Seller Story: Cincinnati, OH
The objects for auction from Cathryn and her late husband Carl, “Hege” Hilker tell the story of lives filled with adventure, passion and travel. Leading cheetah conservationists, the couple dedicated their time and resources to education about endangerment of the animal, specifically through Cathryn’s 50 years at the Cincinnati Zoo, where she worked with cat ambassador program to bring big cats to schools. Enamored of cheetahs, Hege and Cathryn raised Angel and Sara – their own cheetah pups – on their farm property in Mason, OH. In 2012, Sara broke the world record for fastest land mammal.
In the nineties, Carl and Cathryn traveled to Namibia and purchased a 28,000 acre parcel of land designed for conservation efforts to save big cats in the wild. Today, it is helmed by field expert Dr. Laurie Marker and is the largest effort to protect and study cheetahs in the world.
The couple’s interests didn’t stop at spotted cats. Hege adored anything airborne including planes, hot air balloons, hang gliding and sky-diving. Truly a renaissance man, he also counted ski patrol, pyrotechnics, scuba diving, marathons and collecting canons among his hobbies. When not raising awareness about the cheetah’s endangered status, Cathryn rode horses until she was 80. Beloved in Cincinnati, Cathryn’s extensive collection of cheetah paraphernalia is entirely comprised of gifts from people who loved “The Cat Lady.”


EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Platinum 8.14 CT Opal and 1.58 CTW Diamond Ballerina Ring

EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Musical, Light-Up Ceramic Christmas Tree With Novelty Holiday Mugs

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Portmeiron "The Holly & the Ivy" Ceramic Dinner Plates

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
18K 1.90 CTW Diamond Line Bracelet

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Raku Studio Pottery Vessel

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Ceramic Dapper Cat Shaped Cookie Jar, Mid-20th Century

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. Sterling Starfish Earrings

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Southwestern Style Sterling Turquoise Appliqué Ring


EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Cole Oil Painting of Landscape With Stream at Sunset

EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Jeff Meadows Outsider Art Acrylic Painting of a Tiger, 21st Century

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Victorian Rococo Revival Carved Wood Armchair, Early 20th Century

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Henredon Chinese Style Brass-Mounted Mahogany China Cabinet

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
José M. Lima Landscape Oil Painting, 2023

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
10K Heart Stationary Necklace

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
C. Nuhring & Bro. Converted Fire Extinguisher Table Lamp

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
José M. Lima Floral Still Life Oil Painting, 2022

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Jack Meanwell Abstract Modern Watercolor Painting, 1978

EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Blue Sky Porcelain By Sara Lund Studios Figural Ceramic Vase

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Mikasa "Galaxia" Crystal Candlesticks, 1997-2000

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Art Glass Vase
Cathryn, what do you love about cheetahs?
Ever since I was a child, it’s always been their eyes. I used to stand at the cheetah exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo looking at them; my parents would leave me there because I stayed so long. I just watched them: those beautiful golden eyes, those big long legs. I never in the world thought I would have one, and when I finally did, it was like someone gave me a piece of my life.
Tell us about the cheetah carousel:
Carousel Magic carved it to be auctioned off for a zoo function. To make it, they came and measured my cat Angel – her tail, her legs, her head. If you want to see something funny, it’s a full grown cheetah that doesn’t especially like men have one putting a tape measure around her. She would growl and lift her lip. The man measuring her was scared to death, and I’d assure him: “She won’t hurt you, you can’t blame her for expressing what she’s thinking.” And then they came around with the carousel which, frankly, doesn’t look a damn thing like her!
How did you come to own it?
At the event, there were a couple of bids on it – $100, $1000, $3,000 and so on. Finally, a woman named Joan Herschede went up to the microphone and said “Ladies and gentlemen, this is ridiculous, I’m buying this cheetah for the top bid and giving it to the person who should have it in her home, and that’s Cathryn Hilker.” It’s been in my house ever since. Everyone has sat on it: my children and even my little cheetahs.
What do you hope for the future of your items?
I hope all of the objects go to people who look them up and learn about them. They mean so much to me.