Lot 142

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Description:

Jack Kerouac's Large Crucifix, Nearly 9" Tall, One of his Favorites!

A large wall-mounted crucifix personally owned by Jack Kerouac (1922-1969), the famous American writer who brought us "On The Road" (1957), and said to be one of his favorite objects of devotion. Provenance: The piece will be accompanied by an estate certification signed by John Shen-Sampas, executor of the Kerouac Estate by descent. John Shen-Sampas is the son of John Sampas, who was the brother-in-law of Jack Kerouac, and the brother of Stella Kerouac, Jack's wife.

The bronze crucifix with deep bas relief shows Christ in torment at center, his outstretched arms extending along the crossbar. "INRI" (or an ironic reference to Christ as King of the Jews) appears at top. In terms of iconography, this crucifixion scene is very traditional, yet the form of the crucifix is very unusual. The cross has a sort of elongated croix pattée form; this is characterized by its convex terminals. Scattered verdigris only enhances its warm, rich patina. Measures 5" x 8.75" x .625" overall.

Jack Kerouac was a devoted Roman Catholic. His intense faith was instilled in him at an early age by his beloved French-Canadian mother, Gabrielle-Ange Lévesque (1895-1973). Kerouac's Catholicism heavily influenced his personal life, world view, and literary work. While it is true that as an adult Kerouac experimented with alternative religions, including Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism, he never abandoned "the true faith". Photographs from the interior of Kerouac's last home at 5169 10th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida show numerous religious icons like this crucifix scattered around the rooms and displayed on pieces of furniture.

A pocket crucifix owned by Jack Kerouac of very similar design measuring 1.25" x 1.75" (about four times smaller than this one) sold in our May 6, 2020 Jack Kerouac Estate Part III sale for a hammer price of $2,400.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice, unless you inform us otherwise, immediately upon your receipt of invoice***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.


After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item.


Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

June 24, 2020 10:30 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000