December 2013 was a wintry cold month in Toledo - and several Nancy Drew Sleuths members traveled there for a somewhat bittersweet reason - for the estate auction of Nancy Drew author, Mildred Wirt Benson's daughter Peggy Wirt. The estate included items that were Benson's and that were related to her writing over 130 children's books including the Nancy Drew series. It was held at Montrie Auction & Estate Service by auctioneer Jade Montrie.
One item for auction that was available not just locally but in an online part of the auction, was her typewriter desk. You can see the same desk pictured above in her writing room, the photo used for a 1949 Toledo Times piece on her children's writing. No doubt this desk was used to pen the various books and series she wrote--how far back that goes, is speculation. She most certainly penned the last Nancy Drew book she wrote, #30, The Clue of the Velvet Mask, as it was written after the above photo was taken. She did write the first three Nancy Drew books with her typewriter set up on an old orange crate in the kitchen of her two-room apartment in Cleveland, OH.
I almost bid on the desk, but before I could get my paddle up it was over. I hesitated. I wasn't planning to bid because I figured it would sell too high for me to afford, but when it was stalling out at a little over $500, I started rethinking my decision but was too late to bid before I got my thoughts together. Not to mention, figuring out how to get it back home. If whomever bought it ever wants to sell it, FYI, contact me! The final selling price? $560.00.
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