Historic Items From KS Statehouse Available In Online Auction
KMUW | By Deborah Shaar
http://www.dlwebb.com
Pieces of Kansas' history will be up for auction in early May.
The state is clearing out thousands of items that didn't go back into the recently renovated State Capitol Building in Topeka.
The Statehouse was about 100 years old when the renovation project began in 2002. Refurbishing the historic structure took about 13 years and cost $325 million.
Credit Jimmy Emerson / Flickr
The Statehouse before the renovations.
But not everything that was taken out during the project went back into the building.
Auctioneer Dave Webb says there's a warehouse full of unique and historic items available to the public.
"There's everything from the old door hinges, the door locks, door handles; the copper door that led out to the dome; lots of wood trim; old wall panels dating back to the 1800's with the old square nails in them; the governor's office door; lots and lots of various wood pieces," Webb says. "There's some wrought iron railing with brass hand rails that is just spectacular. The Senate Chamber's clerk desk. Many, many unique items."
An online auction begins May 2, and Webb expects bids to come in from around the world.
"There is just literally not enough room in this warehouse to have an extra 100 people, let alone 1000 people," Webb says. "And so that's why we are doing this as an online auction, and it does allow worldwide bidding which I think will happen on this auction."
The objects will be on display online and during four open houses beginning April 27.
Proceeds from the auction will go back to the state.
Credit Stephen Koranda, File Photo / Kansas Public Radio
KPR/File Photo
The Statehouse after the renovations.
Webb says many of the items are one-of-a-kind, such as the door to the Governor's office, brass door handles in the shape of a sunflower, and the copper door that led to the dome staircase.
He found a state inspection sticker for an elevator that dates back to 1915.
Webb credits the craftsmanship of the work in the State Capitol Building for the quality of the pieces that remain.
Webb & Associates Auctioneers & Appraisers in Stillwell, Kansas is handling the online auction.
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Deborah Shaar
Deborah joined the news team at KMUW in September 2014 as a news reporter. She spent more than a dozen years working in news at both public and commercial radio and television stations in Ohio, West Virginia and Detroit, Michigan. Before relocating to Wichita in 2013, Deborah taught news and broadcasting classes at Tarrant County College in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area.
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