Musical The Music Memorabilia Market with Price Guide

By George Johnson

usic genres can encompass a whole swathe of tastes from Mclassical and country through to pop and rock, so it is little wonder that the associated memorabilia and collectables are also wide and varied, as are prices. Whether you are a fan of Mozart or Madonna there is always going to be something that will tempt the right collector. Here is an area of collectables where massive prices can be achieved for very inexpensively produced items by association or fact of previous ownership. Even just the ephemeral scribble of a signature can be worth a small fortune. A word of warning: as with all areas of the collectables market it is prudent to proceed with caution as fake items can be quite abundant, particularly in the area of signatures.

Instruments The collectable market in instruments can be divided in to two distinct areas. The first is instruments by famous or highly regarded makers such as Antonio Fig 1. Pete Townshend’s 1972/73 Gibson Les Paul Stradivari or even Les Paul as well as other well known names. Just a few months Deluxe. Christie’s Images Ltd. 2011. ago a violin by Stradivari, Fig 2, was sold by The Tarisio Auction House to raise funds for the Japanese Tsunami. The instrument in question was called Lady Blunt as it was named after its nineteenth century owner, one Lady Anne Blunt who was an Arabian horse breeder and also happened to be Lord Byron’s grand- daughter. It had previously been sold in 1971 at Sotheby’s where it raised £84,000. Forty years later that selling price was dwarfed by the astonishing figure of £9.8million. A great example of how ownership can affect price is the Pete Townshend, Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top Guitar, Fig 1, which was sold by Christies on the 14th June, 2011. Pete Townshend, the Who’s famous guitarist used this guitar during the band’s legendary Quadrophenia tour of 1973-1975 and it achieved £31,250 on the day. This was quite a remarkable feat as Ron Smith, manager of Wunjo Guitars in Denmark Street, London explained ‘the book price for that particular guitar, without any provenance in 9/10 condition, is US$3300 to US$3600 and we sold one recently for £2,000.’ This amply demonstrates how ownership by a well known figure can affect values. In the same sale a Selmer Trumpet, Fig 3, with original case owned by the late Louis Armstrong sold for £8,125. He gave it to his Harlem musical agent ‘Lady’ Bertha Stewart. The trumpet also came with a letter of provenance, always important if an item is to realise its full potential at auction. The current owner, who submitted the item for sale was also one of Bertha Stewart’s clients and was given the trumpet by her as a thank you for his help in giving elocution lessons to Louis Armstrong’s son, as he suffered from a stutter and also for assisting Mrs Stewart in her later years. As a footnote caution should be used when dealing or buying rare guitars and other instruments as there are many talented people faking these items.

Clothing and personal items This is an area which attracts diehard fans and in turn this can mean outstanding prices. Just recently the jacket worn by Michael Jackson in his world famous Thriller video was sold by Julien’s Auction House in Beverly Hills, California for an amazing £1,100,000, not bad for a leather jacket. One of my personal favourites is the mint green jacket, Fig 4, which was worn by the late Fig 2. The Lady Blunt. Robert Bailey 2011. Marc Bolan in the Apple film Born to Boogie, released in December 1972. It sold

ANTIQUES INFO - November/December 11 Musical in the Christies Rock and Pop Memorabilia sale on 14th June 2011 for £9,375. At another recent auction held by Julien’s Auction House in Hollywood, California, one of the world’s leading specialists in music and film memorabilia, featured items that were once owned by the late . The sale entitled Johnny Cash Property from his Life and Career was held on the 5th December 2010 and had over 300 lots of Johnny Cash memorabilia. One of the star lots Fig 3. Selmer trumpet stamped 46818. Once owned was a stage ensemble designed by Nudie Cohn, Fig 7, and was worn by Cash for by Louis Armstrong. Christie’s Images Ltd. 2011. various performances during the 1970s. This was a very patriotic outfit featuring red, white and blues stars attached to his usual black shirt and trousers. When the outfit came up for sale its valuation of US$2,000 to US$3,000 was submerged when the hammer fell at US$13,750. Just to prove how strange the market in memorabilia can be a two-piece bit of the wooden stage, Fig 5, from The Marquee Club, London was sold along with a door from the same club after it had closed for the final time. Although such names as Hendrix, Bowie, The Who and the Rolling Stones had played on this stage it is still amazing to think it was sold for an amazing US$19,200 on the 25th June 2011, not bad for a piece of wooden flooring.

Signatures Fig 4. Marc Bolan’s 1972 Apple Film Born to This can be one of the hardest areas to deal in as there are a lot of counterfeits Boogie Jacket. Christie’s Images Ltd. 2011. or fakes. Not all of these ‘un-genuine’ autographs were produced to deceive collectors. Many people would have received a Beatles signature signed by one of the Apple office girls on behalf of the group. This was just a case of time and logistics as so many autographs were requested from the band at the time. There Fig 5. A Piece of The Marquee Club stage. are other types of autographs of which you also need to be wary. An Autopen is www.juliensauctions.com 2011. a mechanical machine that replicates a person’s signature and has been used by some famous names over the years including the autographs of all American Presidents since Eisenhower as well as the majority of NASA astronauts. Another type which could fool collectors is the Pre-print. Apparently there are thousands of these for sale online every single day. These are simply photo- graphic reprints of original signed photographs and for the novice, can be quite hard to spot. The true value of these reproductions is only pennies, so be wary. It is therefore very important, unless you yourself are an expert, to only buy autographed items which come with provenance or at least from a reputable Fig 6. Autographs of the Spice Girls, in black felt dealer. The prices for autographs can vary enormously. For example at Fig 6, a tip pen on single page, and Sid James, signed on set of autographs of the Spice Girls, signed on a single page in black felt tip was single sheet and dated Aug. 28th 1966. (2) sold by Hartleys of Ilkley in October 2010 for a hammer price of only £35. Even Hartleys, Ilkley. Oct 10. HP. £35. ABP: £40. better it included a Sid James signature, dated Aug. 28th 1966. At the other end of the scale a rare signed Double Fantasy album sold by Christie’s on June 14th 2011 for £23,750. This album has quite a story to tell. John signed the album on the 8th December 1980 during an interview with radio show host Dave Sholin for a future competition that was going to be held by radio station KCPX. It was signed on the inner lyric sleeve To KCPX love, Yoko Ono John Lennon 1980. He even drew caricature pictures of himself and Yoko. It was then posted by record executive Bert Keane but before it could ever reach its intended recipient KCPX DJ Wooly Waldron, Lennon was shot dead by Mark Chapman outside his home in . Waldron didn’t receive the album for a few weeks, at which point the whole world was morning the loss of the late Beatles legend and the time was not right to run the competition. Waldron packed the album away and forgot about it for the next twenty years or so. When the album was finally put up for auction in the June sale it had an estimate of £4,000 to £5,000 as no one could foresee the interest it would generate. What might have been one of the last items signed by the late Lennon sold for the very respectable amount of £13,750 to a private British bidder.

Fig 7. Johnny Cash’s Nudie Cohn Stage Suit. www.juliensauctions.com 2011. ANTIQUES INFO - November/December 11 Musical

Music Related Items from www.antiques-info.co.uk 18

1 19thC brass mounted fruitwood bassoon by Wood 13 and Ivy, late Geo Woods, 14in. Gorringes, Lewes. Oct 10. HP: £700. ABP: £826. 5 19 Martin Instrument Co, Set of silver mounted ebony trumpet that once belonged 9 Rare EMG portable wind up bagpipes in a box, a kilt with to the trouble jazz trumpeter gramophone. Island Auction waistcoat jacket & 2 sporrans. Chet Baker, dated 1960, in German violin, bears label Rooms, Shanklin. Feb 11. Chorley’s, Prinknash Abbey original case. Tennants, ‘Reincius Liessem Fecit HP: £1,250. ABP: £1,475. Park. Jun 11. HP: £2,300. Leyburn. May 11. HP: Londini 1759’, probably by ABP: £2,714. £6,900. ABP: £8,142. Joseph Klotz, with bow & case, 13.75in. Sworders, 14 Stansted Mountfitchet. Apr 10. HP: £1,700. ABP: £2,006. American Almcrantz guitar, inlaid with abalone shell borders, marquetry rosewood 2 side panels, leather case, 10 39in. Gorringes, Lewes. Dec Nicholas Amestus Cremoniae 6 09. HP: £550. ABP: £649. Heronimus I viola, label Beatles Parlaphone Record 20 marked & dated 1679, double Cello, 20thC, figured 2-piece Love Me Do / PS I Love You Autograph book c1962: auto- lined purfling, single piece back and an octagonal bow signed by George Harrison, graphs of The Beatles, The back, length of back 39.5cm, stamped ‘Hill’. Sworders, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney Rolling Stones, The Mojos, cased with two nickel plated Stansted Mountfitchet. Feb John Walker, Birmingham, & John Lennon with letter Paul Jones (Manfred Mann) bows, with Royal Manchester 11. HP: £850. ABP: £1,003. 1954, violin, two piece back, College of Music handwritten dated 12th September 1986 & other artists. This book was double line border, paper card to J. Halkyard Esz of confirming purchase in 1962. given to vendor by her grand- label to inside, 23.5in, with Oldham. Frank Marshall & Kent Auction Galleries, mother in 1964, this person bow, carrying case. Diamond Co, Knutsford. Jul 10. HP: Folkestone. Mar 10. HP: worked at Globe Theatre in Mills & Co, Felixstowe. Nov £4,600. ABP: £5,428. £2,000. ABP: £2,360. Stockton on Tees where auto- 09. HP: £525. ABP: £619. graphs were obtained. We are 3 The prices quoted are actual informed that the signatures 21 Hammer Prices (HP) of the Beatles were obtained followed by the Approximate the night President Kennedy Buyer’s Price (ABP) which 15 includes an average buyer’s was assassinated in Dallas. premium of 15% + VAT. Autographs of The Rolling Kemble mahogany upright Stones are on reverse side of piano, frame No’s. K121CLM The Beatles, an Emidisc 45 The Beatles signatures, i.e. / 331065, with adjustable rpm private recording of the 7 Silver plated concertina by on a single page. Halls Fine stool 4ft high, 5ft 1in wide. Beatles in frivolous mood ‘C Jeffries’. Biddle & Webb, Art, Shrewsbury. Apr 10. HP: Gorringes, Lewes. Jun 11. reciting poetry and rhymes to Birmingham. Dec 09. HP: £1,600. ABP: £1,888. HP: £800. ABP: £944. music with hand written notes £2,600. ABP: £3,068. labelled ‘Xmas Message from 11 the Beatles’, date 30 November 1967, original paper sleeve. Visitor autograph album 16 Lloyd Cameron & Partners, from Gracie Fields hotel, Runcorn. Jul 10. HP: £450. Canzone Del Mare, 64 pages ABP: £531. with 300 plus signatures from 1951-78, incl. Clementine 22 Churchill, Audrey Hepburn, Diana Dors, Charlie Chaplin, 4 Elizabeth Taylor and Richard J. Erat, Wardour Street, Cased violin retailed by E.R The Beatles: full set of band Burton, with matching scrap Soho, London, late 19thC Voigt & Son London, bearing member signatures, dedi- album also from the hotel with satinwood/parcel gilt harp, label Charles Buthod Mira- Late 19thC George Mellon cated to Sheila, lots of love, various photographs/cuttings crown embellishment, carved court, 2 bows. Kent Auction violin with two piece back, Paul McCartney, John depicting visitors to the with rams heads & caryatids Galleries, Folkestone. Feb length of back 350mm. Biddle Lennon, Ringo Starr and hotel. Gorringes, Lewes. May upon a fluted column support 10. HP: £750. ABP: £885. & Webb, Birmingham. Jan 10. George Harrison, on single 10. HP: £2,000. ABP: £2,360. &plinth base, frame No. 945, HP: £440. ABP: £519. sheet of paper, framed. 8 6ft 4in high, 2ft 7in wide. Sheila & Jeanette McKinley Gorringes, Lewes. Oct 10. performed on stage as the 17 HP: £1,400. ABP: £1,652. McKinley Sisters in 1960s. During The Beatles tour of 12 1964, The McKinleys 23 appeared as a supporting act where they were able to Paul McCartney and Wings Early 19thC square piano, by exchange autographs. The in-house picture disc LP, Set of hardwood and ivory John Broadwood & Sons, signatures are also accom- Back To The Egg, (including Concertina with metal mounted bagpipes by P. mahogany/rosewood cross panied by the McKinley postage sleeve), with die cut fretwork, plate by Lachenal Henderson, Glasgow, in an banded case, brass stringing, Sisters 1964 diary. (2) sleeve PCTC 257, matrix No: & Co., London, in mahogany associated pine case. 66in wide. (needs attention) Charterhouse Auctioneers, YEX987. Charterhouse case. Biddle & Webb, Bellmans, Wisborough Dee, Atkinson & Harrison, Sherborne. Dec 10. HP: Auctioneers, Sherborne. Dec Birmingham. Dec 09. HP: Green. Nov 09. HP: £700. Driffield. Apr 10. HP: £430. £2,600. ABP: £3,068. 10. HP: £1,900. ABP: £2,242. £1,250. ABP: £1,475. ABP: £826. ABP: £507. ANTIQUES INFO - November/December 11 Musical

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Late 19thC French Buffet & ‘Jupiter’ 500 Series saxo- 44 Beatles White album No. Crampo rosewood bassoon, phone in case. Great Western : exceptionally 0472362, signed to interior 23in. Gorringes, Lewes. Mar Auctions, Glasgow. Jan 09. Pink Floyd/Syd Barrett: 7in rare autographed English above photo, ‘Best wishes’, 09. HP: £300. ABP: £354. HP: £120. ABP: £141. single for ‘Octopus’, with 9 pressing of ‘Girls, Girls, Ringo Star. Gorringes, 35 copies of ‘Terrapin’, sheet Girls’, boldly signed on front, Lewes. Mar 10. HP: £320. music for ‘Arnold Layne’ and RCA Victor mono-pressing. ABP: £377. numerous assorted ephemera. Gorringes, Lewes. May 09. Gorringes, Lewes. May 09. 30 HP: £420. ABP: £495. Violin, two piece stripy back, HP: £100. ABP: £118. (length 35cm), interior paper 40 label ‘Maker Joseph Swain 1906’, full length 59cm, cased with two bows. Richard Viola with Edward Withers Winterton, Lichfield. Feb 10. 45 label, 2 piece fiddle pattern HP: £250. ABP: £295. George Formby banjolele, back, 15.75in long, with a Essex & Cammeyer five the skin autographed in ink nickel/rosewood bow and 36 25 string banjo, 4 finial knobs, by Mr Formby, 22in long, in carbon fibre bow, fitted croc- Yamaha clavinova, No.CLP- one neck knob, 24 clasps case. Hartleys, Ilkley. Oct 09. odile skin effect case, with 280, in ebonised case, 56 x Late 19thC boxwood and securing the skin, open back, HP: £100. ABP: £118. tuning pipes. Kent Auction 20.5 x 35.25in, matching ivory flute by William Henry stamped ‘Grade C, 1566’, Galleries, Folkestone. Feb stool. (2) Hartleys, Ilkley. Dec Potter, London 20in. length 88cm. (case) Richard 11. HP: £320. ABP: £377. 10. HP: £400. ABP: £472. Gorringes, Lewes. Feb 10. Winterton, Lichfield. Feb 10. HP: £110. ABP: £129. 31 HP: £200. ABP: £236. This section is only a sample 46 from 1000s of results from recent sales. See our website for an extensive selection. 41 26 David Bowie: autographed album ‘Station to Station’, Worcester Regiment drum, Spinet by J.S. Derwent dated RCA Victor, English pressing, 36.5cm dia. Charterhouse 1959, walnut case, pierced boldly signed to reverse and Auctioneers, Sherborne. Sep oblong music stand, sound 37 dated 1979, & promo edition 09. HP: £380. ABP: £448. board painted with trailing of An Evening with David ivy, stand, square section legs Bowie. Gorringes, Lewes. May 09. HP: £75. ABP: £88. and stretchers, 70.5 x 24.5 x 18thC style violin, with 32in. Hartleys, Ilkley. Mar 11.75in one piece fruitwood 47 10. HP: £300. ABP: £354. back, stamped 592 (a.f.), in a standard wooden case. Charterhouse, Sherborne. Dec 27 09. HP: £100. ABP: £118. Programme for the 1964 32 James Dean: exceptionally Royal Variety Performance rare 7 inch acetate single, for signed on the front by Brian Square piano by John 42 James Dean and Bob Romeo, Epstein, other signatures incl. Broadwood & Sons, early to Rosewood Flageolet, by J W ‘Dean’s Lament’and ‘Jungle Arthur Scott, Tommy Cooper, mid 19thC, rounded oblong Allis, 135 Euston Road, Rhythm’, with handwritten Cilla Black, Brenda Lee, mahogany case with moulded London, 15.25in long. elite paper label, original Ernie Wise and Bob Newhart. edging, pierced brass trellis Dee, Atkinson & Harrison, printed sleeve note and a Gorringes, Lewes. Mar 10. soundboards flanking painted Driffield. Nov 09. HP: £150. card guaranteeing a faithful HP: £380. ABP: £448. name plate within an inlaid brass surround, turned and ABP: £177. reproduction of Master disc, reeded legs with brass toes Four string banjo, 24 clasps in folded card sleeve. and castors, 30 x 27.75 x securing the skin, closed Gorringes, Lewes. May 09. 33.75in. Hartleys, Ilkley. Mar 38 wooden back, length 84cm. HP: £70. ABP: £82. 10. HP: £300. ABP: £354. (case) Richard Winterton Auctioneers, Lichfield. Feb 10. HP: £100. ABP: £118.

28 33 43 19thC French military? drum Late 19thC English cistern signed Tournier Boulevard St concertina by Lachenal, hexa- 48 Martin 4 Paris, No. 52, brass gonal rosewood ends, 48 body with ebonized wooden bone buttons, 5-fold leather Two cased saxophones, one drum skin, supports with brass bellows, fitted dark stained by Corton and one by rail cage on ball finials, ball hexagonal hardwood case, Earlham, both with mouth Late 19thC violin, 14.5in feet, 20.5in high, approx 17in leather carrying handle, 7in pieces and accessories. back, with bow & fitted case. Sitar, with inlaid bone dia. Kent Auction Galleries, tall overall. Tring Market Special Auction Services, Kent Auction Galleries, decoration, cased. Folkestone. May 09. HP: Auctions, Tring. Oct 10. HP: Newbury. Mar 11. HP: £130. Folkestone. Aug 10. HP: Charterhouse, Sherborne. £350. ABP: £413. £300. ABP: £354. ABP: £153. £100. ABP: £118. May 09. HP: £60. ABP: £70. ANTIQUES INFO - November/December 11