in fact, a first-edition Eames 
creation.
Through Le Shoppe Auction 
House, a branch of Le Shoppe 
Too that appraises and sells 
pieces that people bring to 
them, Slobin and her colleagues 
set aside a reserve of $15,000 
to begin auctioning the Eames 
Storage Unit. 
“Right away, it started bid-
ding up and bidding up,
” Slobin 
recalls. “We knew this was really 
special, really rare and needed 
to go to the right home.
”
Rather than sending the 
cabinet straight to retail, Slobin 
advised the Allen family it 
would go for more money in 
an auction. As bids opened 
— jumping from $25,000, to 
$35,000, to finally selling for 
$48,000 to a private institution 
— the Eames Storage Unit sold 
for more than triple its reserve.
“We were not surprised. We 
were shocked,
” Slobin says. “The 
family was [also] in complete 

shock. When I told Nancy 
Allen, she fell back in her chair 
in sheer delight and awe.
”

HIDDEN HEIRLOOMS ARE 
EVERYWHERE
Allen initially wondered who 
would be willing to spend 
$15,000 or more on a cabi-
net her husband bought for 
just $100 in the 1950s, Slobin 
recalls. Yet upon receiving the 
good news, Allen exclaimed 
that her late partner would be 
proud to see how much it sold 
for and that it would go to a 
good home at an institution 
planning to make the piece 
available to the public.
Stearn says this sale set a 
world record for the most 
money ever paid for an original 
Eames Storage Unit at a public 
auction. 
“We were blown away,
” Slobin 
adds. “We didn’t expect that.
”
Their advice: Don’t throw 
away items you find in grand-

ma’s attic. “If people don’t want 
to donate, they’ll bring it here 
to make sure it’s not worth any-
thing,
” Stearn explains. “Then 
we can tell them, ‘OK, this is 
nothing’ or ‘this is a really good 
piece, and it can probably sell 
for $10,000.
’”
Le Shoppe Auction House’s 
next auction will take place on 
Sunday, Dec. 5. Rare items up 
for grabs will include a War 

Pony sculpture by prominent 
Native American painter and 
modernist sculptor Allan 
Houser, among others.
Yet whether or not another 
first-edition Eames piece will 
come their way is impossible to 
predict.
“These pieces are very 
in-demand,” Slobin says. 
“They’re the hot buzzword for 
collectors.” 

NOVEMBER 25 • 2021 | 35

Terri Stearn, Leslie Weisberg, Julie Sundberg and Deborah Slobin

LE SHOPPE TOO

SURVIVORSHIP SERIES

There are over 3 million prostate cancer survivors in the U.S.

Join us as we discuss advances in imaging 
technology and treatment opportunities.

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 at 6 p.m.
Facebook Live: facebook.com/MIUMensHealth

Join us in person: Michigan Institute of Urology
6900 Orchard Lake Rd., Suite 300, West Bloomfield

Panel experts:

Jason Hafron, M.D.
Michigan Institute of Urology

Tom Boike, M.D., M.M.M.
Genesis Care/MHP Radiation Oncology

Moderated by Dr. Michael Lutz, President, MIU
Men’s Health Foundation

www.MIUMensHealthFoundation.org

STATE OF MICHIGAN

BEFORE THE MICHIGAN PUBLIC 
SERVICE COMMISION

TDS METROCOM, LLC’S NOTICE 
OF DISCONTINUANCE OF BASIC 
LOCAL EXCHANGE SERVICE

TDS Metrocom, LLC (“TDS”) is providing notice that on or after March 23, 2022, TDS will 

discontinue Internet and basic local exchange phone service in the Ann Arbor, Detroit 

Zone 5, Farmington, Livonia, Northville, Plymouth, Romulus, Southfield, Wayne, and 

Ypsilanti Michigan exchange areas. Impacted customers will receive a letter, including 

the date their service is being discontinued and a listing of other area service providers 

to consider for future service. These customers will need to select a new provider as 

soon as possible, to avoid an interruption in service. TDS will discontinue service on or 

after March 23, 2022. TDS has made an initial filing with the Michigan Public Service 

Commission regarding this discontinuance of service. Affected customers may file 

comments in this docket requesting that the Michigan Public Service Commission 

investigate the availability of alternate providers with reliable access to 911. 

For additional residential support, dial 877-638-6726. For business support, contact 

deb.nordman@tdsmetro.com or dial 1-855-837-2455 to reach TDS Customer Support.

206255_3.6x4.8/11-21/12480

