A vintage 1920s era KKK robe will be sold by Scott Morrill, who owns an auction house in New Hampshire. When he was first contacted by the robe’s owner, who wants to remain anonymous, he did not agree to sell the item but then changed his mind, reports the Chicago Sun Times.
The robe was hidden away in a bag located in the home of an 80 year old woman. She says that she had no idea it was there and when she discovered it in the attic she thought it was a run of the mill item of clothing. That is, until she opened the bag in which it was contained. She took off its traditional cross patch and found her own father’s name on the back of it. She claims she and her family have been blindsided by the fact that her father was apparently a member of the KKK.
Morrill says he had a change of heart about the robe because it is his job to “sell history,” not “destroy it” even if that history was “a mistake.” Morrill says that he has been inundated with calls from people who are furious over his decision to sell the robe, which is a symbol of hate and intolerance. He says he has also received calls from people who want to place bids on the item. He hopes people will act like “adults” at the actual auction, as he feels the history of the KKK robe supersedes what the item represents.
Morrill says he does not know where to begin the bidding because he has never previously sold such an item during his 20-plus year tenure as an auctioneer. However, it is not the first time a vintage robe from the Klan has been auctioned. An online search reveals numerous auctions from several years ago. One such sale shows the final bid for a 1920s KKK robe and hat was $908.50. This reflects the apparent desirability of such an item among those interested in collecting Klan relics.
In fact, KKK items are so popular among some collectors that Kovels, a respected source for pricing antiques, has created a guide to KKK memorabilia on its website, explaining: “Ku Klux Klan items are now collected because of their historic importance. Literature, robes, and memorabilia are seen at shows and auctions.” This blurb is followed by a pricing guide for Klan items including robes and hoods.
Do you think Morrill is doing the right thing in selling the KKK robe, or should the selling of such items be banned? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below, and please be respectful. Any comments containing profanity or hate speech will be removed. Does history outweigh the negative effects of that history? Let us know.
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