Very nice memento of Paul McCartney’s 1989 World Tour, the set list used by the tour manager for the Japan leg. Used by the tour manager on a lanyard with his backstage passes and available now on ebay!
Ringo Starr’s drum case
I’m pleased to announce that we have discovered a hugely exciting piece of Beatles Memorabilia!! This gem is Ringo Starr’s drum case used to carry his tom tom drum all over the world when travelling with the Beatles!!
The case is stencilled in two places RINGO STARR THE BEATLES and has a freight label attached that is signed by Ringo. It also comes with a letter signed by Ringo himself stating that the case was in fact his. We have carried out extensive research on the labels on the case and one of them has a date that nails it down to being used to travel to New York for George Harrison’s Concert For Bangladesh in 1971. We also know that this case was certainly used in 1968, around the time of recording the White Album in Abbey Road Studios, and possibly earlier in the Beatles’ career too. This is quite simply one of the nicest pieces of Beatles memorabilia I have seen in a very long time.
And it’s for sale, just contact Dig for further details.
Enjoy!
Audrey Hepburn’s Little Pink Dress
Christie’s held their sale of Film Memorabilia yesterday and included as lot 22 was Edith Head’s design for a pink cocktail dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”.
The sketch reminded me of when I found the original pink dress from this sketch in a bedroom in Hoboken, New Jersey. In 2007, I was sent to a gentleman’s flat in Hoboken, the gentleman had recently died and it was well known that he was a collector of Hollywood costumes. The flat was, shall we say, in a poor state of repair, and the owner of the costumes stored them all stacked up on a guest bed. There was no paperwork with the costumes and very few had the original lot tags so we had to carry out a lot of detective work, contact all the auction houses from where the gentleman had made his purchases, locate original auction catalogues and try and piece together the puzzle.
This pretty pink dress was eluding me, I didn’t recognise it and neither did any of the leading costume archivists I contacted. After the third visit to the flat, I found a bunch of old film stills and amongst them was a photograph of Audrey Hepburn wearing the little pink dress. This narrowed it down considerably so we started to watch all of Audrey Hepburn’s films to try and work out which film the dress made an appearance in and there it was - in Breakfast At Tiffany’s! The detective work paid off when the dress made an astonishing $192,000 at Christie’s, New York. It just goes to show how important research is in the memorabilia market - in this case, it made the difference between a few dollars for an unlabelled dress and $192,000 !
Follow this link to view the dress at Christie’s.
There are so many exciting auctions coming up this season, including the Collection Of Elizabeth Taylor at Christie’s on 13-16 December and Profiles In History’s ‘Icons Of Hollywood” auction on 15-17 December featuring a breathtaking array of important and iconic pieces of Film Memorabilia, such as a pair of Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers from the “The Wizard Of Oz”; Marilyn Monroe’s beautiful wedding ring from her marriage to Joe DiMaggio; Bela Lugosi’s cape from Dracula (which has come direct from the Lugosi family); and a DeLorean time machine car from “Back To The Future III”. As if that wasn’t enough, Profiles In History will also host Part II of the Debbie Reynolds Collection auction on 3 December, which includes more incredible Marilyn Monroe costumes, including the green leotard from “Bus Stop” and Christie’s have an amazing John Lennon placard from the Montreal Bed-In in their Rock Memorabilia auction on 15 November. But those pieces are the stuff of dreams and not quite within reach of most of us so I decided to compile a shopping list from this season’s offerings with a price limit of £20,000 per item. Not as easy as you might think! 5) Please Please Me LP signed by the Beatles, Cameo auctions, UK, 8 November, estimate £3,000-5,000. Cameo are a small auction house in the UK that hold regular auctions of Film and Music memorabilia. Although most of the music sales consist of small value records, there are usually a couple of gems hidden in the sale catalogue. Beatles signed LPs are getting harder and harder to find and this is a nice copy of Please Please Me with relatively clean signatures on the reverse. 4) A U.S. cinema poster for “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” signed for Richard Burton by Elizabeth Taylor “To Richard — the hottest cat on any roof! Happy Birthday - …5/18/85”, included in the Collection Of Elizabeth Taylor at Christie’s, estimate $2,000-3,000. Brilliant! 3) Hand-written letter from James Dean to then girlfriend Barbara Glenn, 1954, estimate £5,000-6,000, with unpublished snapshots of the couple on the beach. Wonderfully early letters written by James Dean during his time in Philadelphia whilst appearing in a theatrical production of The Immoralist. It seems Dean was deeply unimpressed with the play of which he writes “Probably a monster success; but to me it’s still a piece of shit…”. James Dean letters so rarely appear on the market and there are three of these letters to Barbara Glenn in the Christie’s sale of Film Memorabilia on 23 November. 2) A set of 15 Bag One lithographs by John Lennon, 1970, in original white vinyl portfolio, Rock and Pop Memorabilia auction, Christie’s, estimate £15,000-20,000. Created by Lennon as a wedding gift for Yoko Ono, these erotic lithographs caused quite a stir when they were first exhibited in London and were confiscated by Scotland Yard. It is pretty rare to find a complete set with original portfolio and, according to Christie’s specialists, this set is mint condition, having been put away in 1970 and pretty much forgotten about. 1) The Burton wedding bands, two diamond wedding bands given to Elizabeth Taylor upon her marriages to Richard Burton in 1964 and 1975, estimate $6,000-8,000. I could put money on these rings exceeding their pre-sale estimate in the Christie’s auction of the Elizabeth Taylor Collection but it’s nice to think I could buy these at this estimate. Wonderfully poignant considering the history of the Burton-Taylor relationship and beautiful rings too.
The Blitz Benefit is a little-known gig which has become known as Punk’s Woodstock. The gig was organised by friends and peers of Dead Boys drummer, Johnny Blitz who was stabbed in New York’s East Village. Being without medical insurance, fellow Punk musicians held a benefit gig to help pay for his medical bills. The gig took place at CBGBs and was held over 4 nights from 4-7 May, 1978. The artists featured were Blondie * Contortions * Corpse Grinders * Criminals * Dead Boys * Derringer * Dictators * Dots * Erasers * Fleshtones * Ghosts * Glen Buxton * Helen Wheels * Jerry Nolan * John Belushi * Jo Nathan * Paley * Mumps * Richard Hell * Ramones * Rudies * Senders* Shrapnel * Sic Fucks * Spicy Bits * Slander Band * Steel Tips * Stilletto * Students Teachers * Stumblebum * Suicide * Bob Rudnick - what a lineup!
The t-shirts for the gig were designed by Arturo Vega and the original vintage tees are hugely rare - check out ours here at Dig Gallery:
We are very excited about the collection of Punk Memorabilia from the collection of Eileen Polk which we are offering for sale through our gallery, Dig. Check out Dee Dee Ramone’s own personal vintage Ramones tee and Jerry Nolan from the New York Dolls’ used drumstick. Click here to view:
http://www.diggallery.com/memorabilia/
We also interviewed Eileen and she gives us some wonderful memories about her experiences on the New York Punk scene in the 1970s. Read the interview here, it’s fascinating stuff:
http://www.diggallery.com/blog/
Enjoy!
Helen
New photographs of Bruce Springsteen by Pat Harbron available at Dig
In the last few weeks, there have been a series of mega memorabilia auctions, with Marilyn Monroe’s “Subway” dress from “The Seven Year Itch” smashing records to make $4.6 Million. Much has been said about these auctions and the record-breaking prices achieved so I thought I would focus on a slightly more affordable area of collecting: Punk Memorabilia.
When I began work at Christie’s in 1998, a God Save The Queen UK poster would make around £100-200, in fact, it was deemed of insufficient value to even sell as a lot on it’s own so we would group it up with other Pistols posters, like a “Never Mind The Bollocks” poster. One such lot, containing these two posters, made £219 including buyers premium in our Pop Memorabilia sale in December, 1998. But how things have changed. Last month, in Christie’s sale of Rock Memorabilia in London, a “God Save The Queen” poster made £1,375 and this is not unusual. In fact, over the last couple of years, these posters have consistently made over £1,000, sometimes as much as £2,000. Buyers have come to appreciate the Punk asthetic and Jamie Reid’s artwork in particular and now understand that these images are important landmarks of 20th Century Popular Culture. If only I had had the cash back in 1998 to buy some of those posters and tuck them away …but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Similarly, other gems of Punk Memorabilia are now realising their full potential. The Christie’s sale last month also included a Fender Precision Bass owned and played by Dee Dee Ramone on stage in London in 1981. The guitar made £10,000, an unprecedented price for Ramones Memorabilia. The Clash were out-performing past prices too with an autographed copy of the “London Calling” LP making £1,625.
It’s about time Punk Memorabilia was making prices previously reserved for the likes of The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and other cultural icons. Prices are still relatively affordable and the confidence shown by buyers in this market recently can only prove Punk Memorabilia to be a good investment for the future.
With the rise and rise of online auctions like Ebay and with more people turning to Memorabilia for investment, it pays to be aware of the pitfalls of buying memorabilia. Dig has come up with this Top 10 of rules for buying Memorabilia. Be careful, it’s a jungle out there!
1) Always do your research on the seller - Wherever you consider buying from, whether it be online, through a dealer or auction house, make sure you fully research the person selling it and if you are in any doubt about the item being sold, just don’t buy it.
2) Only buy from reputable sellers - There are many many dealers out there, not all of whom are trustworthy. Make sure you only buy from well-established and reputable dealers and auction houses.
3) Seek a second opinion – Ask around about the item you are considering buying. Get second opinions from other dealers and from auction house specialists.
4) Check condition carefully – If you are buying over the internet or from a catalogue and can’t see the item in person, make sure that the picture is a true representation of the item and if in doubt about the condition, ask for a condition report. All dealers and auction houses should be more than happy to oblige.
5) Research the provenance - Find out what you can about the provenance of the item. Where was it obtained? What date? The more provenance an item has, the easier it is to research the authenticity and the more interesting the item is.
6) Research the asking price – Check auction house databases and dealers’ websites for similar items to get a sense of the true value and ensure you are not paying over the true market value.
7) Beware of so-called forensic examinations - Although there are some reputable forensic document examiners practicing around the world, there are also some who have not undergone the proper training.
8) Beware of Certificates of Authenticity - Just because an item is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, it doesn’t automatically guarantee authenticity – after all, anyone can print off a certificate. Make sure that any documentation comes from a reputable dealer and ideally, comes with a money back guarantee too.
9) Always buy what you love - Buying memorabilia should be an emotional journey rather than being primarily motivated by investment. That way, if the market does change, you will still own something that brings you pleasure for years to come.
10) If it’s too good to be true, it usually is - Trust your instincts!
Last week, www.obsessedwithfilm.com published their Top 10 pieces of Film memorabilia that fans lust over and I was inspired to concoct my own list for Rock and Roll Memorabilia. Call it my fantasy Rock Memorabilia collection, subject to having unlimited funds and the ability to beg, borrow and steal the possessions of the people who currently own them. Sadly, my fantasy Rock Memorabilia Collection would probably cost me around $3-4 Million Dollars so I’d better start saving now. 
10 - Roger Daltrey’s Fringed Waistcoat worn at Woodstock, 1969
The Who would have to make my fantasy Top Ten and something from Woodstock in 1969, signaling the end of the decade that brought us the best in rock and roll music, would complete my collection. The image of Roger Daltrey on stage at Woodstock with those fringes circling around him is an enduring tribute to the Sixties. I believe this outfit was last seen at the British Music Experience in London.
9 - David Bowie Ziggy Stardust stage costume
I would give my right arm to own one of David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust stage outfits, probably the stripy, pointy-shouldered number he wore during the last date on the Ziggy Stardust Tour at Hammersmith Odeon in 1973. Wow, he was so cool! One of his Ziggy Stardust era outfits came up at Christie’s a few years back - the asymetrical flame-covered costume he wore at the Marquee Club, London in 1973 - and it made £10,800 ($21,600).
8 - Original Beatles concert poster
If I was going to own an original Beatles concert poster, it would have to be one for one of their early Liverpool concerts at the Tower Ballroom in New Brighton in 1962. Beatlemania didn’t hit the U.K. until 1963 so in 1962, the Beatles still shared equal billing with other acts at the Tower Ballroom like Gerry and the Pacemakers, Bruce Channel (Direct From America!!) and Ringo’s old band, Rory Storm and The Hurricanes. If I had one of these on my wall, I would sit and contemplate how musical history might have taken a different turn if this group of four guys from Liverpool had stayed on the local circuit playing venues like the Tower Ballroom and the Barnston Women’s Institute. The last Tower Ballroom poster that came on the market made around $40,000.
7 - Jimi Hendrix Jacket
I was going to add one of Hendrix’s guitars to the list but seeing as I’ve already chosen two guitars, I thought I’d opt for one of Hendrix’s outfits. I think the jacket most closely associated with him is the military-style jacket he wears during Monterey Festival in 1967 and in the legendary photographs of Gered Mankowitz. Such a classic and probably worth at least $100,000, given that other less famous Hendrix outfits have made as much as £60,000.
6 - Jim Morrison’s leather pants
There isn’t anything more rock and roll than Jim Morrison’s leather pants. What a God! There are a few pairs of his trousers in various Hard Rock Cafes around the world but there hasn’t been an important piece of Jim Morrison clothing on the market for many years and a key item like this from the Lizard King himself would have to be included in my dream rock memorabilia collection.
5 - Sid Vicious’ chain and padlock necklace
This list has got to include at least one piece of Punk Memorabilia so for me, nothing sums up the Sex Pistols and Punk fashion more than Sid’s chain and padlock necklace. THere has been one of these on the market before but I know there is also one of Sid’s chains on display in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland. I would expect to pay at least $20,000 for such a gem of Punk Memorabilia and I would probably want to wear it as often as possible.
4 - John Lennon lyrics
I’ve thought long and hard about this one. A set of lyrics in John Lennon’s hand would have to be on the list, but which song? Do I choose one my favourite tracks, “Sexy Sadie”, “Happiness Is A Warm Gun” or “Glass Onion” (currently in the possession of Yoko Ono) or do I go for a 1963 Beatles classic like “Please Please Me”? The earlier tracks from the first album have so much more historical importance that I’d probably opt for the lyrics for “Please Please Me”. Imagine having those on your wall?! I have never seen lyrics from the first album come up for sale but given the recent price of $1.2 Million achieved for the lyrics for “A Day In The Life”, John Lennon’s hand-written lyrics for a track like “Please Please Me” could be a record-breaker.
3 - Kurt Cobain’s Martin D-18 guitar used on Unplugged
Probably one of my favourite albums ever. Cobain’s appearance on Unplugged was so incredibly mesmorising, even more so in light of his death soon after, and the guitar he used during that show would encapsulate everything that was the talented Kurt Cobain for me. Courtney Love still owns this guitar but if it were ever to come on to the market, I predict that fans better be ready to fork out at least $500,000 for this gem of Kurt Cobain memorabilia.
2 - Janis Joplin’s Porsche
If I was building a collection of the best Rock Memorabilia in the world, it would have to include a rock star’s car and Janis Joplin’s psychedelic painted Porsche would fit in very nicely indeed. Joplin owned a 1965 Porsche 356-C Cabriolet and had Big Brother And The Holding Company Roadie paint it for her with a psychedelic design including butterflies and images of her band. The Porsche is still owned by Janis Joplin’s family and currently resides in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland. Kind of ironic that she owned a Porsche when she sang about owning a Mercedes Benz.
1 - John Lennon’s guitar from the Bed In
This is for me the ultimate piece of John Lennon memorabilia. My favourite John Lennon period has always been his hippy 1968-1969 period when I think he wrote his best songs and the Bed In has become a symbol of everything Lennon stood for - Peace, Music, Love. The guitar Lennon used at the Bed In was a Gibson J-160E and had been used by Lennon on stage as early as 1964 when it was a sunburst finish before Lennon had it painted by The Fool. Later, he had the guitar stripped back and for the Bed-In, drew caricatures of himself and Yoko Ono on the body. This guitar is currently at the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland and is still owned by Yoko Ono so it is never ever likely to come up for sale but if it ever did, I would wager it would be one of the most important pieces of John Lennon memorabilia to come on the market ever. As such, the budget would probably have to stretch to at least a million dollars, if not more.
Article published at Dig.
