Stork Club and Walter Winchell Ephemera Auction at Turner Auctions on September 12

Turner Auctions + Appraisals will hold an auction titled 'Ephemera from the Stork Club, Walter Winchell & More' on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 10:30 am PDT. The auction features collections from Harold A. Layer, Professor Emeritus at San Francisco State University, including his Stork Club and Walter Winchell collections, as well as two lots of card and board games/prototypes he designed. Additional items come from the SFO Museum, offering San Francisco photos and ephemera, and San Francisco's Cliff House, contributing signed celebrity photos. Walter Winchell (1897-1972), a prominent American newspaper gossip columnist and radio commentator, is credited with inventing modern celebrity journalism. Starting as a vaudeville performer, he reached the peak of his career between the 1930s and 1950s, commanding a vast audience. The Stork Club was a famous New York City nightclub frequented by celebrities and socialites, and its ephemera is a highlight of the sale. The auction will be conducted online and in person, with bidding available through Turner Auctions' platform. This event offers collectors and enthusiasts a chance to acquire historical items related to mid-20th-century American celebrity culture and journalism.