Rare Newtown Map Expected To Be A Highlight At Next Fairfield Auction Estates Sale

By SHANNON HICKS

Published: Nov 28, 2008 12:00 am

A bit of Newtown history will go on the auction block this Sunday when local auctioneer Fairfield Auction offers for sale an 1854 map of Newtown.

Gallery owner Jack DeStories stated this is the only copy of this edition of the town map he has found outside the townâs library and historical society. The map measures 49 by 35 inches and includes vignettes of the prominent residences of the day. Also found in the same local estate was a similarly impressive 1905 map of Newtown with vignettes of local residences and businesses including the high school, library, churches and offices of The Bee Publishing Company.

The auction will include nearly 500 lots. A large offering of furniture ranges from a Federal cherry corner cabinet to 1950s modern classics by Herman Miller, Noguchi and Harvey Probber. Of particular interest is an armchair designed by Carlo Bugatti. Other furnishing include an oak rolltop desk circa 1890 and a Venetian paint decorated ladyâs desk.

Art works to be sold are led by a floral still life by Henri Manguin. Oils by Nicolai Cikovsky, Frank Ballard Williams, William Hart and Millard Sheets as well as prints by Robert Rauschenberg, Adolf Dehn, J.M. Whister and Marc Chagall will go under the gavel.

Photography is highlighted by a pair of large images of Yosemite Valley by William Henry Jackson and a photograph of President John Kennedy on the dunes at Hyannisport by Mark Shaw. Shaw was a longtime photographer for Life magazine, but may be best known for his images of the Kennedy family, with whom he had a strong friendship.

A group of Native American objects includes a large and impressive Northwest Coast raven mask. With an articulated jaw, bulging eyes and flaring nostrils it should attract national attention.

Other examples include a Souix pipe bag, two puebloÂ pottery ollas, a Navajo rug and an argellite panel pipe. Argellite was the favored material of the Haida, from the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, the only place where the stone is found.

Other items of interest include a selection of fine estate jewelry and watches including a 1940s LeCoultre moonphase wristwatch. A photograph signed by Theodore Roosevelt, a Winchester .44 caliber model 1876 rifle, lamps by Handel, Pairpoint and Tiffany, as well as a large 12-light crystal chandelier dating to the 1920s will all go on the block.

Preview will take place Friday and Saturday, November 28-29, 11 am to 4 pm each day. The gallery will also be open for preview the morning of the auction from 9 to 11 am.

Fairfield Auction Gallery, at 53 Church Hill Road in Newtown, can be reached at 364-1555 or online at FairfieldAuction.com for additional information.

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It seems a lot of the discussion around the flagpole focuses on vilifying drivers who pass on the right, but the real issue is being overlooked. If Chapter 248 Section 14-251 were enforced, we wouldn’t see this problem to begin with. That statute prohibits stopping in the middle of a roadway to yield to cross traffic—as so often happens with cars waiting to turn from Church Hill. When vehicles stop illegally in the travel lane, they effectively create a blockage. Other drivers then either sit through unnecessary delays or carefully pass around them on the right, which is fully permitted when the vehicle ahead is “illegally parked” in the roadway. Instead of punishing drivers reacting to the obstruction, enforcement should focus on the cause: vehicles unlawfully stopping and backing up traffic in the first place. If that behavior were addressed, the need to “go around” would largely disappear.

Borough Board of Burgesses Continues Traffic Safety Discussion

John, you raise an important point — these situations are tragic, complicated, and often far less clear-cut than the headlines make them seem. In the Fredericksburg case, the full facts still aren’t publicly known, and like so many of these stories, there’s conflicting information. It was apparently the back door at 3 a.m. — was it justified to use deadly force? We don’t know yet. What we do know is that the homeowner has been charged, and as you rightly noted, that is very serious. But this is also where perspective matters. These cases are quickly sensationalized in the news and on social media, yet when the dust settles, the outcomes are rarely publicized. People forget that in our system, you are innocent until proven guilty. Try to find much coverage of the convication in the case of the Fairfield Realtor vehicle homicide, or updates on the woman who shot her husband a couple of Christmases ago, or even the pedestrian death in Sandy Hook a year or so back. The follow-through simply isn’t there, and public opinion is often shaped only by the first round of headlines. At the end of the day, these situations remind us how split-second decisions in the middle of the night can change lives forever — which is exactly why the right to protect one’s property, home and family is so fiercely debated, and lucky constitutionally protected.

Late Night Prank Gone Wrong

First the low hanging fruit. Dave; it was a joke, please get over it. You are the only person in Newtown that thought I really wanted to build a stadium on 6 Commence Rd. Now on to Alex. You might not appreciate my writing style or my selection of words, but let's not loose sight of the fact that by responding to my letter in the manner that you did, you have removed any doubt whatsoever that you have no idea of the quantifiable benefits you are dismissing not only for the town, but also for protesters. Either you stopped listening at the word "ordinance" or you never started.. Your constitutional rights to assemble were never in question and would actually be strengthened and there would be literally no impediments. We could even title it "The Alex Villamil Ordinance" if you want. It could be your legacy and actually show Newtown your willingness to work in a bipartisan way for the betterment of the town. Businesses would be protected. Traffic wouldn't be interrupted. The town would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in police overtime. And maybe most importantly, the town could prevent another tragedy while mitigating legal risk in the event something terrible happens at a protest. Nothing bad could never happen in Newtown right? All that could be accomplished by a simple, non-intrusive ordinance unless all the detriments to our town are intentional in order to bring more attention to your cause. Alex, this was not me throwing a temper tantrum. Believe me, you will know it if that happens. I am just putting Newtown first. From that perspective, if you think critically, the regulation is necessary. It makes sense logically, rationally, and is reasonable. There is absolutely no down side. None. I would be willing to sit down with you to see if we could come to some type of compromise if you want. Let me know. You would be amazed how much you can accomplish when there is dialogue amongst neighbors.

It’s About Dialogue Amongst Neighbors — Not Regulation

A popular prank circulating on TikTok is “ding-dong-ditch” where a group of young people violently bang or kick someone’s door late at night and then “ditch” or run. On May 3 three high schoolers here in Fredericksburg Va. were participating in such a prank. One homeowner assumed, as in this case, an attempted break in and also took measures to defend his family and property. As the youths were running away he fired, striking an 18 year old graduating senior in the back killing him and seriously injuring a second youth. A wasted life, a family shattered, and the homeowner charged with murder.

You’re absolutely right — no one should ever feel unsafe in their own home. Being startled awake by violent banging at your door late at night is no joke, and it’s a stark reminder that danger can come without warning. That’s why I’m thankful for the right to protect ourselves, our families, and our property. In a moment like that, you don’t get a second chance to call for help before you act — you have to be prepared. Our homes should be a place of peace, not fear, and the ability to defend them is a right worth safeguarding.

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Rare Newtown Map Expected To Be A Highlight At Next Fairfield Auction Estates Sale

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