The Live Auction Group is excited to welcome Steptoe Services as an exciting addition to iCollector.com Their first auction on the platform is selling almost 150 lots at live auction on September 19th, 2019. The Americana, letters, and ephemera listed in this auction come directly from the estate of the nephew of the late Paul C. Smith (1908-1976). They have never been offered to the public. Bidders can register now and get in their maximum bids before auction day through registration that is a snap.
Paul C. Smith was born in Seattle on Nov. 24, 1908. After finishing high school he traveled across the country working as a prospector and lumberjack before becoming resident manager in New York of the Anglo-California National Bank in 1930. He was then 22.
After three years in investment banking, he entered the newspaper business as a cub reporter. He freelanced as a foreign correspondent throughout Europe until 1933, when he joined The Chronicle as financial editor. He became editor-in-chief a year later and editor and general manager in 1937. During a tour of Europe with former President Herbert C. Hoover in 1938, Smith commented on the tense political situation and suggested that another large-scale war was imminent.
During World War II, he served in the Navy, the Marine Corps and the Office of War Information. Smith was one of the first Marines to land on Guam and was awarded the Silver Star and the Legion of Merit for service in the Pacific.
By this time, Paul C. Smith was firmly rooted in the upper echelons of American political and military society, and exchanged dozens of letters with the likes of John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, Herbert Hoover, J. Edgar Hoover, Adlai Stevenson, Chester Nimitz, and many more.
Mr. Smith left The San Francisco Chronicle in 1953 and took on the job of saving the collapsing Crowell-Collier magazines. He closed the magazines in December 1956 and left the company two months later. Mr. Smith chronicled the decline of the magazines and his own health in his autobiography, “Personal File,” published in 1964.
Steptoe Online Auctions Inc. is proud to offer this distinguished collection of Americana and Autographs for sale.
Over the past decade, the Steptoe name has successfully supported hundreds of clients with downsizing and estate liquidation services. During this often delicate and emotional time, discretion and compassion are key to making the process as easy and pain-free as possible. If you are looking for downsizing and estate liquidators in Victoria BC or the surrounding area, look no further – you can count on Steptoe Services to provide fair, friendly, and pressure-free service. We offer bespoke services to suit your unique needs and to ensure hassle-free solutions. Whether you are selling a single piece, downsizing homes, or liquidating an estate, you can rely on us.
The auction kicks off at 6PM Pacific Time on Thursday September 19th, 2019. Live and mobile bidding is available and absentee bidding is currently being accepted. The entire catalog is available for online inspection with full photos and descriptions. Steptoe Services is happy to take any phone calls or emails on any of the offerings going up on the auction block and will provide fantastic pre and post sale service to all bidders and consignors.