----------------------------Original message----------------------------
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My museum was contacted by a writer who is penning a screenplay.  The =
question
was forwarded to me and I'm trying to help him/her.  Below are excepts of =
our
email correspondence:

The original inquiry:
=22I am a writer currently working on a screenplay project which is already
receiving preliminary interest.  In it, a character with an auction house
is trying to authenticate an unpublished 1920s manuscript by a known
author.  I'm hoping you can help me learn more about such an
authentification process so that I may present my character more
credibly.  Also,  if the manuscript was found on someone's personal
property, does that usually give ownership to
the finder or would rights still belong to the deceased writer's estate?
I realize this is a legal issue, but I would think it is one that
professionals in the museum industry are familiar with.  Any help or
direction you can provide is much appreciated.=22

I didn't save my initial response, but the gist was: see a legal =
professional or
visit a law library for the legal questions, and contact a local university
archives that might collect writer's papers from the 1920's.  I also told
him/her to check with an auction house, since her character works at one.  I
told him/her to let me know what area of the country we were talking about, =
so I
could give more solid suggestions.  I was guessing that this was a person =
local
to my museum (in Baltimore - why else would he/she contact us?) and that I =
could
refer to a local site that I might know about, but no, see the response =
below.

His/her response:
=22I live in Dallas so if you have any suggestions on places here that might
deal with manuscript authentication or
possibly house famous manuscripts from the earlier part of the century,
that would be very helpful.  Thanks again.=22

Well, I don't know anything about resources in Dallas=21  And my library =
doesn't
have the printed subject guides to collections that I know are out there.

If any Dallas librarians have any leads for this person, please contact me
directly (kstacey=40thewalters.org).  I don't think I should put this =
person's
email address out on the list, but if anyone out there can help, I shoot you=
 the
address and you can contact him/her directly (I only  have a first initial =
and a
last name for this person=21)


Thanks so much,

Kathleen Stacey
Head Librarian, Walters Art Gallery (famous for it's medieval  =
manuscripts=21)
Baltimore, MD