Register for a free catalog—Sports Auction June 14-21

1968 Topps #177 Nolan Ryan and Jerry Koosman PSA NM-MT+ 8.5 for sale RR Auction

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]View results of this auction now. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Bidding is June 14-21

RR Auction is pleased to present our first dedicated Sports  auction. The inaugural event will be held June 14-21. As is the industry standard, the remarkable offerings have been graded and evaluated by PSA.

More than 650 items, in a variety of formats, will be offered, including large selection of fresh-to-market baseball cards from a lifelong collector.

Highlights include (click images to enlarge):

1895 N300 Mayo's Cut Plug Ed Delahanty PSA EX-MT 6, sold by RR Auction
1895 N300 Mayo’s Cut Plug Ed Delahanty PSA EX-MT 6. Sold by RR Auction for $16,414.
1887 N172 Old Judge John Ward PSA EX-MT 6 for sale RR Auction
1887 N172 Old Judge John Ward PSA EX-MT 6. Offered by RR Auction.
1887 N172 Old Judge John Ward PSA EX-MT 6 for sale RR Auction
1887 N172 Old Judge John Ward PSA EX-MT 6. Offered by RR Auction.
  • 1888 N173 Old Judge Cabinets Jim O'Rourke PSA VG-EX 4 for sale RR Auction.
    1888 N173 Old Judge Cabinets Jim O’Rourke PSA VG-EX 4. Offered by RR Auction.
    1888 N173 Old Judge Cabinets Jim O'Rourke PSA VG-EX 4 for sale RR Auction.
    1888 N173 Old Judge Cabinets Jim O’Rourke PSA VG-EX 4. Offered by RR Auction.
  • Encapsulated single cards from the 1800s:
    • 1895 N300 Mayo’s Ed Delehanty;
    • 1887 N172 Old Judge John Ward.
  • Also from that era:
    • Large single card 1888 N173 Old Judge Cabinets Jim O’Rourke, in throwing pose.
  • Two standout Topps cards:
    • 1967 Mets Rookies Bill Denehy/Tom Seaver, and
    • 1968 Mets Rookies J. Koosman/Nolan Ryan.

 

Other standout offerings (click images to enlarge):

1967 Topps #581 Tom Seaver and Bill Denehy PSA MINT 9 for sale RR Auction
1967 Topps #581 Tom Seaver and Bill Denehy PSA MINT 9. Offered by RR Auction.
1967 Topps #581 Tom Seaver and Bill Denehy PSA MINT 9 for sale RR Auction
1967 Topps #581 Tom Seaver and Bill Denehy PSA MINT 9. Offered by RR Auction.
  • 1955 World Series ring for sale Brooklyn Dodgers RR Auction
    1955 World Series ring. Offered by RR Auction.
    1966–1968 Brian Piccolo Game-Worn Chicago Bears Road Jersey MEARS A8 RR Auction
    1966–1968 Brian Piccolo Game-Worn Chicago Bears Road Jersey MEARS A8. Sold by RR Auction for $25,200.
  • An autographed candid photo of young Muhammad Ali (signed Cassius Clay) at the 1960 Olympics speaks to RR’s reputation as the industry leader in autographed collectibles.
  • 1955 World Series ring, when the Dodgers broke the streak of the Yankees.
  • Tear-away game uniform shirt from Chicago Bears football player Brian Piccolo.

There will also be signed baseballs, game-worn jerseys and hundreds more Sports items. Already a leader in selling Olympics memorabilia, RR will also offer a gold winner’s medal from the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics.

Generous cash advances, competitive rates and reserves, and a 21-day consignor payout are offered by the auction house.

RR Auction is actively acquiring for future Sports auctions. Contact us today about consigning your items![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Featured item: Kennedy family nanny Maud Shaw’s diary

John F. Kennedy family nanny Maud Shaw RR Auction

Above: Page from the diary of John F. Kennedy family nanny, Maud Shaw. Diary offered by RR Auction.

A nanny in Camelot

When John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline brought their young family to the White House – and into the world spotlight – they brought with them an already trusted extended member of the family: Their nanny, Maud Shaw.

With a resume that featured nanny positions in England, Iran, and Egypt, Shaw was hired by the Kennedys in 1957 to care for the newborn Caroline while JFK was still a senator. Shaw remained in the Kennedys’ employ for more than seven years and became one of the most trusted, and evidently adored, adult influences on the closely protected Kennedy children. Held in such high regard by the Kennedys, Shaw was given her own private quarters in the White House, where she could be reached at a moment’s notice.

Shaw would not only witness the daily growth and child-rearing milestones of the First Children, but she would, ultimately, have the incredibly heart-wrenching onus of telling them the fate which befell their father.

In 22 handwritten pages, the personal diary of Maud Shaw offers an intimate glimpse into daily life in the nursery of Camelot. It details the development of Caroline and John “John-John” Kennedy as infants and toddlers between the years 1957 and 1962. It covers the emergence of teeth, first steps, first words, illnesses, and a detailed record of their nutritional intake.

John F. Kennedy family nanny diary Maud Shaw RR Auction
A page from the diary of John F. Kennedy family nanny, Maud Shaw. Diary offered by RR Auction.

Regarding Caroline, she notes in July-August 1959, “Says Da-Da, laughs very loudly, play pat-a-cake.” Most notably, under the first entry for John, “born 25th November 1960,” Shaw notes that he was two weeks premature, adding: “Weight 6 lbs. 3 ozs, slow gaining weight, put on full strength Simalax a Beef, 3 times daily at 4 weeks, I look on John, 28th Feb. 1961.” In March 1962, she notes that John is “repeating words after me—very well.”

Accompanying the diary are four ALSs addressed to Shaw by a young Caroline, circa 1965-1967, two of which are postcards, illustrating the warm relationship Shaw shared with the Kennedy children in the years immediately following their untimely departure from the White House. Written in the sweet tone of a young girl to her clearly beloved nanny.

postcard Caroline Kennedy JFK family nanny Maud Shaw RR Auction
A postcard from Caroline Kennedy as a young girl to JFK family nanny Maud Shaw. Offered by RR Auction.

This artifact is a one-of-a-kind window into the private lives of the most fabled First Family in American history.

Watch us on television discussing the diary:

On the Today show

Read more in these international news articles:

UK Express

UK Daily Mail

Irish Central

The diary sold for $3,327.

Featured item: JFK’s map of the Cuban Missile Crisis

US President John F. Kennedy's personal map of Cuba Cuban Missile Crisis RR Auction

Above: US President John F. Kennedy’s personal map of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. Offered by RR Auction.

Kennedy’s personal map of Cuba, marked ‘Secret’

In October 1962, America held its breath, as a build-up of military presence in nearby Cuba by the USSR set nerves on edge. President John F. Kennedy felt the pressure, too, as he and his strategists watched, waited and considered options.

In the annals of the Cold War, no event is more talked about and debated than the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 16-28, 1962. It is considered the closest the world has ever come to nuclear war. John F. Kennedy’s personal ‘victory map’ of Cuba, used during this tense moment in US history, has arrived at auction, carrying with significant historical data from the office of the president himself.

Measuring nearly five feet across (with two pages taped together), Kennedy’s personal map features eight types of sticker symbols applied to the surface, representing Soviet MiG fighter jets, Komar-class missile boats, IL-28 bombers, SS-4 missiles, SSM-Cruise missiles and nuclear storage sites.

The intelligence represented by this map was supplied by U-2 spy planes, confirming President Kennedy’s worst fears of an increasing Soviet military presence just 100 miles away from the American coast. The map is marked “Secret” in the lower left and upper right corners. A two-page key paperclipped to the upper right corner, headed “MRBM-IRBM Status of Cuban Missiles,” dated October 27, 1962, summarizes the Soviet military buildup, listing sites, enumerating number of launchers and missiles, and completion status.

JFK’s map dates to the penultimate day of the crisis—October 27, a day that saw an American pilot shot down over Cuba. Had Kennedy given the order to attack, this map shows the nine Soviet targets that American fighters would have bombed. Finally, a deal was brokered between Kennedy and Khrushchev (through Robert Kennedy and Anatoly Dobrynin) in which the Soviets would dismantle their missiles and installations in Cuba, in exchange for US removal of missiles from Turkey and a pledge to never invade Cuba.

US President John F. Kennedy's personal map of Cuba Cuban Missile Crisis RR Auction
Key for US President John F. Kennedy’s personal map of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. Offered by RR Auction.

Accompanying the artifact is a detailed letter of provenance about JFK’s map, stating, in full:

“This ‘victory map’ was given to me about twenty years ago by Robert McNamara, the secretary of defense during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. During a meeting at his office, McNamara described for me the pressure President John Kennedy was under from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to order an attack on Soviet targets in Cuba. McNamara said the president pored over this map before deciding to delay the attack.

“The map shows the position of every Soviet missile, bomber and fighter jet and nuclear storage facility in Cuba as of noon on Saturday, October 27, 1962. This was the most dangerous moment of the Cuban Missile Crisis. October 27 was the day the crisis came within hours, even minutes, of triggering a war between the United States and Soviet Union. That morning, a Soviet anti-air missile shot down a U-2 spy plane on a photo reconnaissance mission over Cuba. Many years later, the Cubans claimed Fidel Castro himself pushed the button to fire the missile.

“Later that afternoon, two U.S. destroyers dropped depth charges on a Soviet submarine. At last minute, the Soviet captain surfaced his submarine, his other option being to launch his missiles against the U.S. mainland. When the sun set that evening, McNamara wondered if he’d be alive to see the following Saturday’s sunset. Kennedy’s ExCom meet three times on this Saturday. The Joint Chiefs of Staff pushed for an air strike against the Soviet missile sites and other targets. Had Kennedy given the order, this map shows the nine Soviet targets U.S. warplanes would have bombed. But overnight, everything changed.

“Relying on a letter from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to President Kennedy, Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Soviet ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin hammered out a deal. The Soviets agreed to withdraw their missiles and other offensive weapons in return for the U.S. pledging not to invade Cuba. The U.S. secretly promised to remove obsolete missiles from Turkey. The nine targets on the map became the weapons the U.S. forced out of Cuba. When Kennedy presented the map to McNamara, he called it the ‘victory map.’ During my meeting with McNamara, he said this was the only time he ever heard Kennedy say anything that sounded like gloating about how the crisis ended.”

US President John F. Kennedy's personal map of Cuba Cuban Missile Crisis RR Auction
Detail of one-half of US President John F. Kennedy’s personal map of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. Offered by RR Auction.

 

This item sold at the April 11, 2018 auction for $138,798.

The real deal: eBook discusses how to spot genuine collectibles

Free appraisal autograph authentic RR Auction

Authenticating Art and Artifacts: An Introduction to Methods and Issues
By David Cycleback

“How do I know my artifact is real?”

A new eBook may help.

David Cycleback is an art and artifacts scholar working in the areas of identification and theory, and is an internationally known authentication expert with professional certification in museum sciences from Northwestern University. He is also the author of “Identifying Common Materials in Antiques: A Pocket Guide.”

This latest book, “Authenticating Art and Artifacts: An Introduction to Methods and Issues,” available as a free pdf, below, is an introduction to standard methods and issues in the identification and authentication of genuine art and historical artifacts and collectibles, and fake and forgery detection methods. This includes everything from ancient artifacts like pottery and arrowheads, to famous paintings, antique toys, currency, photographs and trading cards.

The downloadable 200-page pdf is laid out like a textbook, with clear definitions of the many tools authenticators use. Authenticating involves many aspects and perspectives, from science to connoisseurship, and this book is written for all those invested or interested in the topic, including scientists, museum workers, historians, appraisers, lawyers and connoisseurs.

It’s also written to be accessible to laypeople and students of any age, in easy to understand terms and with questions and fun exercises at the end of each chapter to cement what the reader has learned. There are also links to further research if the reader would like to delve deeper into a particular topic relating to authenticating.

From the naked eye to cutting-edge technology

The book covers the high-end, high-tech scientific tools available, but also discusses the simple observational methods available to anyone. Cycleback goes through the simple, preliminary considerations of the aging/wear/patina, materials and processes used to create the object in question; your five senses can be used in various ways for simple rule-outs (there are some vintage plastics that have a certain smell when rubbed or run under hot water, for example). Measuring weight and size, observing colors and textures, comparing temperatures and magnetism – all these techniques can be done by pretty much anyone wondering about an object’s authenticity as an artifact.

Cycleback also introduces readers to more advanced scientific tests and equipment used in authenticating, including radiometric dating to measure age, thermoluminescence testing to date when items such as ceramics were last heated, and spectroscopy to identify chemicals and compounds in a material.

But science alone cannot prove authenticity. As some old processes can still be used today, a process may be consistent with, but not proof of, an item originating from a specific period. For example, an original Rembrandt painting would be an oil painting, but artists today still make oil paintings. Artists still make hand-blown glass the same way it was made centuries ago. This is why supplemental tests and historical/stylistic knowledge are important. Science must work together with connoisseurs, aficionados and historians, who can evaluate aspects that clinical tests cannot. “Due to their hands-on experience and keen interest, collectors are often as knowledgeable as academics in a specific area,” Cycleback asserts.

In trying to replicate one particular quality, forgers often sacrifice another quality, which gives them away. For example, a great looking, computer-printed baseball card gives itself away when put under magnification and the paper and ink properties are revealed. As Cycleback writes, “the paradox with printing technology and the duplication of old prints is that the more closely it looks like the original at the naked eye level, the less it looks like the original at the microscopic level.”

‘based on knowledge, experience… and common sense’

No matter the evaluation technique, Cycleback says, it’s all really less about final-say authenticating than “making a judgment about the authenticity.” The judgment takes into consideration all the information and evidence, along with the expert’s knowledge and experience. “The authenticator must be willing to admit the margin of possible error on his opinion, and the limits of his knowledge,” he notes. “Being an authentication expert is about forming sound opinions based on knowledge, experience, tools, resources, tests and common sense.”

You can only 100% prove something’s NOT real; alternately, you can only truly prove something is LIKELY real. Material, style, etc., can be shown to be consistent with the item being authentic. Provenance can help prove age and ownership, increase value at auction, identify forgeries or alterations, and help recover stolen items. But even provenance documentation itself needs to be verified as authentic sometimes.

Cycleback’s book is a great primer for educating readers on original printing, painting, photography and production techniques from antiquity, and how to spot characteristics of those methods when trying to determine a collectible’s veracity.

The book ends with “book encompassing questions” to test your absorption of what you’ve read. For any collector or enthusiast of art, antiquities, artifacts or sleuthing, this is an easy, informational read.

Check it out and download it for free here: artandartifacts

Collector Spotlight: ‘The Master of Getting’ – the John Brennan Collection

Stratocaster autographed by Eric Clapton Jeff Beck BB King Buddy Guy Bo Diddley John Brennan Collection RR Auction

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The collector’s collector

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”9620″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]John Brennan didn’t start out with the intention of amassing thousands of autographs. It just sort of happened—one band, one concert, one rock n roll icon at a time, over the past 40 years.

Brennan, 53, grew up in Shelton, Connecticut and bought his first album in 1975: KISS “Alive!”. That began a lifelong  obsession with rock music. At age 11, he “dragged his parents” to see the concert film “The Song Remains the Same,” starting his “straight-up obsession with Led Zeppelin.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Soon the young teen was sleeping outdoors to snag concert tickets, meeting new people, and getting into all the heavy hitters of rock: Peter Frampton, Ted Nugent, the Scorpions, Black Sabbath, Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Van Halen.

But ironically, it was an alt-pop band that would send Brennan in the direction his life would head for four decades. Brennan’s first autograph was obtained basically due to its ease: the B-52s were staying at a hotel across from the performance venue in 1979.

His interest in autographs growing, Brennan began trading with other enthusiasts. This was not without its downside. “One of the reasons I decided to go into first-person collecting was because when I was trading autographs with other people, I realized they were not always genuine.” Brennan knew if he wanted to be sure, he had to get the autographs himself. John’s passion demanded authenticity. RR appreciates this passion and as such, each item in the Brennan Auction is dual pre-certified by both REAL Authentication Ltd. and Beckett Authentication Services.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9629″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

A lifetime collection begins

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_column_text]From 1979 on, John began collecting autographs from every concert, waiting at stage doors, tour buses and hotels. By 1984, “it was daily life” for him, usually driving the 75 miles from his hometown to New York City, meeting every music superstar you could imagine. “I always had a target,” he said, carrying his backpack of pens and items waiting for autographs. Brennan’s time in the Big Apple had him rubbing elbows with the most enviable celebrity roster; the names that will stand the test of time.

He soon became known as “the Dude” – a nickname given to him by other people in the hobby at the record stores he would frequent in the Village; or “Captain Sneaks” – given to him by his fellow collectors. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_single_image image=”9630″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”9631″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“If you met someone and didn’t let the autograph community know, you were a ‘sneak.’ But that’s how you had to do it. It’s so different today. If social media had been around then, the last thing I’d ever do was post a pic of Kurt [Cobain] while he was still in town. Now celebrities and collectors are all posting where they are.”

Brennan would travel across the US – and the globe – countless times, following the Beatles and the Stones, Van Halen, Guns N’ Roses and Nirvana, collecting photographs, autographs and a truly astonishing lifetime of memories. From a small town in Connecticut, to New York City, Los Angeles and Seattle; London, Paris, Germany, Holland and Canada; John Brennan has been there, experienced that.

Now he’s ready to share these amazing experiences with you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The John Brennan Collection

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]For our incredible inaugural John Brennan Auction, RR worked closely with this lifelong rock n roll autograph collector to present you with an exceptional hand-selected sampling representing a fraction of those amassed over his four decades of following the greatest names in music across the country.

“I wanted to share some of the stuff I’ve gotten over the years with other collectors and fans that I know will really appreciate them,” Brennan said. “I’ve always been a collector first and foremost. I love music, that’s why I chased these things.”

From his early days of autograph collecting in New York City, where he met the elites of music, like the Rolling Stones, Madonna and more, to his later years in Los Angeles and Seattle, following the tours of Van Halen, Guns N’ Roses and Nirvana, John Brennan became known by these guitar greats and welcomed into their inner sanctums.

We’re pleased to present our collectors with these  items—signed photographs, albums, posters and guitars–that chronicle nearly half a century of musical legends.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”9636″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

 Auction highlights

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]An incredible collection of band-signed guitars, featuring:

  • Strat signed by legends Clapton, Beck, King, Guy and Diddley (shown above)
  • Rare Yardbirds signed Fender Squier Strat
  • Remarkable cherry-red Rolling Stones guitar, signed by six band members

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”9637″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”9638″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Autographed photographs personally collected by John Brennan, including:

  • Incredibly rare 14×11 Nirvana signed photograph
  • Grateful Dead publicity photo, signed by all six band members (at right)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”9635″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Vast array of signed albums, featuring:

  • Impeccable Dylan-signed “Freewheelin’” album
  • Iconic “Abbey Road” album, signed by Paul, George and Ringo

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”9633″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”9634″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

See the results of the first John Brennan Collection auction here.

Following this inaugural specialty auction, selections from the John Brennan Collection will be offered each month beginning in June 2018.

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Auction results: Pop Culture

Steve Jobs-signed job application questionnaire 1973 RR Auction

Auction results: Pop Culture

Our Pop Culture themed auction was a huge success! We achieved some astonishing results for our consignors that eclipsed their expectations. Here are the auction results.

Steve Jobs auction results

Steve Jobs-signed job application questionnaire 1973 RR Auction
Steve Jobs-signed job application questionnaire from 1973. Sold by RR Auction for $174,757.
sell Steve Jobs autographs Steve Jobs-signed newspaper article 2008 RR Auction
Steve Jobs-signed newspaper article from 2008. Sold by RR Auction for $26,950
Steve Jobs-signed Apple Mac OS X Manual 2001 RR Auction
Steve Jobs-signed Apple Mac OS X Manual from 2001. Sold by RR Auction for $41,806.

Our trio of items signed by Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs was hugely successful – cumulatively selling for more than $240,000. A job application filled out when Jobs was just a teenaged, soon-to-be college dropout achieved a remarkable price of $174,757. A 2001 Apple Mac OS X Administration Basics spiral-bound training manual that an Apple Technician trainee cajoled Jobs into signing in a parking lot, garnered $41,806. And a 2008 newspaper clipping about the iPhone 3G, signed by Jobs and Anthony Fadell, senior vice president of Apple’s iPod division, sold for $26,950.

Massive music results

Bob Marley autographed tour poster 1976 RR Auction
Bob Marley autographed tour poster, 1976. Sold by RR Auction for $30,979.
Jimi Hendrix signed 1969 Toronto arrest fingerprint card RR Auction
Jimi Hendrix signed 1969 Toronto arrest fingerprint card. Sold by RR Auction for $29,248.
Phil Collins handwritten lyrics "Another Day in Paradise" RR Auction
Phil Collins handwritten lyrics for “Another Day in Paradise.” Sold by RR Auction for $16,541.
Signed photograph The Doors RR Auction
Photograph fully signed by The Doors. Sold by RR Auction for $14,804.

Legendary musicians were in high demand at the Pop Culture auction. A tour poster boasting a long inscription and autograph by Bob Marley and the Wailers earned $30,979; a separate autographed photo of Marley went for $6,209. An incredible 1969 arrest card featuring Jimi Hendrix’s fingerprints and signature garnered $29,248; Hendrix and his band autographed an album that sold for $4,287. A surprise finish was achieved by Phil Collins’ handwritten lyrics for “Another Day in Paradise,” with album proof and signature, for $16,541. And a rare full-band signed photograph of The Doors sold for $14,804.

The King garnered more than $20,000, with Elvis Presley photographs and items like his shotgun, a leather jacket, striped jacket, cufflinks and his trademark “TCB” necklace – the leader at $11,985 – all selling well.

Elvis Presley's 14K gold "TCB" necklace RR Auction
Elvis Presley’s 14K gold “TCB” necklace. Sold by RR Auction for $11,985.
Elvis Presley's brown leather jacket RR Auction
Elvis Presley’s brown leather jacket. Sold by RR Auction for $3,178.
Elvis Presley's striped jacket RR Auction
Elvis Presley’s striped jacket. Sold by RR Auction for $5,581.
Elvis Presley's black stone cufflinks RR Auction
Elvis Presley’s black stone cufflinks. Sold by RR Auction for $894.
Elvis Presley's 12-gauge shotgun RR Auction
Elvis Presley’s 12-gauge shotgun. Sold by RR Auction for $8,266.

The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Carlos Santana and Ray Charles all also had items in the top echelon of results. A love letter from Amy Winehouse to her husband Blake Fielder-Civil sold for $5,017; and a “Purple Rain” era purple tambourine relating to Prince garnered $4,352.

Carlos Santana’s stage and studio-used acoustic guitar RR Auction
Carlos Santana’s stage and studio-used acoustic guitar. Sold by RR Auction for $5,360.
Prince's rehearsal-used “Purple Rain” tambourine RR Auction
Prince’s rehearsal-used “Purple Rain” tambourine. Sold by RR Auction for $4,352.

Art, illustration and literature

Andy Warhol’s signed original “Cow” screenprint on a Kellogg’s cereal box achieved the fifth highest price in the Pop Culture auction, at $28,553. Several original concept paintings, production cels and backgrounds from Walt Disney classics did very well – the top two being an Eyvind Earle concept painting from “Lady and the Tramp” and a Walt Disney-signed production cel from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” which earned more than $12,000 each.

Eyvind Earle concept painting "Lady and the Tramp" RR Auction
Eyvind Earle concept painting from “Lady and the Tramp.” Sold by RR Auction for $12,372.
Andy Warhol signed original "Cow'" screenprint on Kellogg's cereal box RR Auction
Andy Warhol signed original “Cow'” screenprint on Kellogg’s cereal box. Sold by RR Auction for $28,553.
Walt Disney-signed production cel "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" RR Auction
Walt Disney-signed production cel from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Sold by RR Auction for $12,122.

Auction results for books signed by authors J.K. Rowling and F. Scott Fitzgerald were good, as were prices achieved for several items boasting the signature of Walt Disney.

Top 10 items sold

Steve Jobs Signed Job Application, sold for $174,757,28

Steve Jobs Signed Apple Mac OS X Manual, sold for $41,806.80

Bob Marley and The Wailers Signed 1976 Poster, sold for $30,979.03

Jimi Hendrix Signed 1969 Toronto Arrest Fingerprint Card, sold for $29,248,10

Andy Warhol Signed Original ‘Cow’ Screenprint on Kellogg’s Cereal Box, sold for $28,553.53

Steve Jobs Signed Newspaper Article, sold for $26,950.00

Phil Collins Handwritten Lyrics for ‘Another Day in Paradise’ and Album Proof, sold for $16,541.18

The Doors Signed Photograph, sold for $14,804.13

Eyvind Earle concept painting from Lady and the Tramp, sold for $12,372.50

Walt Disney signed production cel from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, sold for $12,122.60

See entire results list here.

RR Auction and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation

Helping the STEM leaders of tomorrow

RR Auction is pleased to continue our relationship with and support of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, with our upcoming Space auction, April 12-19.

The mission of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation is “to aid the United States in retaining its world leadership in technology and innovation by supporting the very best and brightest scholars in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics while commemorating the legacy of America’s pioneering astronauts.”

ASF awards scholarships to students pursuing STEM and offers a mentoring network that allows these Astronaut Scholars to connect with astronauts, each other, and innovative technology leaders throughout the nation.

 

ASF’s story

More than 30 years ago, the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts – Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Walter Schirra, Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton – came together with the goal to use their joint credibility to encourage students to pursue scientific endeavors to keep America on the leading edge of technology. That idea led to the formation of the Mercury 7 Foundation, which later became the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF).

Together with Betty Grissom (widow of the seventh, Virgil “Gus” Grissom), William Douglas, M.D. (the Project Mercury flight surgeon), and Henri Landwirth (Orlando businessman and friend of the astronauts) the Mercury 7 astronauts provided scholarships for students that excelled in the area of science.

Today, astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs have joined in the mission. Through the garnered support of astronauts, industry leaders, educational institutions and patrons, ASF awards merit-based scholarships to the best and brightest university students who excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Astronaut Scholarship Foundation ASF
Information on the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (astronautscholarship.org).

RR and ASF

RR Auction is proud to assist in the worthy endeavor of assisting exceptional students pursue higher education and careers in STEM. Through our Space auctions, we have helped ASF garner more than $55,000 in auction sales proceeds. We expect our April auction to add more to the scholarship fund.

RR is also a proud sponsor of the ASF’s annual Space Rendezvous event (this year, Nov. 1-3 in Houston). We have also offered at auction our unique Astronaut Experiences, of which the entire sales proceeds are donated to ASF. In 2017, we donated a fishing trip with astronaut Al Worden.

We have also participated in ASF’s annual Innovator’s Gala — this year on Aug. 25 in Washington, D.C. At the gala, The Neil Armstrong Award of Excellence is presented in recognition of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians who continue to advance the boundaries of their fields.

 

How you can help

If you’d like to donate to the Astronaut Scholarship Fund and the STEM leaders of tomorrow, bid on our special collection of ASF items in the Space auction, April 12-19. You can preview the items now.

To make a direct donation, visit the ASF website or contact them for more information.

Featured items: Gen. Tom Stafford Collection of space artifacts

Gen. Tom Stafford's Apollo 10 Lunar Orbit Flown American Flag RR Auction

Above: Gen. Tom Stafford’s Apollo 10 Lunar Orbit Flown American Flag. Offered by RR Auction.

Hero of the US space race

NASA astronaut Gen. Thomas P. Stafford
Official NASA portrait of astronaut Gen. Thomas P. Stafford.

At 87, Gen. Tom Stafford is a living legend.

Born Sept. 17, 1930 in the dusty, windy town of Weatherford, Oklahoma, Thomas P. Stafford would grow up in the Dust Bowl and Depression. His mother came to Oklahoma in a covered wagon and lived to see her only child fly to the moon.

Gen. Tom Stafford was a NASA astronaut, Air Force officer, test pilot and pioneer in the American space race. His missions included Gemini 6A, Gemini 9, Apollo 10 and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – three of them as Mission Commander. A Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Gen. Stafford is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and the Oklahoma Aviator of the Century award.

Our April Space auction (preview begins March 16; bidding from April 12-19) features several historic artifacts from the personal collection of General Thomas P. Stafford. Proceeds from the sale of Gen. Stafford’s items will benefit the expansion and renovation fund for the Stafford Air and Space Museum, located along historic Route 66 in Oklahoma.

 

About the Stafford Air and Space Museum

Celebrating 25 years of curating space exploration, the SASM has created the Legacy Campaign to raise funds for exterior and interior renovations to the museum, as well as adding an 18,000 sq. ft. expansion which will enable hundreds of additional historic artifacts to be displayed. Four planned new exhibits are NASA’s actual Space Shuttle Fixed Base Simulator; USAF Fairchild Republic A-10 “Warthog” attack aircraft; F-1 rocket engines used during Apollo 11 launch; and a full-scale replica of the Apollo 10 Lunar Module “Snoopy.”

The museum hopes to double its current visitors to 50,000 annually, with the development of new exhibits that are immersive, interactive and high-tech, as well as refurbishing its current galleries.

 

“This museum is not about me! It is dedicated to the American spirit of dreaming the impossible, and making those dreams happen… I grew up in a small western Oklahoma town during the Dust Bowl and Depression, and I flew to the moon.
I’m living proof that nothing is impossible!”

– Gen. Tom Stafford

 

How the auction will help

The fund’s goal is to raise $3 million and have construction complete by May 2019 – the 50th anniversary of Gen. Tom Stafford’s historic Apollo 10 flight to the moon. Your purchase will help that. The hammer price, minus the auction estimate, is considered a tax-deductible donation to the SASM; winning bidders should contact the museum for a donation letter.

For more about SASM, visit their website.

Auction results: March, feat. Military

Karl Marx letter 1879 RR Auction

Auction results: March, feat. Military

Another monthly auction is in the record book, and we’re pleased with the results we achieved for our consignors. Bidders were drawn to our stellar assortment of Rare and Remarkable autographs, documents and manuscripts. Here are the auction results.

The top sales success story was an extremely rare handwritten and signed letter from Karl Marx, shown above, written in English in 1879. Marx letters are extraordinarily rare and virtually nonexistent outside of institutions; in more than 40 years of business, this is the only one we have ever encountered. It sold for $53,509.

In fact, there were several fine ALS lots that garnered five-digit results. A rare Leo Tolstoy letter in Russian – the first we’ve offered in 8 years – earned $21,450; artist Claude Monet’s multi-page letter, in French, to his wife went for $21,128; Nobel Prize-winner and quantum physics pioneer Wolfgang Pauli letter to a colleague garnered $14,700; and French political philosopher and “man of letters” Montequieu had his letter sell for $10,267.

There was also a significant cache of writing by Jean-Paul Sartre for his autobiography, in which he incredibly imagines “the late Jean-Paul Sartre as it would be revealed to the academics of the 21st century, by his works, his correspondence and the testimony of his contemporaries.” That lot sold for $12,105.

Politics, music, US presidents, literature and more categories were represented in the March auction. Our Military feature did well, with items like a “Horrors of War” card set, haunting photos after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, WWII bomber jackets and much more.

bomber jacket WWII USAAF 8th Air Force B-10 Flight Jacket with painted decorations RR Auction
WWII USAAF 8th Air Force B-10 Flight Jacket with painted decorations. Sold by RR Auction for $3,407.

Top 10 items sold

Karl Marx — ALS, sold for $53,509.23

Mohandas Gandhi — Signed Photo, sold for $41,806.80

Leo Tolstoy — ALS, sold for $21,450.98

Claude Monet — ALS, sold for $21,128.80

John F. Kennedy — Book, sold for $15,926.23

Wolfgang Pauli — ALS, sold for $14,700.00

Jean-Paul Sartre — Handwritten Manuscripts, sold for $12,105.45

Beatles — Promo Card, sold for $11,025.00

Montesquieu — ALS, sold for $10,267.95

Revolutionary War: British Navy — DS, sold for $8,581.13

 

Photo of Mohandas Gandhi walking alongside Madan Mohan Malaviya. Sold by RR Auction for $41,806.

See all auction results here.

Featured item: Jimi Hendrix signed 1969 Toronto arrest fingerprint card

Jimi Hendrix signed 1969 Toronto arrest fingerprint card RR Auction

‘Little Wing’ singer almost doesn’t take flight

Jimi Hendrix signed photo autograph music memorabilia RR Auction
Signed photo of Jimi Hendrix. Sold by RR Auction for $20,371.

James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) was an American rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. Despite a mainstream career of only four years, Jimi Hendrix is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music.”

Our Pop Culture auction (March 8-15) features a unique item relating to the guitar god: An amazing original 8 x 8 fingerprint card from Hendrix’s 1969 arrest in Toronto, signed in the upper left in blue ballpoint, “Jimi Hendrix,” as the “signature of person fingerprinted,” stamp-dated May 3, 1969.

Jimi Hendrix signed 1969 Toronto arrest fingerprint card RR Auction
Jimi Hendrix signed 1969 Toronto arrest fingerprint card. Offered by RR Auction.

The card is filled out in type with his personal information, including his name, “Hendrix, James Marshall”; date of birth, “Nov 27/42”; and distinguishing features, “Scar on right eye.” The lower portion features individual prints of all 10 of Hendrix’s fingers, plus a set of prints taken simultaneously. The reverse lists his occupation as “Musician”; address as “27 East 37th St. New York City New York U. S. A.”; and the charge against him, “Illegal Poss. Narcotics.” In fine condition, with an area of surface loss to the lower left of the reverse. Additionally includes two FBI documents, one detailing his criminal record and the other listing his personal information.

Detained by Customs

On May 3, 1969, Hendrix arrived at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, where he was detained by customs agents after they discovered a small amount of heroin and hashish in his luggage. He was arrested, booked and fingerprinted, but released on $10,000 bail so he could make his show at Maple Leaf Gardens later that night. The police escorted Hendrix to the venue, and he displayed a jovial attitude throughout the concert—including an alteration to the lyrics of ‘Red House,’ adding the line, ‘Soon as I get out of jail, I wanna see her.’ At his May 5th arraignment, Hendrix was formally charged with two counts of illegal possession of narcotics—each carrying a possible 20-year sentence—and the trial was set for December 8, 1969.

In order to be found guilty, Canadian law required Hendrix to have knowledge of the drugs in his possession. At the three-day long trial, Hendrix testified that he had no idea how the drugs made it into his luggage, and that they must have been slipped in as gifts by well-meaning fans. He also insisted that he had ‘outgrown’ his drug use. His manager and producer, Chas Chandler, corroborated the notion that fans frequently showered rock stars with gifts, which sometimes included drugs. During the jury trial he testified that a fan had given him a vial of what he thought was legal medication, which he put in his bag not knowing what was in it. He was acquitted of the charges. Drummer Mitch Mitchell and guitarist Noel Redding later revealed that everyone had been warned about a planned drug bust the day before flying to Toronto; they also stated they believed that the drugs had been planted in Hendrix’s bag without his knowledge.

After eight hours of deliberation, the jury returned a not guilty verdict. In remarks to reporters, Hendrix commented, ‘Canada has given me the best Christmas present I ever had.’

Both Sides of the Sky – the third in a trilogy of albums containing mostly unheard songs from Hendrix’s archives – will be released March 9, the day after our Pop Culture auction bidding goes live.

View the item here.

To see the full Pop Culture auction preview, click here.