On The Block

Above souvenir photo announced the auction of the contents of the liner S.S. UNITED STATES held by Guernsey's Auction in Norfolk, Va. in October 1984 - fifteen years after her final voyage. A gala preview of the catalog of contents was held at the Seventh Regiment Armory in New York City. The invitation reads "Black Tie" @ $65. per person to benefit the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Museum. I fared better ten years prior when the S.S. AMERICA contents were sold off in a warehouse in Jersey City, coming away with six deck chair blankets (steamer rugs) still in their wrappers @ $9.per (circa 1970s). Rather than Black Tie you might say my venture was Blue Jeans. My son still has several of these blankets. As a bit of trivia, sometimes during an Atlantic crossing a blanket might be holed by pipe or cigar ashes. The company  - USLines employed seamstresses on Pier 60 North River to rework these damaged items into blankets for the on board dog kennels. Nothing wasted!
tjs