It's still going! - Original Energizer Bunny readies for auction Saturday at Heritage Beverly Hills

April 8, 2010
Posted by Noah

While I don't have a ton of time for writing today, I thought it might be fun to post this little video I took this morning at Heritage Auctions Beverly Hills.

The consignor of the original Energizer Bunny readying for auction here on Saturday has the thing up and running and had enough hands - in the way of friends, not actually on him - to get the running.

Now, it's a cool thing in the first place, an amazing piece of pop culture, to be sure, but it's actually even cooler when you see it working and running live.

The video is not too long, but you get the point, and that is indeed the bunny. His nickname is Clint, and his business associates refer to him as EB, but that's Mr. EB to you...

To leave a comment click on the title of this post.

-Noah Fleisher

What will the market bear for Michael Jackson material? Heritage Auctions is about to find out

Oct. 22, 2009

Posted by Noah

This is a crazy time of year at Heritage Auctions, with great auctions and amazing stuff everywhere you turn. Not that one auction carries more weight than another, but the Nov. 6-7 20th Century Icons Auction is about as sexy as they get.

It's got a JFK-signed Dallas Morning News morning edition front page from Nov. 22, 1963, the Fedora Jack Ruby wore when he shot Oswald, a rocking chair used by Martin Luther King, a Stevie Ray Vaughn used and signed guitar and much more than I can possibly list here. Really. Don't hate me, I'm just a busy guy...

What may well prove to be the sleeper of the auction is a gathering of just more than 40 lots of memorabilia relating to the late, great (and decidedly controversial) Michael Jackson. There are handwritten lyrics, jackets, autographs, awards and various other things that relate to all periods of MJ's illustrious career.

In the four months since he died, Michael Jackson has remained in the news steadily. Whether it's been sordid details, bad doctors, ex-wives, children, or the posthumously released music and the upcoming music documentary This Is It, it's been unending fascination. MJ remains more intriguing in death than in life, which is saying a lot.

On the Michael memorabilia side, we've seen a couple of his famous bejeweled gloves come up, very high profile to be sure. The Nov. 6-7 auction at Heritage Auctions, however, is notable and - dare I say it - probably more important for what it means to the wider world of MJ collecting. These are some very good items, certainly, but they are not five and six figure pieces of iconic costumes. These are lots priced to move, ranging from a few hundred bucks to a few thousand. There are scribblings of bible verses from a childhood notebook; there are sketches of his sister LaToya, lyrics to songs and autographed awards... It's actually a moving trove in a very human way...

While the prices are meant to move, I have a feeling the response is going to be much more than anticipated and that we'll see that even the most mundane MJ autograph is now going to be worth substantially more than it was a few months ago.

As a pop culture junkie, I can't wait to see what happens here. As for my personal opinion about Jackson sad and confusing life, I still feel about as I did when he died: He's the greatest mass entertainer ever, but still a weirdo. In truth, how could somebody with such fame and notoriety really be any different. We'll see...

To leave a comment, click on the title of this post.

-Noah Fleisher

A Collecting Primer: Superb Doug Nowine Interview at AppreciatingFineAntiques.com

Sept. 8, 2009

Posted by Noah

(The below interview with our Music & Entertainment Director Doug Norwine, was posted last week at www.AppreciatingFineAntiques.com. Besides being great with his words and sage with his advice, Doug is fascinating character and one of the most knowledgeable in the business. His interview with Mike McCleod is nothing less than a primer for how and why to collect. Most of all, Doug's passion for the business shines through, and that is more valuable than anything. The interview also contains a lot of great info about Doug's prolific career as a professional sax player - did any one know that he is, most famously, the music behind Lisa Simpson's saxophone, and that of her mentor, Bleeding Gums Murphy? Oh yes, oh yes... read on and be impressed. - Noah Fleisher)

A Conversation With Doug Norwine, Director of Music and Entertainment Memorabilia at Heritage Auction Galleries

Editor: Tell me about yourself and about your background in music and entertainment memorabilia.

Doug Norwine: When I was 10 years old, I wrote to Charles Lindberg, Jimmy Stewart, and Boris Karloff requesting their autographs, and they all answered me back. That began my passion for collecting autographs and memorabilia. And here I am today with 50,000 autographs. At the age of 12, I started playing the saxophone. I eventually attended Berklee College in Boston and taught there for two years. In 1977, I moved to Los Angeles and pursued a successful career as a studio saxophonist for 22 years. I worked with Chaka Khan, Frank Sinatra, Sheena Easton, Melissa Manchester, Ray Charles, and others. I also played the saxophone on “The Tracey Ullman Show,” which led to “The Simpsons.” I didn’t think much about it at the time because it was just a cartoon show, but it is now the longest-running cartoon show. On it, I played sax for Lisa Simpson and the cartoon character Bleeding Gums Murphy, who teaches Lisa Simpson how to play. That episode won an Emmy.

Then one fateful day in 2004, I got an email from Heritage, looking for someone to head up their Music and Entertainment Department. I told my then fiance that I was a saxophone player, not a memorabilia dealer, so I sent a short response, never thinking this job was for me. They replied back with interest, and the next thing I knew, I was meeting with the owners of Heritage at a coin show in California, and what they told me was quite intriguing. They brought me to Dallas for an interview, and then they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.
I realize now that my whole life has been training for this job at Heritage. My job is wonderful and rewarding; every day is like Christmas. I get to see the finest memorabilia in the world.

Do you still have your 50,000 autographs?

DN: Yes. I have an 18-year-old son who is expressing interest in the collection. I sold some of it through Heritage to buy a car for him after I found some boxes of autographs that I didn’t know I had. Beatles’ autographs on Elvis’ personal stationery. The Beatles visited Elvis at his home in Bel Air. At first in awe of one another, the group warmed up to each other after playing guitars together (with Ringo banging on a chair instead of drums). Jerry Schilling, a member of Elvis’ “Memphis Mafia,” got the Beatles to autograph a piece of Elvis’ stationery and dated it “8/27/65.” It sold for $59,750.

What else do you collect?

DN: In addition to autographs, I have a lot of the machinery from the original “Frankenstein” movie. I learned how to repair it, and I have it all working. I love to work on old high-voltage equipment.

You must have great Halloween parties at your home.

Every day is Halloween at our house! I am good friends with Boris Karloff’s daughter and Bela Lugosi’s son.

Collecting should always be fun, but where would you steer the serious collectors, the ones who want to have fun and have their investments appreciate?

DN: I think you should never collect as a pure investment. Collecting has to be fun. You have to have a passion for it. If you are doing it just to make money, you will probably get stung. Collect for love and then investment. My advice is, find something you love that’s unique, that others aren’t collecting. I have a friend who has collected memorabilia related to Ichiro of the Seattle Mariners since he was a rookie, and now he is surely headed to the Hall of Fame. That collection will be worth money. Right now, good investments are the Beatles and Elvis, as well the top names in sports like Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio. Always collect the tragic stars like Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison. Because they died early, their memorabilia will only increase in value.

What is hot in music and entertainment right now?

DN: The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Janice Joplin, Jim Morrison, Buddy Holly, Elvis.Anything signed by all the Beatles—pictures, albums, contracts—will increase in multiples. I have never seen a guitar, or any instrument, authentically signed by all the Beatles; that is rarer than a hound’s tooth! We have sold a Paul McCartney-signed guitar for $17,000 and Kurt Cobain’s Mosrite guitar for $131,000. The Beatles band-signed “Please Please Me” album cover. These three signatures date from mid-1963. The Ringo Starr autograph was taken from another “Please Please Me” album cover that was signed by him in 1964 and affixed to this one by a professional paper restoration expert. The album sold for $10,755. Stevie Ray Vaughn (October 3, 1954-August 27, 1990) is hot and will increase in value, as he was such an important pioneer in music.

Heritage’s 20th Century Icon auction coming up will have a November 22, 1963 “Dallas Morning News” signed by JFK on his picture on page 1. A maid got him to sign it that morning in Fort Worth, and it could be the last signature he did, or at least one of last. This will be a hot item in the sale.

What would you say are the “sleeper” memorabilia, the items under the radar now that will really increase in value in the future?

DN: Seinfeld memorabilia is going up; they are getting fantastic prices for signed scripts. Look for reclusive stars like Billy Bob Thornton. Bob Dylan rarely signs autographs; his is one of the fastest increasing in value. Many stars have secretaries who sign for them so make sure the autographs are authentic. Paul McCartney signs autographs, and we’ve seen what has happened with Lennon’s. John’s signature is money in the bank.

With the death of Michael Jackson, some collectors are wondering which of his memorabilia will appreciate?

DN: We have been flooded with questions about him. Michael Jackson’s signature has value, but I don’t think it will go through the roof. He signed a lot of items.Now, his sketches and handwritten lyrics are really desirable and valuable, as is performance-worn gear with photo proof that he wore it. The jury is out on how he will be regarded in future years. I think he was the greatest entertainer at one time, but it will be interesting to see how history judges him. There is a glut of his stuff on the market now, so choose the best of the best, the closest to one-of-a-kind you can get.

Which music or entertainment items have surprised you with their auction prices?

DN: Paul McCartney-signed Hofner basses have gone for $20,000. Buddy Holly always goes for great prices. The watch he wore in the plane crash went for $155,000. I was surprised by the prices of some sketches from the Brown Derby. A set of two framed sketches of Jimmy Durante with his nose extending into the second sketch sold for $26,000. The hat W.C. Fields wore in the movie “Poppy” went for $35,000. Theda Bara’s costume archive sold for $100,000. [Silent film star Theda Bara made more than 40 films from 1914-1925 and was known for her risque costumes.] By the way, her real name was Theodosia Goodman.

Of all the items you have seen over the years, which do you wish you owned?

DN: Buddy Holly’s watch, some of the signed Beatles items we’ve had, the application that James Dean filled out for the race in Salinas that he never made it to, and the handwritten instructions James Dean left for feeding his cat the night before he died. Buddy Holly’s 14 karat white gold Omega wristwatch (1958) that he was wearing when his plane crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa, on February 3, 1959. The watch sold for $155,350.

What would you say is essential information for a serious collector to know right now?

DN: Buy wisely, buy from reputable dealers, do your homework. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. There is a great incentive these days to fake autographs. Be very careful; many people are trying to make a quick buck.

What are the top quality items?

DN: Items from all of the names mentioned before and from music or entertainment figures of huge stature who died young. How many signatures of theirs are there? Collect the people who changed the entertainment medium like Paul Newman (who didn’t like to sign autographs) and Katharine Hepburn. Presidential autographs are valuable, but they often use autopens.
Focus on the major names who changed history, all the pioneers. People should pay attention to space collectibles. Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrich are the Christopher Columbuses of our generation. Armstrong does not like to sign autographs, by the way.

What do you think of the crypt above Marilyn Monroe’s selling for more than $4 million on eBay?

DN: Someone who was passionate about Marilyn, hopefully, bought it. The question is, will someone pay $4 million for the crypt near Michael Jackson in 45 years? That I am not sure of.

Pride & Joy: Celebrating Stevie Ray, Dallas's greatest guitarist

Aug. 21, 2009

Posted by Noah

Growing up in Dallas, loving live music and great musicians as much as I do, there was no way to get around Stevie Ray Vaughan. Who would want to? He was, and ever will be, the greatest modern Texas bluesman to pick up a guitar, any guitar, period. When he died, so unfairly, in 1990, at the age of 36, there can be no doubt that one of the 10 greatest guitarists to ever live has left our midst. In fact, Rolling Stone listed him as #7...

I mention this as Stevie Ray had been on my mind lately, not the least of which was remembering a couple shows I had seen when I was a teenager, because I have been listening to Soul II Soul a lot in recent weeks and because, as I sat on the couch last night unable to sleep due to a very annoying sinus infection, I came across a Stevie Ray tribute being shown on the local PBS affiliate as part of its current fund drive - be sure and pledge - and needless to say, the channel did not change for two hours.

Not only was the music great - no surprise there - but watching the varied performances from Stevie Ray throughout the 1980s, from hotshot kid to fully mature, fully in-control blues genius, was riveting. He lived with every night, swooned with sweeping and bending notes and sang with the weight of a 100-year-old man. Watching him play some classic shows and classic tunes brought him fully back to life, ecstatically so, just as it drove home what a potent force we lost almost two decades ago. I know I had learned it long before, but watching Stevie do his thing, so effortlessly, with such jaw-dropping skill,the intermittent unfairness of existence was driven home like a nail in my skull.

All this, naturally, was perfect fodder for me to go to the Heritage archives to see what kind of Stevie Ray Vaughan things had crossed the block in our auctions, and I wasn't disappointed. There aren't any guitars, or one of his signature hats, but there are great variety of autographs, posters, pictures and even some LPs, which, if you're born post 1980, are big, flat round vinyl things that music is actually embedded into, and not digitally!

The top SRV lot actually comes from last June's Music and Entertainment auction and is a beautiful poster from his last Austin, TX gig, just a few months before his death - he was playing with the one and only Buddy Guy(!), if you can imagine the sheer awesomeness of that combination. You can see by the picture here that it is indeed a beautiful piece, and relatively inexpensive at just more than $1,550. It's the sort of poster that will only gain in value and beauty over the years, especially as history puts Stevie Ray, and his greatness, in perspective.

It may seem incongruous, but if you're ever feeling bad, and want to feel better, then put on a little Stevie Ray Vaughan - I suggest "Cold Shot" or "Texas Flood" - and I guarantee you'll feel better in a few minutes, depending on the version you are listening to.

Have a good weekend, and if you're in Dallas, and can catch a replay of the SRV tribute, clear your schedule, and your mind, for the next couple of hours. You ain't going nowhere.

Les Paul is dead, long live Les Paul! Innovator, player and inventor of the electric guitar

Aug. 13, 2009
Posted by Noah

Les Paul is dead at the age of 94. If you know anything about rock and roll, country or guitar music in general, then you are pondering the life of one of modern music's greatest innovators right now as news is breaking of the death of the one, the only, Les Paul.

I think I can say, unequivocally, that Les was the most influential guitarist, innovator and technician of the 20th Century. What else would you say about the man who not only invented the electric guitar - at least in the form we understand it today - as well as the multi-track recording system? That's right, nothing! Les was a guitarist's guitarist, and a gentleman's gentleman. His fleet-fingered stylings influenced the way that several generations of great guitarists play their instruments, the way countless musicians record their music and certainly what the top musicians in the world came to expect from their instruments.

Let's put it this way: When Clapton locked himself in his room for months in the 1960s to become the ultimate Guitar God, what kind of guitar do you think he had? Of course: A Gibson Les Paul. If you've ever heard one played, and played well, then you know that the sound is superior and you know why the very best always insist on a Les.

There are Les Paul guitars autographed by various musicians, and Paul himself, throughout our archives. It's no coincidence, thought, that the top-selling Les Paul guitar in the Heritage archives is not an autographed axe, but rather a 1961 Gibson Les Paul SG, one of the original solid body guitars that dropped the "Les Paul" designation for most of the rest of the 1960s before picking it up again. No autograph, just plain ol' amazing craftsmanship that brought more than $22,000 in October of 2007.

You can read all about Paul's life and innovations in any number of online outlets right now, so I won't go into a tremendous amount of detail. It's not surprising when a man of his advanced age passes, but it is right to honor a life decidedly well lived. He was a legend and will remain so throughout the history of pop culture. The world will not soon see his ilk again.

To leave a comment , click on the title of this post.

-Noah Fleisher