Nixon’s the One”
poster from the 1972 campaign, $45. As with most collections, values
are determined by condition and desirability.

One of the better price guides for this era is The Collectible 70s:
A Price Guide to the Polyester Decade by Michael Jay Goldberg (Krause,
$25.95). This excellent reference includes hundreds of listings in more
than 20 categories such as Counterculture, Kitchenwares, Fashion, TV
Collectibles, and Bicentennial. You can purchase this guide at amazon.com or from the publisher, Krause, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990, and www.krause.com.

Q: I have a small collection of clothing from the 1940s and ’50s. Where can I sell them locally? – Carole, Tucson

A: I highly recommend How Sweet It Was, a nifty glad rags shop at 419 N. Fourth Ave. The Web site and telephone number are www.howsweetitwas.com and 623-9854.

Q: I have inherited a set of sterling silver flatware in the Joan of
Arc pattern. When was it made and what are some typical prices for
individual settings? – Alexis, Tucson

A: The Joan of Arc pattern was crafted by International in 1940.
According to Warman’s Sterling Silver Flatware: Value and
Identification Guide by Mark F. Moran, a salad fork is worth about $38;
a soup spoon, $34; a steak knife, $45; a serving spoon, $80; and sugar
tongs, $45.

Editor’s note: Due to the imminent closure of the
Tucson Citizen, this column will no longer accept antique or
collectible questions from readers.

Freelance
Shopping

Q: I started collecting autographs two or three years ago. I occasionally find a photo of a celebrity that I send in to be signed. Unfortunately, I only get back one signed photo for every seven or eight that I mail, which is not a very good return. Can you give me some pointers so that I can add to my present collection? – Cole, Tucson

A: More than 5 million Americans are serious autograph collectors, which makes it one of our top hobbies. Most collectors specialize. For example, some are attracted to political signatures while others pursue specimens representing sports, literary, history or entertainment. It is still possible to request autographs through the mail but by following a few rules you increase your chances of being successful.

Always include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with sufficient postage to mail the autograph item back to you. Write a polite, courteous letter requesting the autograph. Make the letter sincere and personal but keep it short. Celebrities are busy people. It really isn’t important if you type or hand-write your letter, just keep it neat and sign it personally.

Be patient. A friend once requested an autograph from Jack Nicholson and over a year passed before he finally received it. Be aware that you might not hear from certain people. The late Mae West was notorious for keeping items sent to her, and secretaries, more often than not, process requests sent to major stars and celebrities.

Values vary and depend on the person who signed, demand, scarcity, condition, what was signed, and content. A handwritten letter is usually worth much more than a simple signature on a photograph.

A quick check with several established dealers revealed the following values: Clark Gable, signed photo, $1,250; Charles Manson, letter, $350; James Dean, letter, $10,000; John Adams, land grant document, $2,000; Dwight Eisenhower, photo, $650; Jack Dempsey, menu, $150; and John F. Kennedy, document, $2,500. A nice period photo of actress Kim Novak sells for about $75.

A local expert is Brett Sadovnick, owner of Tucson Coin & Autograph, 6470 N. Oracle Road, and 219-4427. For a second opinion, contact Brian Kathenes, P.O. Box 482, Hope, NJ 07844.

Q: I know that you review cookbooks for the Tucson Citizen and wonder if you can give me a ballpark figure for the following: “The Sunset All-Western Cook Book” from 1933; “Cooking with Dr. Pepper” from the 1960s; and “The I Hate to Cook Book” by Peg Bracken, 1963. – Barbara, Tucson

A: I found all three of your cookbooks referenced in the Antique Trader Collectible Cookbooks Price Guide by Patricia Edwards and Peter Peckham (Krause, $21.99). The ranges are $32-$56, $10-$18 and $32.56 respectively.

Editor’s note: Due to the imminent closure of the Tucson Citizen, this column will no longer accept antique or collectible questions from the readers.

FIND OF THE WEEK

This wonderful old punch bowl with 12 matching cups would add sparkle to almost any occasional. The set is $65 at Annabell’s Attic, 6178 E. Speedway Blvd.

Follow these tips for autograph hunting success

Freelance
Culture

LARRY COX

calendar@tucsoncitizen.com

Sylvia Browne has a voice that is distinctive and reminiscent of the early films of Lauren Bacall.

Speaking by phone from her home in the Bay Area, the internationally known psychic and adviser says that her new book, “All Pets Go to Heaven” (Fireside Books, ($23.95), came about after hearing stories from friends and acquaintances documenting the unique spiritual bond that exists between humans and their animals.

“The more I explored this bond, the more convinced I became that animals do communicate with us from the afterlife and that eventually we will be united with them on the other side,” she says in that husky voice.

She pauses for a brief moment and then reveals that although she has never publicly discussed the spiritual lives of animals, she believes it is important that we know that even after our pets die, there is a spiritual connection that remains.

“I hope that people who have lost special pets will find comfort in my book, which is one of the main reasons why I wrote it,” she say.

Browne is convinced that cats, dogs and other creatures inhabit more than just our houses; they inhabit our hearts.

“I have always known that death is not an end,” she explains.

Taking her thought a step further, she adds that because pets have personalities, quirks, and souls, it is only logical that there be a special place in heaven for them.

Browne, who has written 46 books including 22 New York Times best-sellers, is pleased by the success of her latest book. Just released, it already tops several categories at amazon.com.

“I try to write in a friendly down-to-earth style, which is why I think my books connect so well with the reading public,” she says.

As might be expected, she has her detractors.

“I tell people to take what they believe from me and leave the rest but as far as the detractors are concerned, I don’t pay much attention since negativity is toxic,” she explains.

Browne, who was born in Kansas City, Mo., knew at an early age that she had special abilities.

“My grandmother and my mother were both mediums, and when I was about 3 I realized that I, too, had special abilities,” she says.

She had a vision that her grandfather had died and she predicted she would have a baby sister within three years. Her granddad had, indeed, died and she got her new baby sister one month shy of her sixth birthday.

Her next project is a book that will reveal how to distinguish a true psychic from a fake.

“I have been working on it for several weeks and hope that my draft will be finished in a few months,” she says. Although she doesn’t offer many details, she says it will be one of her most comprehensive books.

The interview then veers from her books to timely topics such as the troubled economy. Sylvia predicts that we should see a slight improvement later this year and an even bigger one by 2010.

Since Sylvia Browne is a psychic and the end of the Tucson Citizen is imminent, I had to ask at least one question about the fate of my friends at the paper. What, I wondered, did the future hold for us?

After what seems like an eternity, Browne speaks softly and slowly.

“Almost everyone at the paper will find new jobs since this period is simply a transition, not an end,” she says.

She adds that when one door closes, another opens.

“It is up to each of us to find that open door.”

Freelance
Shopping

Q: I love cookie jars and recently began collecting them. Although I’ve purchased most of the ones in my collection on eBay, I occasionally find one at a local flea market or thrift shop. Do you think they are a good investment? They are getting more and more difficult to find. – Paula, Tucson

A: Before I answer your question, let me share a personal story. During the early 1950s, I raced home from school each afternoon on my bicycle so that I wouldn’t miss a single minute of “The Howdy Doody Show.” The broadcast featured a marionette with 48 freckles – a freckle for each state of the union – and an assortment of other characters that included the host, Buffalo Bob Smith, Clarabelle Hornblow, a story princess, Flubadub, and Phineas T. Bluster. Just before my birthday in 1953, I spotted a Howdy Doody cookie jar in a catalog and coaxed my mother to fork out the $3.98 for it. She did and the cookie jar occupied a place in our family kitchen well into the next decade. Eventually, I left home and mother donated “Howdy” to a thrift shop. Imagine my chagrin when I recently discovered that Howdy Doody cookie jars now routinely sell for well above $500. Incidentally, “The Howdy Doody Show” debuted on NBC in 1947 and continued until 1960, quite a lengthy run for a kids’ show.

Although the feeding frenzy has cooled with collectors in recent years and prices have softened, cookie jars are nevertheless still popular. Even common jars from good manufacturers often sell in the $50-$100 range. Some of the better companies include American Bisque, Brush, McCoy, Metlox, Regal, Shawnee, and Treasure Craft. Treasure Craft marketed a “saguaro” cookie jar in Tucson during the 1970s. Originally selling for about $7 at Steinfeld’s Department Store, it is still a popular design and occasionally pops up in local shops for about $50, in new to excellent condition.

Collectors should be cautious when buying cookie jars. Reproductions have flooded the marketplace and the Mammy Cookie Jar marked McCoy might be a knock-off. Do your homework, examine the jars carefully for chips, cracks and other flaws and learn as much as you can about current values.

A quick check of eBay revealed several interesting examples including Mother Goose by McCoy, $90; Dopey from Snow White by Treasure Craft, $150; Frog Prince by Metlox, $60; Dutch Girl by Shawnee, $220; and Betty Boop by Clay Art, $40.

One of the better groups is the American Cookie Jar Association, which has about 200 members nationwide. Dues are $10 per year and membership includes an excellent newsletter. The contact information is 4005 Spyglass Lane, Bethany, OK 73008, and www.cookiejarclub.com.

Q: Several months ago, you referenced a price guide for Vietnam-era collectibles. Could you please repeat that information? – Carlos, Tucson

A: It is Warman’s Vietnam War Collectibles: Identification and Price Guide by David Doyle (Krause, $24.99). This excellent guide is arranged by branch of service and user-friendly to navigate. For a local expert, I highly recommend one of our better dealers, Jeff Albiniak, cwbuffster@aol.com, and 514-2195.

FIND OF THE WEEK

Since railroad-related china is difficult to find, it was a pleasant surprise to spot a display case brimming with examples from various Fred Harvey hotels in Arizona including La Posada, the Painted Desert Inn, and El Tovar. This distinctive La Posada Hotel blue chain pattern is available for $60 for a cup and saucer and $55 for a dinner plate, at Copper Country Antique Mall, 5055 E. Speedway, Booth 17.

Freelance
Shopping

Q: I have four vintage lunchboxes that I think could be valuable. They are “The Rifleman,” “Disco Fever,” “Little House on the Prairie” and “Flipper.” I purchased all of them at thrift shops and never paid more than about $25 per lunchbox. I have an opportunity to make quite a profit. A neighbor has offered to buy the four lunchboxes for $300. Do you think this would be a good deal? – Rona, Tucson

A: Lunchboxes have become important – and sometimes pricey – collectibles. The first lunchbox to promote a character or theme was produced by Aladdin in 1950 and featured a lithograph of Hopalong Cassidy on its lid. Character lunchboxes are among the most popular and, as with most collectibles, condition is paramount. Many boomers collect lunchboxes from the 1960s and ’70s because they trigger childhood memories. This interest has triggered higher prices in recent years. For example, a Brady Bunch lunchbox generally sold for about $100 at the beginning of this decade. It currently lists for $575.

Before selling your lunchboxes, you should consider a cautionary tale. Last year, a Rocky and Bullwinkle prototype lunchbox was posted on eBay. It was offered for a “Buy It Now” price of $185. It was snapped up immediately by a seasoned collector. The box was worth $3,000 and because the seller did not do his homework, the lunchbox was sold at a fraction of its value. If you accept your neighbor’s offer of $300, you might make the same mistake. I consulted one of the better price guides: Warman’s Lunch Boxes Field Guide by Joe Soucy (Krause, $12.99). According to Soucy, your “Disco Fever” is valued at $150; “Flipper,” $350; “Little House on the Prairie,” $350; and “Rifleman,” $675. Because of the soft economy, they might actually sell for a little less than these stated values. Still, the boxes you have appear to be worth much more than $300 for the lot.

Before you make a decision, I suggest you contact Joe Soucy at Seaside Toys, 179 Main St., Westerly, RI 02891 or at 401-596-0962. Whether you are buying or selling in the marketplace, always do your homework to become a more educated consumer.

Q: I have a nice old Reed & Watson grandfather clock that is a family heirloom. Can you steer me to a good clock person who can clean and adjust it for me? – Paula, Tucson

A: Viki Watson is the owner of Ye Olde Clock Shoppe and she can help you. Her staff provides competent clock and watch repair at reasonable prices. Her address is 6342B N. Oracle Road.

Q: Can you recommend a good general price guide for antiques? – Suzanne, Green Valley

A: There are dozens of references, but one I especially like is The Antique Trader Antiques & Collectibles 2009 Price Guide, edited by Kyle Husfloen (Krause, $19.99). It features nearly 9,500 listings and more than 5,000 illustrations in full color. The guide is user-friendly and accurately reflects current values.

E-mail questions to contactlarrycox@aol.com

FIND OF THE WEEK

This extraordinary hand-carved 19th-century laundry basket from Ningbo, China, features a graceful, elegant gooseneck design. This piece of superb craftsmanship is $120 at Eastern Living, 242 S. Park Ave., in the Los Barrio shopping district.

LARRY COX

Freelance
Shelf Life

‘Raven: The Untold Story of the Rev. Jim Jones and His People’

By Tim Reiterman with John Jacobs (Tarcher/Penguin, $18.95 softbound)

This past month marked the 30th anniversary of the Jonestown massacre, an event that continues to horrify and fascinate. Reiterman, a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner, was a member of the fact-finding team sent to Guyana to meet with Jim Jones and investigate reports of abuses on the People’s Temple compound. As the group prepared to depart Guyana, an airstrip attack erupted, wounding Reiterman and killing several others including U.S. congressman Leo Ryan, San Francisco Examiner photographer Greg Robinson and NBC newsmen Don Harris and Bob Brown. Reiterman, and his co-author, the late John Jacobs, spent years uncovering the real story about Jones and his cult-like movement. The result is a seminal, crisply written, heart-thumping account that continues to resonate, even after three decades. First published in 1982, this edition includes a new preface by Reiterman.

‘Chagall: A Biography’

By Jackie Wullschlager (Knopf, $40)

A pioneer of modernism and one of the greatest figurative artists of the 20th century, Marc Chagall was born in Vitebsk, Belarus, in 1887. He studied in St. Petersburg and Paris, eventually leaving Russia for the United States. After designing ballet sets and costumes, he illustrated several noteworthy books. Throughout his life, he never ceased giving form on canvas to his dreams, longings and memories, as he helped define the modern art of the West. In this multilayered, meticulously researched and masterfully written biography, Wullschlager, chief art critic for the Financial Times, presents the man behind some of the most innovative art ever executed. This biography is generously illustrated and an absolute joy.

‘Claude Rains: An Actor’s Voice’

By David J. Skal with Jessica Rains (University Press of Kentucky, $29.95)

This is the first biography of Claude Rains, one of Hollywood’s most intriguing actors of the 1930s and ’40s. After an early career on the stage, he made his first film in 1920 for the Ideal Film Company. He was nominated at least four times for an Academy Award, and appeared in such groundbreaking films as “Anthony Adverse,” “They Won’t Forget,” “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “Casablanca,” and my personal favorite, “The Invisible Man.” Like many actors, he was haunted by insecurities but despite this, he was the consummate professional. This highly readable biography, written with the help of his daughter, Jessica Rains, reveals the witty, talented man behind this universally respected Hollywood legend. A list of Rain’s theater, screen, radio, TV and recording work is included in a special appendix.

‘Le Corbusier: A Life’

By Nicholas Fox Weber (Knopf, $45)

Le Corbusier, the pseudonym of Charles Edouard Jeannetet, was born in Switzerland in 1887. Leaving school when he was 13, he was encouraged by a local art teacher to travel throughout Europe to observe various architectural styles. He settled in Paris in 1917, was introduced to purism and began writing extensively about urban projects and city planning. Even though many of his designs were rejected, he nevertheless became an innovator, believing that the future of Paris was not in its fussy turn-of-the-century buildings but rather in large, white apartment buildings in park-like settings. This incredible biography is nothing less than the brilliant revelation of a single-minded, elusive genius. Without a doubt, this highly satisfying book is destined to be one of the top biographies of 2008.

‘Abraham Lincoln: Great American Historians on our Sixteenth President’

Edited by Brian Lamb and Susan Swain (PublicAffairs, $27.95)

Next February will mark the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. To commemorate the occasion, 56 of America’s top contemporary writers and Lincoln historians examine the life and legacy of this incredible man, from his early life in Springfield, through his turbulent presidency, and ending with his tragic assassination in 1865. Essays, which originated in C-SPAN’s Booknotes in Depth, and several history series, provide an astonishing compelling portrait of, perhaps, this country’s most beloved president. Highlights include Doris Kearns Goodwin’s insight into Lincoln’s ability to organize the 1860 Republican convention, Tom Wheeler’s depiction of how Lincoln adopted the new technology of the telegraph so he could become the nation’s first leader to get information from far away in real time, and Garry Will’s report on how Lincoln prepared for his address at Gettysburg by touring the cemetery on horseback beforehand so that he could get a better sense of the battlefield’s layout. This is must reading for Lincoln aficionados.

‘In Spite of Myself: A Memoir’

By Christopher Plummer (Knopf, $29.95)

Plummer was born in Canada, where he was spoiled rotten by his fairly well-heeled family. By the time he was 18, he was playing the lead in Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline” at Moscow’s Imperial Theater. He arrived in New York during the fabulous ’50s where he was soon mixing it up with the likes of Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams and Paddy Chayefsky. He worked with some of the biggest producers, directors and stars of his era and his autobiography is cluttered with celebrities, affairs, marriages, flops, triumphs, and rich, juicy anecdotes. This is fun, rollicking reading that is certain to chase away the holiday blues.

‘The Night of the Gun: A Reporter Investigates the Darkest Story of His Life, His Own’

By David Carr (Simon & Schuster, $26)

Carr, a cultural reporter for The New York Times, serves up one of the most searing, shocking, honest books of the year about addiction and recovery, his own. In this harrowing narrative, Carr reconstructs his own history as he would any legitimate newspaper or magazine story, by returning to primary sources. He tracked down and interviewed more than 50 people from his past who witnessed his life under the influence. He dug through medical files, police reports, legal documents, journals and other materials only to discover that he was wrong about many fundamental aspects of his life. This is a candid account that packs all of the pain and surprise of a punch to the gut.

Citizen Staff Writer
Dance

LEILA ABU-SAADA

calendar@tucsoncitizen.com

Trapeze and aerial dancer Suke Estrada winds her way through a maze of out of control swinging trapeze at O-T-O Dance studio.

“There’s no risk, there’s only growth,” Estrada says to the five beginning trapeze students who twist, swing and hang on the four ceiling length trapeze. “Don’t be afraid.”

This is the beginning aerial dance class and the five women are practicing a piece choreographed by Estrada for the up-coming O-T-O student showcase Tuesday.

“The inspiration is how we experience so much interruption in life,” says Estrada, a trained modern and ballet dancer since the age of 5 and O-T-O dancer since 2005.

Whether trained dancers or interested Tucsonans, about 60 students will perform on the O-T-O showcase from the company’s beginning, intermediate and advanced aerial dance classes.

Dubbed the flying modern dance company, O-T-O has since 1985 provided a unique avenue for those in the industry.

It began with dancer-choreographer Annie Bunker, who employs dancers from all over the United States to contribute to the physically challenging performances.

In 1991, O-T-O began to incorporate teaching into its repertoire and opened up aerial dance classes for children, teens and adults curious about trapeze dance.

“Aerial dance is the combination of circus-type moves integrated with dance movements,” Assistant School Director and O-T-O dancer Aja Knaub says.

The ability to fly is an appealing characteristic for many participants and the reason students are willing to endure blisters, sore muscles and physically demanding trapeze moves such as the tear drop or tilt-a-whirl each week.

“I had always wanted to fly like a bird,” student Kim Clausen says. “It’s a great challenge. It makes you feel like a little kid.”

Clausen, a trained ballet dancer since 1966 and instructor of the dance at her local studio, Soul Dance, had always been enticed to try aerial dance and trapeze work. When she discovered O-T-O’s classes it awakened a new dance passion within her.

“I immediately called and gave them money,” she says.

The new form of muscle building and exercise are another reason students decide to take the class.

“The strength of my arms is definitely bigger,” O-T-O student Bethiah Rossa says proudly.

Rossa, a senior at the University of Arizona, wanted an alternative form of exercise and heard about the classes through her brother.

“I really wanted to get into this alternative scene,” she says. “The first couple of weeks I was sore, then sore again.”

Despite the physical challenges, Estrada touts the benefits of trapeze work.

“It’s functional strength,” she says. “It’s good for me.”

The ability to form, mold and create new movements is an organic process in the class. Though students do follow the instructor’s guide and choreography, they are encouraged to experiment with dance.

“It’s challenging,” says Knaub of the classes. “But fun.”

IF YOU GO

What: O-T-O Dance student showcase, featuring performances by O-T-O students. Event includes a silent auction, with all proceeds going to a scholarship fund for students who need help paying for aerial dance classes.

When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday

Price: $5

Where: The Historic Y Hall, 300 E. University Blvd.

TO SIGN UP

Aerial dance classes will resume again in January. No previous experience is needed. Classes are for all levels, and no reservations are required. If you want to take only one class, drop-in fees are $12. Everyone must sign a hold harmless agreement, which can be found at www.orts.org.

When and price:

• Children’s Aerial Dance II: ages 8-12, 4-5 p.m. Tuesdays, $140

• Aerial Dance I teens and adults: 5-6 p.m. Tuesdays, $140

• Aerial Dance II teens and adults: 4:45-5:45 Mondays, $130

• Aerial Dance III teens and adults: 5-6 p.m. Wednesdays, $140

Citizen Staff Writer
Visual Arts

OTTO ROSS

ottoross@tucsoncitizen.com

Phoenix artist Gregory Sale wants talk of love to be infectious. He hopes his “Love Bites” exhibit hurries that along.

“It’s about creating a catalyst for something,” the University of Arizona grad says. “Almost like spreading a virus.”

On display at the UA Poetry Center and the Museum of Contemporary Art, “Love Bites” is a collection of text-based artworks in a variety of mediums, primarily presented on round signs and free buttons (given away at MOCA). Phrases are often divided between multiple buttons or signs, encouraging people to find their button’s counterpart. For instance, one button says, “You under punctuate me . . .” while another says, “. . . beautifully.”

Sale, who has worked on a number of what he calls “social art exhibits,” got the idea for this project while considering the vast variety of ways that people in society interpret the age-old concepts of love and loss.

“I often work with intimacy and relationships between people, and the idea of public and private things you might say between two people who care about each other,” says Sale, who gives a presentation Saturday at MOCA. “You might not say it in public or it might feel out of place in public so I sort of look at those boundaries.”

To explore these verbal interactions, Sale gathered an informal group of Tucson poets to put together individual fragments of poetry and text that they personally felt related to the “Love Bites” theme. Sale contributed his own phrases and decided that buttons would be the perfect medium for the expressions.

“I wanted to give people something they could actually take some part of,” Sale says. “You put it on your body and it becomes wearable art, and then I have something different on my body and that becomes a place for us to have a conversation.”

Sale’s buttons were first unveiled at a Scottsdale jazz and blues festival in April, where the little souvenirs of love were used as entry tickets. Since then, the buttons have been passed out and exhibited at various museums, galleries and poetry centers in Tucson and Phoenix.

“It’s interesting for me to see the different ways (the buttons are) playing out in different kinds of communities and different environments,” he says. “It really impacts the work.”

MOCA associate director Lissa Gibbs says she has seen firsthand the ways Sale’s art affects people.

“What I think is interesting about ‘Love Bites’ is that it provides a forum for people to interact without them even realizing it,” she says. “I think his work really is the very best in public art, in that it is work that stands alone but also actively engages the public in order to have meaning.”

In his Saturday talk, Sale, who was the first artist to receive MOCA’s Elley Kay fund supporting emerging artists, will discuss the creation process behind social art, and artists involved in similar projects. He’ll also delve into the the broader concepts of “Love Bites” as a social commentary.

In these times of social-economic upheaval, he really seems to believe that all you need is love.

“Most of the time, when we talk to anybody these days, we’re talking about the election, we’re talking about the economy or we’re talking about the price of gas,” Sale says. “I want to insert love into that conversation.”

IF YOU GO

What: Gregory Sale talk

When: 4 p.m. Saturday

Where: MOCA, 149 N. Stone Ave.

Price: Free for MOCA members, $5 for non-members

Info: 624-5019, www.moca-tucson.org

Freelance
Books

LARRY COX

calendar@tucsoncitizen.com

Almost from the beginning, Phoenix-based crime writer Jana Bommersbach knew something was terribly wrong.

Television stations in Phoenix were reporting that Loretta Bowersock, a Tempe businesswoman, was missing. Loretta and her daughter, Terri, had created a multimillion-dollar chain of stores – including one in Tucson – called Terri’s Consign & Design Furnishings, offering “gently used” furniture to customers. Loretta was reported missing by her live-in partner, Taw Benderly.

Speaking from her home in Phoenix, Bommersbach recalls that Loretta was reported missing in December 2004, and what first attracted her to the story is that she casually knew Terri and what Benderly was telling investigators simply did not add up.

According to the statement Benderly gave Tucson police, he and Loretta had driven to Tucson on Dec. 14, stopping at least twice along the way for sandwiches and baseball caps. He added that they arrived later that day at the Park Place mall, where he left Loretta so she could shop. He concluded that when he returned for her sometime later, she had vanished.

“What tripped him up from the very beginning were the surveillance cameras at the mall,” Bommersbach said. When Tucson police examined the tapes, they found no evidence that Taw had been at the mall or dropped Loretta there.

As Benderly’s story began to unravel, police worked to build a case against him. But before an arrest could be made, he threw an extension cord over a rafter in the family home in Tempe and committed suicide. Shortly before he killed himself, he created a file on his computer named “Vows for Eternity.” It simply said, “Loretta and I vowed over the years that we would spend eternity together, and so we shall.”

Even though he more or less confirmed he had killed Loretta, no one knew what he had done with the body. He had taken his final secret to the grave.

As Terri Bowersock began sifting through her mother’s personal belongings, she found graphic evidence that Loretta had been a victim of domestic abuse. That abuse exploded during a quarrel over finances Monday afternoon, Dec. 13, 2004. When Loretta found unauthorized withdrawals, she confronted Benderly and in a rage he killed her. He then wrapped her body, placed it in Loretta’s van, withdrew $24,000 and headed south on Interstate 10. He disposed of the body somewhere between Tempe and Tucson.

Looking for a body in the Arizona desert is difficult even under the best of circumstances. With no clues, the task is more than daunting.

“After months of searching, the body was eventually found, thanks in no small part to the grit and determination of Terri, who vowed in her first statement to The Arizona Republic that she would find her mother’s body and see that it was properly buried,” Bommersbach said.

In addition to Terri’s involvement, there was also insight and luck involving a psychic and a couple of rock hunters who led investigators to a shallow grave just south of Interstate 8 and east of state Route 84.

This fascinating case has been documented in gripping detail in a book by Bommersbach, “Bones in the Desert,” a new true crime release by St. Martin’s Press.

“This is a sad account of a lovely woman who was murdered at the hands of the man she loved and it is a story that could not have been written without the cooperation and help of Terri, who wanted her mother’s story told so that more people recognize the very real consequences of abuse, both physical and verbal,” Bommersbach said.

Freelance
Shelf Life

‘Western Legends’

By Zane Grey (Tor/Forge, $19.95)

This collection includes three works by Zane Grey, all set in the U.S. Western frontier of the 19th century. “To the Last Man” tells the story of Arizona’s Pleasant Valley War, a historic brutal family feud that ended in a bloody slaughter. Bent Wade, a good man with a violent temper, is introduced in “The Mysterious Rider,” and the final work, “The Lone Star Ranger,” is the thrilling tale of a youth turned gunman turned Texas Ranger. Few writers were able to capture the Old West quite like Grey and these three novels are among his best.

‘Lucky Billy: a novel about Billy the Kid’

By John Vernon (Houghton Mifflin, $24)

Digging deeply into the historic record, authentic newspaper accounts, and personal correspondence, Vernon, a Colorado-based writer, crafts a highly readable story about one of the West’s most infamous characters, William H. Bonney, aka Billy the Kid. Vernon takes readers into the mind of Bonney, reconstructing his childhood in New York City, the troubled relationship he had with his dying mother and the desperate encounters he triggered with sweethearts and señoritas from Fort Sumter to Santa Fe. This character-rich saga is both gripping and engrossing.

‘Murder Inside the Beltway: A Capital Crimes Novel’

By Margaret Truman (Ballantine Books, $25)

Margaret Truman died earlier this year, shortly before her final book went into production. In “Murder Inside the Beltway,” her 24th Capital Crime novel, Rosalie Curzon, a Washington, D.C., call girl, is found bludgeoned to death in her Adams-Morgan apartment. When a videotape is found at the bloody crime scene, it raises the question of whether the murdered woman taped some of her clients during their sexual liaisons. The murder, a bitter presidential campaign, a kidnapping and a heart-stopping conclusion make this book exciting reading and a fitting end to Truman’s successful writing career.

‘The Ecco Anthology of Contemporary American Short Fiction’

Selected by Joyce Carol Oates and Christopher R. Beha (Harper Perennial/Ecco, $18.95)

Joyce Carol Oates is the living master of the American short story. She and her co-editor, Christopher R. Beha, have selected a dazzling collection of contemporary short stories featuring the work of such authors as Rick Bass, Greg Johnson, Tobias Wolff, Lorrie Moore, Lydia Davis and Ann Beattie. This is an essential addition to any fiction lover’s library and is an anthology that is highly recommended.

‘Still Waters: A Mystery’

By Nigel McCrery (Pantheon, $23.95)

When Detective Chief Inspector Mark Lapslie and Sergeant Emma Bradbury arrive to investigate a fatal automobile crash, they discover a decaying corpse half-buried near the accident victim’s body. The body, wrapped in shredded plastic sheeting, is missing the tips of the fingers of the right hand, cut by someone with a deadly knowledge of greenhouse shears. Razor-sharp prose, an innovative plot, and interesting characters make this a nonstop nail-biter.

‘The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday: An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery’

By Alexander McCall Smith (Pantheon, $23.95)

In the fifth installment in the Isabel Dalhousie series, the ever-curious woman is asked to help a doctor who has been disgraced by allegations of scientific fraud surrounding a new drug and the death of a patient. Would the doctor risk his reputation for financial gain, what caused the tragic accident, and what role did the pharmaceutical company play? Only a thorough investigation can reveal the truth so once again Isabel sets out to track down the elusive answers.

‘Salmonella Men on Planet Porno: Stories’

By Yasutaka Tsutsui (Pantheon, $21.95)

In this American debut of one of Japan’s most popular authors, Yasutaka Tsutsui presents 13 of his short stories, which are off-kilter and marvelously entertaining. In Tsutsui’s world, the fantastic and the mundane collide, throwing the lives of ordinary men and women into disarray. For example, in the title story, a group of hapless research scientists discover just how obscenely absurd the environment is on Planet Porno. After our recent nasty election season, this is just what the doctor ordered.