1. "Psst . . . wanna buy a Borden sofa?"
Posted by stefani on Nov-21st-03 at 8:29 AM

Found this today.

"Well,I never thought I would be able to have this item,let alone have to sell it,but here it is.This is the 1st floor sofa from the Lizzie Borden house in Fall River,Massachusetts.My great grandfather,G.W.Mqguire,lived in no#43 Second st.During the trial of Lizzie,the family had to sell some items to help with the rising costs of legal fees.My great grandfather bought this sofa and a few other items at that time.This is NOT the sofa that her mother or her father were killed on.I want to make that clear.This is the downstairs sitting room sofa.This sofa was built in or around 1885 in Chicago,Il.In the pics you will see the square nails on the legs.It is a horsehair stuffed sofa and it is completely original.Nothing has been done to this sofa.My grandmother died a little while back and it was left to my wife and I.My wife however,refuses to keep it in our house.So,I am being forced to sell it.I will arrange shipping,but buyer is to pay cost.Depending on how close buyer is,I may deliver myself.Any information you need,just email for answers.I repeat,this is not the sofa her father was killed on,but the other dowstairs sofa.It has been in my family since 1893,although several members of my family have had no part of it.So,it came to me,but now,even I will not be allowed to keep it.So happy bidding and good luck"

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2966547524&category=1468

Stop! My sides are splitting from laughing.  What, no blood spots on this one?

Had to sell off stuff to raise money?  That's a hoot!  I wonder if they had a lawn sale?

Good one Stef. I'm still laughing.

Ha ha, very funny but the guy didn't have to go into all the BS,
it is really a very nice looking piece!  (i didn't go to ebay
to check the price though, how much?)

Hello!!!

Well...this is just fascinating, isn't it? Here is an interesting point......The seller says that this sofa was built circa 1885. If this was the sofa (doubtful) and if it was built around 1885, then all the furniture in the house was not old and out-of-style in 1892 as so many authors have mentioned. This sofa only would have been seven years old at the time of the murders! Hmmm..........

Bill


Oh! What is this about the Bordens selling off their personal belongings to finance Lizzie's defense? Absurd!!! A sale of any goods in the Borden House by Emma (as Lizzie was in jail) would certainly have been noticed and mentioned in the newspaper at that time. This is the first I have ever heard about this.



(Message last edited Nov-21st-03  8:34 PM.)

  That is too funny and too strange.  How many sofas did the Borden's have in their downstairs sitting room anyway?  It could barely contain the one that Andrew died on.  People will stop at nothing to sell things. 

Forgive me, but that sofa looks almost brand new. My 15-year-old sofa doesn't look that good.

Like I always say, I was born at night.  I wasn't born LAST night.

I noticed in Len Rebello's book (556) where he lists Emma & Lizzie's land transactions, they did in unity sell a parcel of land, 74 acres, on April 3, 1893, before the Trial.

Shall we buy it for when we take over the Borden House? 

I've been daydreaming a lot; I'm planning to have black, faceless dummies "standing in" for Abby on the floor and Andrew on the couch, and recorded commentary, cued by the tour guide.  No more B&B...or, only by invitation.  I'm most looking forward to having the tour group hear "Lizzie" from below, calling "Maggie, Maggie, come down!" 

Oh like Madame Tussaudes!
And guests can have their picture taken with the characters!

Or is that "Madame Tussaud's"?
Search the web?

I looked up the spelling on Google and STILL spelled it wrong!  oh well.
BTW:  Stef and I visited the wax museum in London and I had my picture taken with Agatha Christie!
She was so life-like that her stockings were bunching up at the ankle.
Stef posed with Kojak!

Hello!!!!!!!!

Well....I called Len Rebello and had him check out this sofa. he has copies of the directories for the city of Fall River. Interestingly, there was NO "GW Maguire" in the directories from 1892-1893. Also, 43 Second Street was Dean's Market. I asked if it was possible for there to have been apartments above the market. Len did not believe so. He said that above the market there were offices. Dean's Market was in the Richard Borden Block close to City Hall.

I just thought this was interesting as it contradicts what the seller gave as "proof" of authenticity.

Have a super holiday!!!!

Bill

I have not heard anything recently about the house. I will keep everyone posted.

Totally off topic, but couldn't resist the mention of Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London.

We went there when I was 9.  Of course, it was like a whole other world.  I went up to one figure & called back to my parents, "This one looks so real!"  To my shock, the figure laughed.  It was a guard, quietly leaning motionless against a post!  How embarrassing!

Thanks Bill, and enjoy the Holiday off school!

I think you had an I Love Lucy moment!
And at such a tender age!

I remember why I got totally taken in.  Against a similar post had been a wax figure of a uniformed London "Bobby" & my parents had snapped a picture of me with it.  This guy was also uniformed.

Still...

T-K, I wonder if that guard stood motionless on a regular basis just to have some fun.  I know I would.

Knowing the British sense of humour, I wouldn't be surprised!

The sofa sold for $510.

That is a fair price, it looked like a nice piece.  When I had
my upholstery shop, I would love to get pieces like that, very
rare. 

Yes, I'd like to have a full-size wax Lizzie, maybe in the Newport snapshot pose, somewhere in the house.

OR in my current apartment, near my Borden house brick!  Jay will just have to understand!