In bed with Janet Frame
Further to my post about the historic bed housed in the Sargeson Centre from 1987 until 2002, Graeme Lay, secretary of the Sargeson Trust, advises that it will be auctioned by my old law professor Bernard Brown at the annual general meeting of the Auckland branch of the NZ Society of Authors this Friday evening, from 5pm, in the Common Room of the English Department of the University of Auckland:
You will all be aware that no other bed in New Zealand’s history has been occupied by so many distinguished writers, including Janet Frame, and that it therefore carries the DNA of dozens of renowned poets, novelists, short story writers and playwrights, making it a priceless literary artefact. A photograph of the bed is attached here, under the interested gaze of Frank Sargeson. The writer coyly occupying the bed at the time that the photograph was taken wishes to remain unidentified, but it was a former holder of the Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship. In the photograph the bed is covered with the crazy quilt sewn by Janet Frame when she lived at Sargeson’s house at 14 Esmonde Road, Takapuna, in 1955-6. The quilt, however, is not for sale, as it is considered by historians to be beyond price. Bernard Brown advises that email bids for the bed can be made prior to Friday’s auction. His email address is here.I slept in the bed myself for a month, and recommend it highly. I had a very nice time there.
posted by Stephen Stratford at 8:50 PM
4 Comments:
I might be interested. Have the sheets been changed? Ever?
They should put it on trademe if they're serious about raising some real dosh.
- D.Beckham
So, did she leave anyone her second best bed??
Update:
We had an email from someone with an AOL address, so possibly a deranged American or, if not, a deranged expat:
"I will bid for the bed if Bernard is in it......"
I have it good authority, otherwise known as Mrs Brown, that Bernard is not an optional extra with the bed. Which was passed in at auction so may well be listed soon on TradeMe. Watch that space.
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