Source : James D Cyr Auctioneer

Source Title
Description The Cyr Auction Company, headed by auctioneer James D. Cyr, was a popular location in Maine for many years. Its location was in Gray, just north of Portland. His specialty was antiques and collectibles, Americana in particular. However, Cyr ran into problems with the state licensing board, having sanctions imposed five times between 2003 and 2008 before having his license revoked. In 2009, he was heavily fined for conducting auctions without a license (or more exactly, using another auctioneer's license who then had his taken away). Among the charges besides operating without a license was failing to account for and remit money in a timely manner, as he used moneys generated in current auctions to try to pay consignors from earlier ones.

Scope of Text In this database are records from two auctions Cyr conducted in 2001 of the Frank Cutter Deering Library. Deering was a Maine lumber magnate, second generation of his family to be engaged in Maine's most notable land-based business. He built an outstanding, if varied collection of Americana. Indian Captivities was one of his particular subjects and his collection now forms a major portion of the Captivities collection at the Newberry Library. What was auctioned by Cyr in 2001 was clearly not Deering's best material, but it enabled collectors to own some of what he once collected for very little money.
Total Records in AED 1311
  • Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 11. Blaeu's Superb World Map on a Polar Projection (1695) Est. $5,500 - $7,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 36. Schedel's Ancient World Map with Humanoid Creatures (1493) Est. $14,000 - $17,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 49. One of the First Lunar Globes to Show the Far Side of the Moon (1963) Est. $1,000 - $1,300
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 5. The First World Map with Lavish Allegorical Vignettes of the Continents (1594) Est. $15,000 - $17,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 55. Anti-British Propaganda Map with Churchill as an Octopus (1942) Est. $2,000 - $2,300
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 197. One of the Most Influential Maps of Westward Expansion (1846) Est. $9,500 - $12,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 10. Scarce Pitt Edition of Carte-a-Figures Map of the World (1680) Est. $9,500 - $11,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 220. A Fine, Early Rendering of San Francisco (1874) Est. $2,200 - $2,500
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 707. Hand-Colored Image of the Presentation of Jesus with Gilt Highlights (1450) Est. $1,600 - $1,900
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 80. One of the Most Important Maps Perpetuating the Myth of the Island of California (1680) Est. $3,250 - $4,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 725. Homann's Atlas Featuring 26 Folio-Sized Maps in Original Color (1715) Est. $4,500 - $5,500
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 169. One of the Earliest Maps to Show Philadelphia (1695) Est. $4,750 - $6,000