As the market grew, bolstered by several scholarly books and exhibitions, big-name collectors and museums quietly began competing for the choicest pieces.

Blade always served her first and made a special point of giving her the choicest pieces.

Howells spoke of it as the choicest piece of work in the volume, and of its "perfect fidelity to the tragic fact."

She watched as he carved them and put the choicest pieces on her plate.

The later ones caught up with them and they began pushing one another around, fighting for the choicest pieces.

"But it contains the choicest pieces."

But the very top ranks are occupied by the dealers with the choicest pieces - the rare and the never before seen.

He paid more than $4 million - making him the top spender - to acquire some of Mr. Nicholson's choicest pieces.

The tearing had been the smaller claw, ripping open his remains, separating his ribs, and probing inside for the softest, choicest pieces.

"It's the choicest piece of property left in New York City and it should be preserved for public use," he said.