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View Full Version : The Christie's Auction of 10/8/2008



Greg Stec
Sep-30-2008, 11:07pm
The Gibson mandolins for the upcoming Christie's Auction.
I have no interest AT ALL in ANY of this.
Just passing the news.
http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/searchresults.aspx?intSaleID=21670#action=refine&intSaleID=21670&sid=9241410c-fa54-423b-951d-ab692bc85ce8&selectedids=23929

Greg

CORRECTION: The auction is 10/10/2008. SRI

mrmando
Oct-01-2008, 2:53am
Wowsers.

Kind of a low estimate on that Fern, don't you think? Shouldn't it go for more like $80-100K?

Mark Seale
Oct-01-2008, 12:19pm
That will be an interesting auction to follow. There is also a Henderson guitar that may be a bit undervalued.

Greg Stec
Oct-01-2008, 2:08pm
How 'bout the '31 Gibson TB-6 (tenor banjo) hoping to get between $20K-$30K. It's a stunner, but wow!

Remember, the prices are what "the experts" -in their best, conservative opinion- is what THEY proclaim the item will draw. Nobody's gonna know how the bidding will go until it happens.

It's gonna be interesting.

As for me, I'd like to take a stab at either the Eric Clapton Martin or one of the "cheaper" Roy Rogers Martins.

Dream, dream, dream.
Greg

Glassweb
Oct-01-2008, 2:18pm
Kind of a low estimate on that Fern, don't you think? Shouldn't it go for more like $80-100K?[/QUOTE]

A low estimate indeed. I find this Fern very interesting... a much lighter finish than is typical for this era and none of the typical lacquer crazing/degradation. My own belief (without seeing it in person however...) is that this may be one case where a varnish finish was custom ordered on a post-Loar instrument. I've been told by an expert on Gibson instruments that this was certainly done from time to time. If that's the case (and I don't have any first-hand proof that it is), this particular Fern would be a grand catch for the winning bidder.

JEStanek
Oct-01-2008, 2:33pm
My anecdotal knowledge of auctions like this are from seeing Skinner's catalogue with lower numbers than the instruments go for during the actual auction. I wonder who is doing the appraisals.

Jamie

Michael Gowell
Oct-01-2008, 6:33pm
I agree with Jamie - these estimates are deliberately lowballed in order to draw more bidders, some of whom will get the bit in their teeth and buy at the usual high auction prices. Nice clean instruments, though - perhaps a Cafe poster will see them in person and give us a report.

Links
Oct-08-2008, 1:59pm
Did anyone see what these instruments went for? All (or practically anyway) of the "big" auction houses, in my opinion, are a little on the shady side - particularly when in comes to condition reports (or lack therof). The fcat that most of the new Martins are directly from Martin, and being sold for charity gives this auction a little more credibility, but I would not bid on any of their stuff unless I had seen it in person.

If you want to see how these auction houses work, just go to Google and type in the name of the auction house and "legal problems", trouble, etc. You will see some interesting stories about collusion, commsion fixing, shady lending practices, etc.

Glassweb
Oct-08-2008, 2:08pm
The auction is actually on Friday the 10th...

Darryl Wolfe
Oct-08-2008, 2:58pm
I am familiar with the fern. It is nice and light in color, but it is lacquer. Overall it is very nice. Glassweb, it was once owned simultaneously by a fellow that owned "that other Fern" and my current Loar. The curious aspect is that it has 2 Master Model labels on top of each other. One peeks out just a little bit.

Glassweb
Oct-08-2008, 3:10pm
Thanks for the info about the finish Darryl... I imagine it's quite lovely in person...

BradKlein
Oct-09-2008, 9:27am
I played the fern yesterday and spoke a bit with Kerry Keane who heads that department.

I thought it was a lovely sounding instrument, and that finish is fascinating. Just a bit of wear on the neck, and I had to ask Kerry if he was dead certain that it was really original lacquer, and never refinished.

I noticed the double labels (there are also some numbers in pencil that seem to have been written through the sound hole). Both are loosely attached, and would seem to be removable through the f hole and seperated by someone with experience with old paper, if the owner desired.

Darryl Wolfe
Oct-09-2008, 12:29pm
Any chance you could get the F5Journl/Mandolinarchivce some good pictures??

Tom C
Oct-09-2008, 1:19pm
25% buyer premium is alot. or 20% over $50K

Capt. E
Oct-09-2008, 4:44pm
The F4 is pretty nice looking as well. Probably low on that as well.

BradKlein
Oct-09-2008, 10:27pm
Darryl, If I am able to stop by the auction tomorrow, I will try and snap a few pictures for you, but I don't think I'll get much access on auction day. Certainly won't manage the detail that would be needed to really document the present day finish and color.

If nothing else, the instrument has had the headstock scroll repaired, and the binding and finish work that would accompany that. At least so it appears to me.

Greg Stec
Oct-10-2008, 5:28pm
What they went for.....

Lot 56, Sale 2033, New York, Rockefeller Plaza
GIBSON MANDOLIN-GUITAR COMPANY
A MANDOLIN, STYLE F-5, KALAMAZOO, MI., 1927
...price realized
$60,000
[ME:Cheap, IMHO]

Lot 60, Sale 2033, New York, Rockefeller Plaza
GIBSON MANDOLIN-GUITAR COMPANY
A MANDOLIN, STYLE F-4, KALAMAZOO, MI., CIRCA 1917
...price realized
$4,750

Lot 117, Sale 2033, New York, Rockefeller Plaza
THE GIBSON MANDOLIN-GUITAR COMPANY
A MANDOLIN, F-2, KALAMAZOO, MI., CIRCA 1916
...
$3,750

Glassweb
Oct-10-2008, 5:54pm
i guess with the "buyer's privilege" added that Fern went for almost $75K. that's about right for an auction price given today's current economic chill... anyone else have some thoughts on this?

Glassweb
Oct-10-2008, 7:41pm
[QUOTE=K5player;587807]What they went for.....

Lot 56, Sale 2033, New York, Rockefeller Plaza
GIBSON MANDOLIN-GUITAR COMPANY
A MANDOLIN, STYLE F-5, KALAMAZOO, MI., 1927
...price realized
$60,000
[ME:Cheap, IMHO]

Whoops... I stand corrected... $60K was the FINAL price after all fees... now that's quite a steal - yow!

delsbrother
Oct-10-2008, 9:13pm
Wow, a previously unknown (I think) Knutsen harp guitar went for $813.

ohhim
Oct-11-2008, 11:40am
[QUOTE=K5player;587807]What they went for.....

Lot 56, Sale 2033, New York, Rockefeller Plaza
GIBSON MANDOLIN-GUITAR COMPANY
A MANDOLIN, STYLE F-5, KALAMAZOO, MI., 1927
...price realized
$60,000
[ME:Cheap, IMHO]

Whoops... I stand corrected... $60K was the FINAL price after all fees... now that's quite a steal - yow!

I don't think so, as according to the FAQ: "The successful bidder is required to pay a buyer's premium, a percentage on top of the final bid price or hammer price".

Here, it would be $14,500 on top of the $60,000 quote (for a total of $74,500). You'd pay 25% on the first $50,000 (of $12,500) + 20% of the next $10,000 (of $2,000).

So the final prices for the other two would be about $5940 for the F4, and $4687 for the F2.

Glassweb
Oct-11-2008, 12:53pm
I was told by a very reputable dealer who was at the auction that the final, realized price for the Fern, including all fees, was $60K. That's all I know.