Snakes at the Chelsea

Currently on eBay, there are four bids on this print of a photo of mail artist Ray Johnson which was taken in George Kleinsinger's room here at the Hotel Chelsea.  Kleinsinger was the composer who wrote the music for Tubby the Tuba, though he is perhaps more famous for the menagerie of exotic animals -- including snakes, monkeys, skunks, doves and turtles -- he kept in his apartment on the 10th floor.

We once met an elderly lady when we were drinking in El Quijote and upon hearing that we lived in the Chelsea the first thing she asked was, "Is that man with the snakes still there? I quite going to that place because of him!  Everytime I got on the elevator, there he was with a snake!"

The high bid on the photo is currently $22.50.