12 minute read
Music
611. Hector Berlioz Autograph Note Signed.
Scarce ANS in French, signed “H. Berlioz,” one page, 3.5 x 4, no date. Handwritten letter to “Mon cher Lacombe,” in full (translated): “I don’t have any other than the one you saw.” Archivally matted and framed with a portrait of the composer under Tru-Vue Conservation Clear glass to an overall size of 10.25 x 15.25. In fine condition, with light soiling and three horizontal folds. Starting Bid $200
612. Edvard Grieg Signed Photograph with Musical
Quotation. Important Norwegian composer and pianist (18431907) whose works, often with a strong nationalistic flavor, include such repertory staples as the ‘Piano Concerto in A minor,’ the incidental music to Peer Gynt, and the ‘Holberg Suite.’ Highly desirable 3.75 x 5.75 cabinet photo of Grieg by Elliott & Fry of London, boldly signed below the image in ink, “Edvard Grieg.” On the reverse, Grieg has penned four bars of music from one of his works; matted and framed under Tru-Vue Conservation Clear with a color copy of the musical quotation to an overall size of 10.25 x 14.25. In very good to fine condition, with slight brushing to the signature on the front, and some toning and staining to the reverse. Starting Bid $300
613. Anatoly Lyadov Signed Photograph. Esteemed
Russian composer, teacher, and conductor (1855–1914). Matte-finish 4.25 x 5.75 portrait of the composer by Reissert & Fliege of St. Petersburg, Russia, affixed to its original 6.75 x 9.25 mount, inscribed on the mount in ink in Cyrillic by Lyadov, and signed and dated below, “An. Lyadov, 26 Okt. 1909.” In very good to fine condition, with light soiling to the mount, and a small tear between the date and the signature. Starting Bid $200 615. Clara Schumann Signed Photograph. Composer
and one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era (1819–1896). She and her husband, composer Robert Schumann, were early champions of Johannes Brahms. Uncommon 4.25 x 6.5 cabinet photo of Schumann by J. Ganz of Brussels, boldly signed at the bottom in ink by the talented pianist, “Clara Schumann, Leipzig, 6 Marz 84.” In fine condition. A rare and beautiful signed portrait. Starting Bid $200
614. Sergei Rachmaninoff Signed Photograph.
Vintage glossy 10 x 8 photo of Sergei Rachmaninoff in later age, seated at his desk and looking over sheet music, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, “S. Rachmaninoff, 1940.” In fine condition, with scattered small creases. Starting Bid $200
Elusive signed album from the Afrobeat pioneer
616. Fela Kuti Signed Album. Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist (1938–1997) who is regarded as the pioneer of Afrobeat. At the height of his popularity, he was referred to as one of Africa’s most ‘challenging and charismatic music performers,’ and has been described as ‘a musical and sociopolitical voice of international significance.’ Extremely rare Fela’s London Scene album by Fela Kuti, who has signed the front cover in blue ballpoint. In fine condition. The record is included. Accompanied by a detailed letter of provenance from the original recipient, who obtained the autograph on November 13, 1986 at the Riviera Theater in Chicago. Anything signed by Fela Kuti, never mind an early album cover with ideal cover art, is exceedingly rare and sought after; this being the first Kuti autograph we have offered. Starting Bid $200
Exemplary Hoffmann ‘fan club’ card of the Fab Four
617. Beatles Signed Fan Club Promo Card. Stunning vintage circa late 1963/early 1964 official Beatles Fan Club promo card depicting Dezo Hoffmann’s image of the group seated in their collarless suits, 5.5 x 4.25, signed beautifully in bold ballpoint, “Paul McCartney,” “John Lennon,” “George Harrison,” and “Ringo Starr.” In fine to very fine condition, with some slight brushing to Starr’s last name.
Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks and by a letter of provenance from a relative of the original recipient, Christina McKellar, who for many years worked in the Playhouse Theatre in London. The Beatles recorded a live music session at the Playhouse Theatre, London twice during the period that the card would have been signed—December 17, 1963 and January 7, 1964—both performances later airing on the BBC radio show Saturday Club with Brian Matthew. Authentically signed promo cards, especially with such solid provenance, have become incredibly scarce. Indeed, this is one of the finest examples we have seen, signed just weeks before the Beatles legendary appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in NYC, followed by their historic first U.S. tour. Starting Bid $1000
The Fab Four down under— crisp ballpoint signatures of the Beatles with fill-in drummer Jimmie Nicol
618. Beatles Signatures (with Jimmie Nicol). Vintage circa June 1964
ballpoint autographs of the Beatles—“John Lennon,” “George Harrison,” “Paul McCartney,” and “Best wishes, Jimmie Nicol”—on an off-white notebook page. In fine condition, with staple holes to the top edge.
Accompanied by an uncommon glossy 10 x 8 photo of the Beatles with compere Bob Moors and TV anchorman Brian Taylor during the band’s Australian mini-tour, and by a letter of provenance from their personal assistant, which reads: “The signatures of the Beatles [were] obtained by Bob Moors who was the compere of a live Saturday night variety show in Adelaide, South Australia on ADS-7. I was his and Brian Taylor’s personal assistant at ADS-7 at the time of the Beatles visit. He and Brian Taylor, the ADS-7 news anchorman at the time…obtained these signatures for me to give to my brother.” Starting Bid $1000
619. Beatles Signature Display.
Desirable set of Beatles signatures— “To Jennifer, love from, George Harrison, xxx,” written in black ballpoint on a 3.75 x 1.75 sheet; “Paul McCartney” and “John Lennon,” written in blue and black ballpoint on a 3.5 x 2.5 sheet; and “Ringo,” who adds a star in blue felt tip on a 4.5 x 3.25 sheet. All are archivally matted and framed together with a glossy band photo to an overall size of 20 x 16.75. The George, John, and Paul signatures derive from a 1964 hardcover autograph album, and the Ringo signature includes a ticket and a ticket stub for a concert by Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band at Cincinnati’s Riverbend Music Center on July 31, 1995. In fine condition. Starting Bid $500
Full Beatles autographs obtained by a film extra from A Hard Day’s Night
620. Beatles Signatures. Vintage circa 1960s autograph album, 4.75 x 4, signed and inscribed inside on adjacent pages in black ballpoint, “To Nina, love from, George Harrison,” “Ringo Starr, xxx,” “To Nina, love Paul McCartney, xx,” and “John Lennon, xx.” In fine condition. The consignor notes that the autographs were obtained either on March 31st or on April 1 or 2, 1964, at the Scala Theatre in London, England, when the group were shooting scenes for their first feature film A Hard Day’s Night. The autographs were obtained by a film extra who appeared in a variety of movies during the 1960s; as such, the album also contains signatures from Ingrid Bergman, Omar Sharif, Susan Hampshire, Cliff Richard, and Wilfrid Brambell. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks, and by a lengthy letter of provenance from the original recipient. Starting Bid $1000
621. Beatles: Lennon, McCartney, and Starr Signatures. Vintage ballpoint
signatures and inscriptions, “To Anne, love, John Lennon, xx,” “To Anne, Paul McCartney, (Beatles),” and “To Anne, Love, Ringo Starr, xxx,” on a brown 6.75 x 4.75 piece of cardboard. In fine condition, with some light soiling to the left edge. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks and by a letter of provenance from the original recipient, who attests that she obtained the autographs at the Assembly Rooms in Mold, Flintshire, England, on January 24, 1963—”I wish I had a camera on me as they also signed their autographs all down my arms. But alas I had to wash them off.” Starting Bid $300
622. Beatles: John Lennon Document Signed. DS,
one page, 8.5 x 13, no date [1968]. A vintage photocopied contract that was drawn up between Apple Corps, Ltd. and Python Music Limited, for the period between December 31, 1968 and December 31, 1969, regarding the appointment of T. Mellis or B. Brown to serve as proxies at the Annual General Meeting. Signed at the conclusion in black felt tip by John Lennon; the signature of Neil Aspinall is photocopied. A rider is stapled to the upper left. In fine condition, with some creasing to the edges. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks. Starting Bid $200
623. Beatles: Paul McCartney Signed Print. Ap-
pealing 19 x 23.75 print of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison, depicting the three Beatles at a clothcovered table, with both Paul and John each holding George’s arms in an amusing pose, signed and inscribed in black felt tip, “To Maddy, lots of love, Paul McCartney,” who adds a smiley face sketch below. In fine condition, with some light horizontal rippling. An atypically large format to be signed by the Beatles bass player. Starting Bid $200
624. Beatles: Paul McCartney Signed 45
RPM Record. UK Parlophone 45 RPM vinyl pressing of the 1965 Beatles EP ‘Yesterday,’ signed on the reverse in black ink by Paul McCartney. The consignor notes that the signature dates to 1983. In fine condition. The record is included. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks, and by a letter of provenance from the original recipient. Starting Bid $200
625. Beatles: Ringo Starr Signed Giclee Print. Limited edition 27.5 x 16 giclee print entitled ‘4 Ringos,’ showing a fading lineup of the Beatles drummer wearing a bandana and hat with a star on its brim, numbered 24/60, signed below in black felt tip, “Ringo.” Rolled and in very fine condition. Starting Bid $200
626. Grateful Dead: Al Hirschfeld Signed Lithograph.
Limited edition 20 x 24 lithograph of an Al Hirschfeld work from 1995 entitled ‘Jerry Garcia,’ depicting the Grateful Dead frontman seated and playing the guitar, numbered 82/300, signed below in pencil by the artist. Rolled and in very fine condition. This drawing is featured on page 335 in Hirschfeld’s bestselling book ‘On Line.’ Starting Bid $200 627. Bill Haley Signed Photograph. Early vintage glossy
8 x 10 publicity photo of ‘The Rambling Yodeler,’ signed in fountain pen, “Bill Haley, W.T.I.C.” In fine condition, with a few small creases, and pin holes to the corners. Starting Bid $200
Complete song lyrics for Definitely Maybe, the debut album from Oasis, entirely handwritten by Noel Gallagher
628. Oasis: Noel Gallagher Handwritten Lyrics (13) for Definitely Maybe, with CD Signed by the Gallagher Brothers.
Complete set of handwritten lyrics by Noel Gallagher for Definitely Maybe, the debut studio album from English rock band Oasis. The lyrics are penned in blue or black ballpoint on 11 offwhite sheets, each approximately 8.25 x 11.75, and include the following song titles: ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star,’ ‘Shakermaker,’ ‘Live Forever,’ ‘Up in the Sky,’ ‘Columbia,’ ‘Supersonic,’ ‘Bring It on Down,’ ‘Cigarettes & Alcohol,’ ‘Digsy’s Dinner,’ ‘Slide Away,’ and ‘Married with Children.’ Also included is a CD disc for the ‘Whatever’ single, which is signed in black felt tip by both Liam and Noel Gallagher, and Gallagher’s handwritten lyrics for the songs ‘Whatever’ and ‘Don’t Go Away.’ In overall very good to fine condition, with scattered creasing. Starting Bid $500
629. Elvis Presley Signed Photograph. Classic vintage glossy 8 x 10
head-and-shoulders photo of the youthful rock ‘n’ roll icon, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, “To Skeeter, a swell gal, my best to you, Elvis Presley.” In very good to fine condition, with creasing the edges, a small stain to the lower left, and some ink adhesion trouble in the signature.
The recipient of these photos was presumably Skeeter Davis, a country music singer who sang crossover pop music songs including 1962’s ‘The End of the World.’ After starting out as part of the Davis Sisters as a teenager in the late 1940s, she earned a contract with RCA Victor and became a solo star in the late 1950s. She toured alongside Presley, Hank Snow, and The Carter Sisters in 1955 and recounted her friendship with ‘the King’ in her autobiography, Bus Fare to Kentucky. Starting Bid $200
630. Queen: Freddie Mercury and Brian May
Signed Album. UK vinyl pressing of the 1980 Queen soundtrack album Flash Gordon, signed on the front cover in ballpoint by Freddie Mercury and Brian May. The consignor notes that the autographs were obtained at the Dragonara Hotel in Leeds, England on May 28, 1982, one day before Queen performed at Elland Road football stadium in the city. In fine condition. The record is included. Accompanied by a provenance note from the original recipient, and by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks. Starting Bid $300
632. Tupac Shakur Inscribed Photograph. Rare color
glossy 3.5 x 4.25 Polaroid photo of Tupac Shakur in a half-length pose, shirtless with a piece of fake dog excrement in his mouth, inscribed by 2Pac in the lower border in black ballpoint, “They say I talk shit.” Included is a color glossy 5 x 3.5 photo of a close-up of Shakur’s famous ‘Thug Life’ tattoo across his stomach. In overall fine condition. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from JSA.
Provenance: Bonhams: Property from the Collection of Desiree Smith, March 2015. Starting Bid $300
