Mr. Maresca is moderating a panel discussion on the Kahn collection next Friday in conjunction with the auction preview.

The public auction previews are March 13 to 17 at the New-York Historical Society on Central Park West at 77th Street.

Developers report good attendance at auction previews in projects whose model apartments went unvisited during their conventional marketing campaigns.

Mr. Keno remembers Mr. Sax at auction previews, clutching catalogues marked with dozens of "little yellow stickies."

And most auction previews are better installed.

The auction preview and bidding are available now through March 13 during regular gallery hours.

When you are ready to buy, go to an auction preview and determine your top potential bids.

The auction previews begin at Sotheby's today and at Christie's tomorrow; the fairs start next week.

At auction previews, collectors and experts can be seen examining scruffy cabinets, looking for telltale signs of refinishing in cracked shellac.

After attending auction previews, collectors may need to buy maps to take in all the Americana events next week.