MISSION:TRANSITION & EstateMax: The Great Estate Re-Cycle

EstateMax- Our New Sister Company & Re-Sale Showroom!

2014-11-22T14:56:00.002-05:00

EstateMax is the new name, the re-branding, for the full menu of estate and property services we will provide starting in 2015. EstateMax.net

I've been doing "this work" since 1999. Starting with Organization, Efficiency planning for interiors, Clean up of Homes, Re-arrangement of furnishings, staging and design consultation. I added estate liquidations within a few years because the need was apparent with my downsizing clients and the market was ripe with the greying of America.

I've handled thousands of items for clients, sold hundreds of thousands of dollars of pre-owned possessions for estates and downsizing clients (one item at a time, at on-site estate sales), recycled thousands and thousands of items from properties and unfortunately trashed tons of non-usable possessions.

Now, I'm adding a re-sale showroom in Frederick, MD- to open in January 2015, to sell ends of estates, partial estates, pre-owned furnishings, decor, accessories, tools, vehicles, and anything that is sales-worthy!

My newly appointed Director of Business Development, Steven R.Berryman, a seasoned pro in marketing and sales and sales management of consumer goods, merchandising, construction estimating and business processes, is On Board as of December.

We look forward to a new year in 2015 of productive transitions projects and processing lots more product sales through ON Site estate sales and IN Showroom sales.

Please call Steve or I with your questions and requests. We welcome collaboration and referrals from realtors, estate and elder care attorneys, estate managers, physicians and social workers.

We work hard to make our clients lives better. Let us know how you need us to help! 301-332-5585

Teamwork, Charity and Accountability

2014-05-21T11:51:00.002-04:00

April holds my record for running estate sales. Our team conducted 4 sales from set up, organization, conducting 3 to 4 day sales through property clean up and housecleaning on several of the projects.

From the last weekend of March, holding a "divorce" sale, through rain and snow through the last weekend in April the weather was in the high 70's. On last day of the month, my final clean up day and the drop-dead date to be out of the property, we had torrential rain storms.

Habitat for Humanity RESTORE, arrived during a lull in the storm and picked up half of the donations, and took a hike, when it started raining again, leaving behind the best pieces of furniture and boxes of donations. I had scheduled 3 weeks prior and was counting on them to do their job. Not only did they not have rain gear on board their truck, they refused to work under anything less than optimal weather conditions.

The truck driver, a paid position at Restore, vs. a volunteer, let me know that in his opinion, he was "doing me a favor". I was incredulous...I told him the way I look at it, it goes both ways. Teamwork is key in my business. Obviously charity needs great donations and I give them. The week prior, on my client's behalf, I had donated 9 pieces of furniture and a dozen boxes of decor. I've donated thousands of objects to charity over the past 14 years.

Regardless, of the let down by this entitled charity, and two changes of clothing, we persisted...Thanks to my stalwart help, the landlord's cooperation, and my client's daughter, who removed a lot of the better glass and furniture that had not sold, we made it out by evening.

I took 10 loads to the Goodwill in my Ford Transit, where I was assisted by a large man who at the receiving entrance had to step across a very large puddle many times. He also didn't wear a rain coat, or hat or boots and seemed waterproof. He was cooperative and considerate. He didn't say he was "doing me a favor".

I got my job completed on time for my client, and made money for them in the process; the landlord was the benefactor of several very nice pieces of furniture that should have gone to charity and I stopped by the Restore and told them they would never, ever again, be asked to pick up any of my donations. Ungrateful and unprofessional is what I consider them to be.

I need a new charity who will do what they say they'll do, on time, and not leave me and my client stranded because of adverse conditions and circumstances. Please send them my way.

MEDIA HOOKER: The Consumer Economy and Trends

2014-05-21T11:21:00.000-04:00

http://mediahooker1.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-consumer-economy-and-trends-2014.html

Notes From the Downsizer's Nest:

2014-01-01T15:06:00.003-05:00

Notes from the Nest:

Common Characteristics of "Pack-Rats"-

(in no Particular Order.)

Note: These descriptions can be telltale signs of Mental Illness: OCD, Depression, etc, and other physiological degenerative disease. Alzheimers, Dementia in general.

Denial and Resistance to change
Obsession with Minutiae
Complete blindness to overall ( mess) disarray but will fixate on things like arrangement of art on a wall or objects on a shelf
Does not get rid of things that no longer serve them on any practical basis.
Has clothing that does not fit, stashed away, in graduated sizes, for years.
Holds onto mounds of their children’s clothing
Holds onto mounds of papers, of all sorts: newspapers, old bills, cancelled checks, etc
Can sleep in a bed, having mounds of mixed items and their pets sleeping with them, night after night: this is called the “Rats Nest”
Mildew, Mold, Cobwebs and Dust is not an issue, although they might complain about it.
Every room might look alike because each room has the same piles of boxes and stuff (extreme cases)
Surfaces are unattended: countertops, shelves, tables, desk, bed, and on.
Lots of small framed photos on many surfaces. Too many to focus on. Used as decoration.
Obsession with “keepsakes” as if they are the event where they came from, itself.
Full Suitcases with tiny scraps of things in them, clothes, medicine, forgotten for weeks, months or years.
Duplicates of many items…lost track of posessions
Old Rotting Food in Fridge and Cabinets
General shoving of things to the back of cabinets, closets and piling on top of surfaces and shelves
Resistance to moving things out that are no longer useful or are in bad condition
Collecting of things, for the sake of collecting stashing them here and there. No specific interest in what is collected, just that things have “value” in their mind, for whatever emotional reason, and perhaps buy them because they know they have true market value but hold onto them, and never liquidate.

Our Angie's List Reviews of 2013

2013-12-29T20:11:00.003-05:00

Our Angie's List Reviews of 2013...

Our Angie's List Reviews of 2013

2013-12-29T19:54:00.000-05:00

You Say You Want to Have an "Estate Sale"?

Unlike most estate sale companies, I will sign a contract with a client to conduct their "estate" or "downsizing" sale before they have made final decisions on what they are retaining from the estate or home, from the sale domicile.

I've come to realize over the past decade that knowing exactly what will be there for sale, is secondary to the sale itself- meaning, the party is greater than the guest list. It is, of course always preferred that what the client says will be for sale, on the initial visit to the property, will actually be on hand to sell, during the period of our contract. This is a rarity, however. The day I pick up the keys defines the "NO MORE REMOVAL" from the sale inventory.

Most "estates" are typical in the assortment of inventory they contain with exceptions of course. The dining room set, the living room sofa, two to three chairs, coffee and end tables, den with much the same. Bedrooms...it all depends on the size of the home.

Regardless, as the "Sales Agent" it is my task to sell as much as possible for the highest return. Period.

The exceptional estates are what all of us estate sale companies want to find: those houses packed full of antiques, old documents, collectibles, fine art and great decorative items- those things that make us ( and our client) larger dollars.

I have been conducting personal property liquidations for 14 years. It's hard work like nothing else I've done, other than house work, or maybe mucking out a horse barn.

It demands attention to detail, a knowledge of product of many, many types, antique or used, the ability to work under pressure, a true sense of planning and organization, physical strength, good general health, managerial skills to oversee staff, the ability to think fast, on your feet, to negotiate, to handle cash ( it belongs to the client and you better have it handled properly, ) and on. Ad nauseum. It is not "fun work", I hate to say it. It is demanding in most respects. The fun comes when I add the receipts and see if I have topped my personal goal.

Over the past few years, with the decrease in gainful employment and the increase in Television shows about "pickers" and Pawn shops, I've seen a bunch of newbies to this industry in the DC Metro. Who are these companies and how does a client decide who to hire?

Here are a few basic considerations that I feel are important to uncover when hiring an estate sale company.

Who is the company?
How long have they been in business?
What is their knowledge base of furnishing and decor? What's their background? A lawyer, a tailor, a candlestick maker? What motivates them to do this?
How do they know how to price the goods?
References? Should have at least a half dozen very satisfied clients.
Do they have a "pet" group of buyers they sell to first, therefore removing product from the floor before the sale starts?
How thorough is their marketing?
How soon do you get paid after the sale is over?

I'll be happy to answer all these and more for you. Call me anytime. 301-332-5585. Laurie

2013-12-12T19:02:00.002-05:00

In 2013

Mission Transition

and Ameri-Estates

produced and expedited 10 estate sales- with the exception of January and December.

Sales volume overall was a record for us- and it took total commitment to planning and organization, customer service and follow through.

We pay our clients within 10 days of the end of their sale.(See our Angie's List Review page for our client's comments!)

Our schedule was established a month to six weeks in advance. Every project has it's unique personality but most estates and downsizing sales have very similar qualities, too.

We work for both small and large estate clients. Small jobs can be great treasure troves of antiques and collectibles; what dealers and the public are looking for. Family and estate representatives need professional help to liquidate these properties and clean up afterwards, and we are happy to do so.

The goal is always the same: To maximize returns for our client and minimize waste!

What doesn't get sold is donated to charity in the Washington DC Metro area OR, if the item(s) are of the quality that calls for consignment sales, we put them on-line or sell them at our TAG Sales in Frederick: The "Classique Trash" Tag Sales.

Held several times a year, these sales are held at the Mission Transition headquarters, a stand alone row house in the historic district of Frederick MD, over a long weekend, arranged like a vintage and antique shop, in the house, adjacent garage and parking lot.

Please call us with all and any requests and questions regarding our services before you sign with the bigger guys.

Since 1980 in the design and furnishing trades, since 1999 in transitions, staging and liquidations!

Memory Trash, Let it Go for 2014!

2013-12-12T15:51:00.000-05:00

Accumulation is the cause of much suffering. Suffering is caused by the "holding" onto. Events happened. The accumulation of personal history. Our emotional, mental and physical being reflect all events, regardless of good or bad, happy or sad. We squish and squash our emotions, "stuff" hurt and quell happiness, for survival, to get through the days. There's a "pay-off" to this, regardless of how it affects our lives in the now. Some of us re-live events on a daily or momentary basis whether it occurred today or years ago, by over dramatizing, embellishing what actually happened, adding drama. The "What Happened" is no longer what is important. Whether it's the morning traffic, abuse we suffered at the hands of some bad person, the pain of loss of a loved one, an in-completion of a love affair, it all builds up and has an effect. To be free of it, It takes mindfulness. How are we making ourselves miserable? Who is contributing to this? Re-directing our intention, being willing to "Let Go" is key to moving forward. We are not history. We are also not our Stuff.
Unless a person has done a mental, emotional and physical purging of personal belongings, i.e. their "Stuff", and has come to terms that he or she is absolutely not not IT..."Stuff", most of us are caught up in the history, or the emotional satisfaction, dysfunction or not, that "Stuff" can bring.
Like the woman who frantically rifled through a trash bag of junk (my definition) that I had filled with her permission ( she had hired me to do this, ) while cleaning her office, exclaiming how "this plastic beer cup was from a rock concert in 1978", ( broken, faded, illegible, to me,) WAS the event...many items in her home had become the event in her life that made her "whole" again!
Compulsive behavior is like filling emotional holes and "Stuff," for some, is a way of finding self worth, fulfillment, feelings of satisfaction, and for some is a compulsive habit. Memory can be a powerful addiction.
I work with all people, regardless of how much stuff they have, to help them move out of the realm of "Stuff" into the reality of their lives-to go forward.
The clients who really need the help, again says I ( the packrats), if they call me on their own accord, are the ones who have seen a glimpse of the dysfunction. They are brave. Most clients are ready to move forward to their next home and stage in life and are looking forward to leaving the "stuff" behind.

NARA takes the Lincoln Pardon of Sergeant Major Adam Laws, the Only Known Pardon of a Black Civil War Officer

2012-07-12T20:26:00.003-04:00

NARA has the document. They should be happy. Everyone should go to NARA and look at it. What a waste. Filed away to be seen by a few people a year.

If you have any dated government paperwork, regardless of provenance, do not put it up for auction or you will lose it and will not be paid for it.

FOR SALE WWII US Army UNIFORM, Badges, Medals, Anzio, New 5th, 9th Army, German NAZI Badges, VG

2012-01-12T20:58:00.001-05:00

VEST

JACKET SLEEVE

OVERCOAT IN VERY GOOD CONDITION

JACKET VERY GOOD CONDITION

JACKET VERY GOOD CONDITION ANZIO

HAT

KNEE HIGH BOOTS

COMBAT BOOTS

STATIONERY

BIBLES, ROOSEVELT PRINTED

INSPECTION TAG, WRITING PAD

PHRASE BOOKS

SPIRITUAL ALMANAC SALVATION ARMY

WELL USED ARMY SONG BOOKS

THREAD, RAZOR, FOOT POWDER

STEEL MISSLE LIGHTER, V NICE

STERLING SILVER GOOD CONDUCT MEDALS

LEAD NAZI DOLL

BELTS

FLATWARE

FIELD MANUALS

CAPS

THE SOLDIER FRANK KRUHM

SPECS

WOOL KNIT VEST

BRASS BUCKLE

RIBBONS

SCHRAPNEL?

TIES

UNDER SHIRTS

DUFFLE V G

PENS ONE WITH GERMAN NAME INSCRIBED BAKOLITE

SLINGSHOT

FOR SALE, THIS LOT OF WWII ITEMS.

This soldier was at Anzio Beachfront.

His Tour was mostly in Italy. MP, drove ammo vehicles.

Items are clean and in good condition. No tears or holes in jacket/coat. No trousers or shirts found.

Duffle in very good shape.

Please look at first photo carefully to see everything there.

Email me with your offer and questions. Missiontransition@gmail.com or call with any questions.
I'm taking offers through January 30th.
Mails from Frederick MD. No Pick Up. Shipping cost based on your location.

Payment accepted. Personal Checks, Cash. Credit Cards, NO PAYPAL OR AMEX.

Thank you. Laurie Zook

LIFE CHANGES; WE HANDLE THE DETAILS!

2011-10-10T19:20:00.002-04:00

SAVE TIME, MONEY AND GET YOUR LIFE IN ORDER!

RE-Cover, RE-Cycle and RE-Move

( What's No Longer Needed or Wanted!)

The Great Estate RE-Cycle

SINCE 1999, 32 Years Overall Professional Experience in Interiors, Design, Relocation, Project Management and Sales

TRANSITIONING to or from the Washington DC Metro?

Seniors Downsizing, Family Relocations? We Handle all the Details, working with you to get you strategized, organized, downsized!
Packing, Unpacking and Setup, Custom Floor Plans ( Laurie Zook, Owner/Operator has a degree in interior design and 15 years experience in that business. ) We are one of the first transitions management companies in the Washington DC area.
Our Liquidation services sell on site at the property, route to appropriate auctions or broker for the estate or heirs or client to get the highest price on valuables. Check out our on-line stores too.
Home Staging and Property Improvement is on our menu of design-related services. We work with licensed contractors on interior and exterior improvements.
10% Off always for Seniors and Package prices available for turn key transitions, relocations and estate programs. Call at 301-332-5585
lauriezook@missiontransition.net
The Great Estate ReCycle: Downsize, Sell, Salvage and Re-Cycle! Trash is always the last resort!
State of Maryland Certified Green Business!

B.A.D.- We are Born, We Accumulate, And We Deny. The M.T. "Trans-ACT-ON" Plan Toward Change!

2011-10-10T15:12:00.002-04:00

MISSION TRANSITION LLC
B.A.D.- We are Born, we Accumulate, we Deny.

Downsizing is not a human inclination, but it sure cleans things up before it's too late.

Mission:Transition LLC, Laurie Zook 301-332-5585
This article can not be reprinted in whole or in part without permission by the author.

DOWNSIZING: Keys to a Successful Transition:
"ACT-ON" STEPS TOWARD YOUR FUTURE!

1.R. B. D.- Relocation By Design: Design a Plan and an exit strategy... with your Realtor, Transitions Manager, Attorney, CPA; all the professionals you count on. Then “work it”....getting the right help is important at the start.

2. D.O.S.-Downsize, Organize and Strategize: The 1 year rule of thumb. Put a plan into action 1 year before listing your home, or before ( when you think of it, it’s time…)The amount of time and energy you dedicate to this depends on your other obligation, your health and energy level. However, If you do not take time to attend to this it will catch up with you, and you might find yourself in a time crisis.
Behaviors to Be Aware of:
Denial and Procrastination Creates Crisis. Bottom line, number one reason for life going sour.
Stop (Accumulating). Put the money you would normally spend on more 'stuff' aside in a separate bank account to purchase new things you want after your move.
Beware the Arm Chair Professional: The neighbor or other acquaintance offering advice in your time of stress. Maintain Perspective. A professional is tested in their craft and has to hold their own in a very competitive market. The neighbor does not. Ask for and call professional references.

3. L.B.Y.L.- Live by your List: Write it all down. At first, generalize, then get specific as you work your plan. Who (to give to) ,What ( to move or give), When( to do it all,) Where ( to move, etc. ) Why ( All the reasons) This is your business plan for your future. When in doubt, read it for affirmation.

4. H.O.H- Hire Objective Help. Family can be helpful, but is generally not objective nor empathetic enough to see you through the process without undue stress. Do not burden them with your stuff or your time crisis. Hire an experienced, professional Transitions manager/ downsizer who can work with you to assess your situation, develop a plan, contact the right professionals for you...such as auction houses, charities, etc.; go through your stuff with you, pack it up as you go, work with you to find the right moving company, manage the move itself, and get you set up afterwards AND sell your stuff. This is the person who sees you through the confusion and keeps you on target. Your right hand, and extra brain.

5. S.Y.S.- Sell Your Stuff: With the help of a professional, you can sell almost anything that you decide you do not want to relocate with you. Everything from furnishings, to tools to "throw aways"....With the money made, buy new furnishings for your new home, or go on vacation.
Keep it Simple: The old adage, but in times of big change, always the best policy. Move less, add later.

Live Happy, Live Well!
copyright Laurie Zook 2011

Automated Housing Referral Network, The US Military's Housing Search Site

2011-06-19T16:19:00.000-04:00

http://www.ahrn.com/ahrs_shell.php?page=WantHome_new

Check out MissionTransition's Short to Mid Term Temporary Housing Blog:

http://www.frederickmdextendedstay.blogspot.com

I Call it "MARYLAND HOMEAWAY" Your Home Away from Home.

Corporate Contract workers, Military, Insurance, Transitional Housing.

If available, great for weekends, weekly rentals, Special Events.

The Great Estate Re-Cycle

2011-06-19T16:03:00.002-04:00

Mission Transition in Frederick, Maryland : RelyLocal

2011-06-16T23:33:00.000-04:00

Mission Transition in Frederick, Maryland : RelyLocal

And More about the 19th Regiment of the Colored Troops

2011-04-22T22:47:00.000-04:00

http://www.19usct.com/

The Story of Sergeant Adam Laws

2011-04-22T22:42:00.000-04:00

http://www.19usct.com/company-c/laws-adam---1st-sergeant

This biography was sent to me by Robert Summers. It is amazing to me that Mr. Laws was from Frederick Maryland, where I now reside and where I discovered the handwritten pardon by A. Lincoln in the scrapbook, that I had removed from a property I had cleaned out in Silver Spring, MD.
This pardon is the one destined to the National Archives.

The Great Estate RE-Cycle, Minimizing Waste & Maximizing Returns!

2011-04-04T19:51:00.000-04:00

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs023/1102632010301/archive/1103138925399.html

A Newsletter I sent out a few months ago. But it says it all and thought I'd post it again.

CBS RADIO NEWS Sound Byte- Lincoln Wanted by the Feds!

2011-03-18T19:34:00.003-04:00

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=70&sid=2307615

Mr. Lincoln did not mean to create such a stink!

2011-03-18T19:31:00.001-04:00

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/HP_Administrator.YOUR-55E5F9E3D2.000/Desktop/Lincoln%20note%20draws%20feds'%20attention.htm

Look What We Can Find!

2011-03-18T14:39:00.000-04:00

I've uncovered valuables, lost or forgotten or discarded, in every single property or home I have done work in.

Professional Organization , Property Clean Outs, Estate Organization and Liquidations.

A.Lincoln, McKinley, Roosevelt and A. Lincoln again.

Gold coins, lost jewelry, diamonds, photographs, personal records and documents.

Either left to the ghosts or lost in space; I have recovered these things.

It's never comfortable, usually dirty, sometimes smelly, but regardless, it is fun and rewarding!

Putting a space back together with semblance of order. which was previously chaos, to hand the found goodies to the owner, (so they can lose them again...lol ) the discovery of lost treasure, selling the contents of an estate in a fast, furious paced 3 or 4 day sale and coming out at the end with money made on what was no longer wanted or needed by the owner: it's all what I do.

There is no limit to how many times I can get lucky. Instinct and knowledge working together- being in the right place and looking up, not down. Seeing a box in the attic and opening it, then looking under the cuckoo clock in the box and finding ivory elephants... knowing how and where to look and handle items, manifesting dead president's signatures, knowing how to research and sell.

Illustration:Lincoln#1 ( we call it) pardon of colored major, Civil War.

Full Estate RE-Cycling Services: Maximize Returns While MInimizing Waste!

2011-02-25T11:12:00.000-05:00

http://missiontransition.net/the_great_estate_re-cycle

Rare Lincoln Pardon of Adam Law, African American Soldier. Who owns it?

2011-02-25T10:05:00.002-05:00

The National Archives wants me to donate this document to them.

The government gave up 'title' to this document in 1865. Where were these Civil War documents stored,( if they were,) or were they thrown away, given to this soldier, did he arrive in DC and work for my client's ancestors... how did it arrive on the closet shelf, sandwiched in the book, for 160 years, where I found it?

Who was Mr. Adam Law? What did he do after his pardon from court martial by President Lincoln? Was he discovered by my client's ancestors in Freeman land and hired to work for them? I have no proof of this. I know they went there on a three day pass. That pass is also at auction.

To accomodate the Archives request I am seeking a buyer to pay me a reasonable market value for the document, with the understanding and agreement to give it to the Archives as a donation for a tax write off.

I do not itemize so that is of no use to me. I do have a mortgage to pay.I am a small woman owned business, struggling to survive in a very lackluster economy. There are many people in the world who need the tax deduction.

As my attorney said...if it belongs to the Archives how can they accept a donation from the "owner". And they did say that to me.
So, I have asked them to provide me with a donation form or letter for my use when selling to whomever eventually buys it.

My business is in part, cleaning out junk, organizing, discovering, preparing, marketing and selling objects of art, furnishings, documents and other items.

This is one of those items. I came by it legally. I salvaged it from being tossed into the rear end of a garbage truck.I found it and am responsible for it's appropriate disposition.

The Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution states
" Right to just compensation for private property taken for public use."

If the National Archives can not pay for this document, then perhaps they can assist in locating a benefactor who will.

I am alive. This soldier is not. A. Lincoln lives on through our struggle for a just democracy. I think he would agree with me on this one.

Only Known Example of Pardon to African American Soldier by Abraham Lincoln. RARE!

2011-02-23T21:17:00.002-05:00

http://mearsonlineauctions.com/catalog.aspx?category=220

See the auction for details. Fantastic piece of American history. Authentic.

Abraham Lincoln Has Become My Best Friend! And Someone Else Wants Him Too!

2011-02-22T18:57:00.005-05:00

(Since I discovered the treasure of the A. Lincoln notes and other ephemera in a client's estate closet, sending out a press release to the Frederick News Post and the Gazette, I have been interviewed by: The Frederick News Post, The Gazette, NBC News, ABC News and the Washington Post. I think it was CBS who called me on Friday trying to find a new angle to the story- asking if they could go to the house where this stuff had been discovered and film the empty closet it came out of. Of course not, said I. The job is done. I thought what a silly story that would be; an empty house, an empty closet. No visual "meat" in that. Anyhow, so be it.

The auction is happening now, at http://www.mearsonline.com. Going OK. 4 days left to go.

Yesterday, as Murphy would have it I got a call from a guy who has frequented my estate sales in the past. He's an antique's dealer, so he says, and calls himself an "appraiser," although I'd love to see that license. Christopher Keller. The kind of "dealer" who low balls me on my pricing at every estate sale I have conducted.

I would not want him near my senior clients!) Mr. Keller called and left a hostile message accusing me of selling HIS A. Lincoln documents in this auction and telling me he had called an attorney! What a predatory stance!

I haven't talked with Christopher for a year. I was incredulous! This an accusation- pulled out of some dark hind region.He says he bought an estate from me 13 years ago and these were part of it!

He actually called the writer at the Washington Post, The Gazette and god knows where else, telling this story! The writers called me immediately and gave me the opportunity to 'defend' myself. He was not convinced Keller was on the level, and being a professional, ethical, journalist he threw some questions his way. Christopher Keller had not even looked at the Lincoln items he was saying he owned. He could not identify them!

He says he owns them but does not know what he owns? And, if he owns the material why do I have it? If he owns it, where is his bill of sale? If he owns it , why has he waited "13 years"to claim it as his?

Regardless of his delusion, these items were uncovered in 2010 ago at a client's estate, not 13 years ago. I have the inventory, the contract and dated photographs.

At a sale I conducted in 2001 I found a tin Civil War mail tube with a bundle of Assignations of Rank from the Civil War, and other family documents belonging to the estate where I was doing the sale. Some were signed by Lincoln.

In my contract, any personal family documents are turned over to the family, not sold, unless by special arrangement, as I am doing with the current Lincolns. I called my client that day. She handed them over to her brother, a DC attorney. In fact I met her at his house in Chevy Chase and gave them to her there. I made no money on them.

He never came close to these documents and has never purchased the Lincolns' at auction now or at any earlier date.

Bottom Feeders abound. Poor character surfaces eventually like sewage on the surface of a clear running stream. Mr. Keller, you are in trouble with me and you will hear from my attorney.

All I want is peace. The opportunity to do my work for my clients and make a fair buck. People like Christopher Keller who attempt to capitalize on another person's hard work and success, through libel and slander, need to be called down. I will do so.