As for publicity, I think the collection and its sale is obviously worthy of it, with or without the "mystery," so good on them for spicing it up. That's how you promote an event effectively, and in the WSJ, no less! Bravo.
** My job requires me to read or subscribe to the most important newspapers in the world. And for many years I've felt the WSJ is the most spectacular "national" newspaper in the U.S.
** But I could NOT recommend the WSJ to my friends until about four years ago. And it's not because of its political leanings (which do NOT dominate every story, unlike politics which seems infused in nearly every story in the NY Times, which I also get at home). No, I couldn't recommend the WSJ because it used to be a dull-looking newspaper with lists of stock quotes and great features brought down by no color and very little art.
** However, since about 2000, it has become one of the most user-friendly and entertaining papers on earth. Today -- only ONE of its usual daily four sections -- is devoted to Wall Street news. The REST of each day's fare is filled with across-the-board features, e.g., advice, health, food, conservation tips, movies, NY theater, cars, politics, religion, antiques/collecting/hobbies, clothes, bad bosses/career traps, marital tips, education/teaching, Internet/eBay, universal appliances and even some products you'd think couldn't POSSIBLY be entertaining (this past week there was a story about the best value irons to get the wrinkles out of your clothes in a flash). For ex., in today's paper there's an illustrated color feature about proper attire -- on the left is a young slender woman in low cut jeans w/her midriff showing -- on the right is a second young slender woman wearing a business suit casting a disapproving stare at the first woman, over the top of her designer label glasses.
** Its circulation is 2.1 million, almost DOUBLE the New York Times and topped only a little by Gannett's "headline only" USA Today. (The latter is fun for airplanes, but dispensible and not worth subscribing, articles too short.)
** Give the WSJ (not the online version) -- a shot for just one week -- and I kid you not, just one week -- and you'll be a subscriber for life. You'll start reading it more than your local newspaper. The online version is comprehensive but is only "OK." But getting the paper at home -- especially on Fridays and Saturdays -- is like getting two holiday gifts each week. Dazzling color, so many easy-to-read features, so much "useful news."
** And no, I don't work for the WSJ's circulation dept.. I just try to "tip" stories to some of its editors whenever I can. Even the tiniest blurbs causes phones to ring off the hook. Anybody who's making a living at anything, or who has a family, or who is childless, newly married, old married, never married or even a monk -- ANYONE -- will find it useful. At least once/week there's something I have to clip out to save as a reference.
-koose.
