Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was so fond of a caricature that accompanied an article about her that she requested a copy from the artist, Eleanor Davis, and displayed it in her Supreme Court office. This signed and inscribed print is one of 150 items from Ginsburg’s office and home at the Watergate now featured in an online auction to benefit the Washington National Opera. The auction, which ends in late April, includes several personal items, such as an earthenware plate by Pablo Picasso that adorned her dining room, a black mink coat with her name embroidered in the pocket, and a souvenir vase from the Capitol luncheon following former President Barack Obama’s first inauguration.
The sale is expected to raise between $50,000 and $80,000 for the Washington National Opera, a cause dear to Ginsburg’s heart. She participated in at least three productions, including a speaking role in one performance in 2016.
Ginsburg’s family chose the Potomack Company to oversee the auction. Elizabeth Haynie Wainstein, the auction house’s owner, noted, “It’s an opportunity to own something personal of hers and support the opera.” Bidding starts as low as $25 for some items, though the opening bid for the Picasso plate is $4,000. Other Picasso works and Ginsburg’s black mink coat, with a starting bid of $250, are also available.
Justice Ginsburg, who passed away from cancer at age 87 in September 2020, remains a revered figure. The Navy recently announced that it would name a ship in her honor as part of the John Lewis-class of replenishment oilers, dedicated to individuals who championed civil and human rights. Additionally, last month, the Smithsonian honored her posthumously with the National Museum of American History’s Great Americans Medal. Her children, Jane and James Ginsburg, have donated other items of hers to the museum, including her Paris-made judicial robe and a collection of collars.
In January, a previous auction of Ginsburg’s books fetched $2.3 million, nearly 30 times the pre-sale estimate. The April auction features a print of Josef Albers’ “Red Orange Wall,” which hung above Ginsburg’s bed, and six sculptures by Glenna Goodacre, acquired during her summer visits to the Santa Fe opera festival. Additional items include a silver tea set, a pair of Saint Louis Crystal eagle bookends, and a unique piece of art by Ginsburg’s grandchild, Paul Spera, titled “Bubbie of Liberty,” featuring Ginsburg’s likeness atop the Statue of Liberty.
