Beatles Memorabilia Eleanor Rigby Register Sells at Auction

Ah look at all the lonely people . . . where do they all come from? If you are a Beatles fan, and many people are, you will recognize the lyrics from their song Eleanor Rigby, which Sir Paul McCartney penned and released on the Revolver album in 1966. Since the album first came out and the song became one of the most popular Beatle songs, many people have wondered, who was Eleanor Rigby? As it turns out, Ms. Rigby was a nurse at Liverpool City Hospital around 1911, according to a recent document sold at auction for $177,000.

The document is a salary register that bears the signature E. Rigby, which had to be signed to get her wages at that time. After many years of speculation, the register surfaced in 1990 when McCartney reportedly sent it to Annie Mawson, who had appealed to him for a donation. Mawson, who is head of a charity called Sunbeams Music and uses music to help people with special needs, must have thought him a little crazy when she received an envelope with the register. The register was sold by The Fame Bureau an auction company in London.

On another note reports have Paul McCartney saying that Ringo Starrs’ outburst about not signing autographs for fans. He said that Ringo was not arrogant, but was “honest.”

Springsteen Donates Memorabilia Off His Back for Charity Auction

It has been reported that Bruce Springsteen took the leather jacket off his back at a charity auction and donated it to help raise money for wounded war veterans. The arrogant Ringo Starr should take a page out of a real artist’s book. Springsteen, apparently was taking part in the New York Comedy Festival for the Bob Woodruff Foundation and had already donated his 1994 Harley. When the bidding stalled at $40,000 for the bike, Springsteen threw in the jacket and together they brought in $70,000. He had also donated an autographed guitar which was purchased for another $50,000. No wonder he is one of President (Elect) Barack Obama’s, whose own memorabilia is flying off of shelves, favorite artists.

The Boss, as he is affectionately known to his fans, reportedly is also working on a Barack Obama inspired album which is due out sometime in January. Springsteen campaigned for Obama as well as performed shows to benefit the Obama campaign. The album is sure to include “Workin’ on a Dream” which The Boss performed with his wife Patti at an Ohio campaign event. Brendan O’Brien is the producer of the album and according to the published reports, the album may be close to finished already. I wouldn’t be surprised to run into Springsteen in Washington on January 20th.

Ringo Starr Busy or Arrogant?

I grew up on the Beatles, as a matter of fact one of the first things I ever remember watching on an old black and white TV when we lived in the Big Apple was the Ed Sullivan Show where the Beatles made their U.S. debut. I was devastated when John Lennon lost his life in New York and there was a glimmer of hope that someday the band that I remember as a kid would return for at least one more performance. Today, Lennon is probably rolling in his grave at the arrogance of the one time drummer for the Beatles, Ringo Starr.

On his official website, Starr claims that he is too busy to read fan mail and sign memorabilia. A forty second outburst on video posted on his site, Starr says, “Nothing will be signed after the 20th of October. If that is the date on the envelope, it’s gonna be tossed.” He continues to say, “No more fan mail and no more objects to be signed. Nothing.” He claims he is too busy, we say he is pretty arrogant. A sculptured bush of Starr’s likeness was recently beheaded in Liverpool after disparaging remarks about the city. Turning away the people that made you who you are and what you are cannot be good for the image.

In June 2008 he also cancelled a show at the last minute in Bethel, New York and disappointed a lot of fans. Quite honestly, I think he is just getting too old and cantankerous. Maybe, he should just retire.

People Do Anything for James Bond Memorabilia

James Bond has been in the news lately and not because of some new movie coming out. Seem James Bond memorabilia is attracting people from all walks of life and people will do just about anything to acquire something James Bond. For those who have been living under a rock for many years, James Bond is the fictional spy in the popular Ian Fleming novels. Also known as Agent 007, James Bond movies have been the longest running film franchise in history with twenty two movies. The character itself has been played by many stars, the most notable being Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan. It was a gun used by Roger Moore in a movie that first made the news this week.

According to the authorities in Hertfordshire, England, the gun used by Moore in the movie The Man With The Golden Gun, has been stolen from the Elstree Studios. The gun, which is valued at more than $160,000 was made specifically for the movie and was in the care of the studio’s prop division. However, not all Bond memorabilia collectors are thieves, some buy the collectibles outright, even if they are not perfect.

The second piece of news this week involving Agent 007 was that a fan paid more than $400,000 for the Aston Martin DBS automobile that was being used to film the newest Bond movie, Quantum Solace. Normally that wouldn’t have been newsworthy, except that the car, which was being driven to the set of the new movie was involved in an accident and totaled before the collector paid the steep price for a piece of memorabilia. The price of this piece of James Bond memorabilia surpassed the price of what the car is worth new, $270,000 and it topped the price of a recent auction for a rare set of novels I wrote about recently.

T206 Honus Wagner Card to be Auctioned Off in November

This past August I wrote an article about a 1909 Honus Wagner card that sold at auction for more than $1.62 million. The card, which is known at T206 and at the time was sold by Mastro Auctions in Chicago, apparently has a twin. Philip Weiss Auctions of Oceanside, New York will sell another T206 Honus Wagner Baseball card as part of a huge auction slated for November 22 & 23, 2008. This card, which the auction house says is being sold by its original owner however is graded a 3 by SGC standards and therefore may not bring in the millions that its twin did in August. Philip Weiss is has been quoted in news reports as saying that the card is expected to bring in between $500,000 and $800,000.

This auction, which will feature more than 1000 lots in the two day period, will also include other sports memorabilia including other T205 and T206 baseball trading cards. Between 1909 and 1911, the American Tobacco Company inserted baseball cards into cigarette packs as a promotion. However, only about 200 of the Honus Wagner cards made it into general circulation because the athlete was a non-smoker and refused to be associated with the cigarette promotion. Born Johannes Peter Wagner in 1874, Honus was one of nine children. He played shortstop from 1897 to 1917 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

Marilyn Monroe Film Sells at Auction, Elton John Brooch Does Not

In Australia this week, an amateur film of Marilyn Monroe fetched a cool $16,000 at Leski’s Auction. The short two and a half minute film showed Monroe while on the set of the movie Some Like it Hot. The film was shot by a friend of the actress and also showed Tony Curtis and Billy Wilder who co-starred in that 1959 picture. Marilyn Monroe memorabilia is a hot commodity and very sought after. This is the second homemade film of the actress that has surfaced this year. The other film showing Monroe engaged in a sex act with an unknown man sold at auction for more than $1.5 million.

Meanwhile, a sapphire and diamond brooch belonging to singer Elton John failed to sell at an auction in England. Valued at close to $25,000, the art deco brooch which is shaped like a “J” was worn by the Sir Elton in his music video titled, I Don’t Wanna Go Out With You Like That, in 1988. In published reports before the auction, Bonham’s reportedly said that they were not worried about economic conditions for this sale because, “Diamonds have an enduring appeal.” After the brooch failed to sell, other reports on the Internet said that auction bosses blamed the current turbulent economic climate.

Michael Vick Memorabilia Storage Unit Auction

Many years ago, when I owned a shop in Buffalo, New York, a friend whom I had met at an auction came by and asked me if I would deliver some things he had bought at auction. He told me that he had bought the contents of an unpaid storage unit and needed to get some big items home. In return for my help in delivering his goods, I could have whatever was left in the storage unit. I agreed after he told me that the unit contained clean used furniture. He had bought the contents of the unit at auction only because he wanted some chairs that were in there. It was a win win situation, because the cache I got out of the storage unit amounted to thousands of dollars in free furniture, which I quickly sold. When you buy the contents of a storage unit at auction, you just never know what you are going to end up with.

This week, Edward Howard purchased the contents of a storage unit at auction and ended up with a cache of former NFL football star Michael Vick memorabilia. According to wordpress.com, the storage unit in Williamsburg, Virginia went unpaid and Ironbound Road Mini Storage decided to sell off its contents. Edward Howard, although skeptical at first about it actually being Vick’s storage unit, purchased the contents and to his surprise found that it did indeed contain Vick’s property. Mostly, it was property that was given as presents to Michaels son, Mitez. Inside the storage unit were a signed football, signed pictures and books and Michael Vick flags. Unlike me however, Howard has said that he will give the contents back to Vick after he is released from prison.

Sarah Palin Action Figure Doll

No matter you’re partly politics or whom you decide to vote for in the November election for President of the United States, history will be made, thus started my NOVA-Antiques Newsletter Article on September 5, 2008. The article talked about political memorabilia and its worth in years to come because of the historical significance of this upcoming election. What I didn’t know at the time was that a new Sarah Palin action doll manufactured by Herobuilders.com was going to come along and take the political memorabilia market by storm. Reports on the Internet have stated that thousands of the dolls have been sold.

The dolls, which can cost up to 29.95, come in three different poses in different outfits, including Super Action Hero Palin, School Girl Palin and the plain Sarah Palin action figure. However, all the dolls have the same Palin hairdo and glasses. I have to say that I find that the Vice Presidential nominee’s doll does not do her any justice, whether that was intentional or not I guess we will never know. What is known is that if the company has received thousands of orders for the doll and they don’t cap their sales at some point or come up with a special edition with limited numbers the dolls will probably not have a lot of value in the future. Although a great novelty item and conversation starter, you'll be able to stick the Palin doll in the worthless collectible drawer.

Shea Stadium & RCA Dome Memorabilia to be Auctioned & Sold

Recently I wrote an article about the City of Buffalo announcing that they are seeking an auction company to sell off Buffalo Memorial Auditorium memorabilia. I said it would be sad to see the old place go. Many other fans will feel the same way this week with the announcement of the Shea Stadium memorabilia auction and the upcoming RCA Dome memorabilia auction. Shea Stadium in New York is where the Major League Baseball New York Mets play. The RCA Dome is where the Payton Manning threw many of his touchdown passes in the National Football League. In an era of better stadiums to make players and owners richer, both of those venues are being torn down.

The sale of Shea Stadium memorabilia began today and continues throughout the weekend. Everything at the stadium is being offered for sale including seats, banners, signs, dugout and even the escalators. The kicker here is that in order to bid or buy any of these items you must first join the club. MeiGray Group who is running the sale of memorabilia is first selling, for $2,500 - $10,000 Premiere Club memberships that will allow you a chance at first dibs on the merchandise. They have three levels Platinum, Gold and Silver. The money you pay is being called a minimum purchase deposit and although non-refundable, will be used towards any purchases you make.

On September 24, 2008, the roof of the RCA Dome, which was built in 1984, in Indianapolis, Indiana, will be deflated. After it is completely deflated, the roof will be cut into small pieces and sold as memorabilia along with other memorabilia that is being salvaged within the stadium walls. For about $60 you can obtain a piece of the RCA Dome roof on a plaque from the Colts Pro Shop. Apparently they are also auctioning off items although when I checked out the site recently, there was nothing listed on their auction page. After the roof is gone and everything else is stripped and dismantled, the upper level is going to be imploded. And another great venue in the history of sports and will be gone forever.

Elvis Presley Fingerprints Outbid by Jimi Hendrix Guitar

Almost half a million dollars was brought in by the guitar that was infamously set on fire onstage by Jimi Hendrix. The guitar, a Fender Stratocaster, was set aflame at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and was expected to bring in closer to $900,000. The guitar was the highlight of the auction by The Fame Bureau an auction house in London, England. In addition to the Hendrix guitar, Elvis Presley’s fingerprints on a concealed gun application went for close to $82,000 and a copy of the Beatles first contract with Brian Epstein sold for over $400,000.

Record Auction for Rare Set of James Bond Novels

A rare set of James Bond, 007 novels and other memorabilia sold today for a reported $55,800 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The books and memorabilia, which were originally owned by the late Sir Fitzroy Maclean, were purchased by John Gilbert who is writing a book about author Ian Fleming. It is widely believed that the fictional James Bond character is closely modeled by Sir Fitzroy Maclean, who was a soldier and diplomat, and was stationed in Moscow in the late 30’s.

Ian Lancaster Fleming was an author and journalist who served time in the British Navy during World War II. He wrote and is best remembered for writing twelve James Bond novels and nine short stories. Born in Mayfair, London, Fleming was educated at Eton and then went on to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, Munich University and the University of Geneva in Switzerland. While serving in the war he was promoted to Commander. In 1953 he wrote his first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, in which a lot of the background came from his work in the intelligence field.

Sir Fitzroy Maclean was born on March 11, 1911 and served as a soldier and politician. After Eton, he studied at King’s College and Cambridge University. In 1933 he joined the England’s diplomatic service and in 1939 was stationed in Moscow. He used his exploits in Moscow to write an autobiography titled Eastern Approaches. In 1941 he left the Diplomatic Corp and entered the Army as an enlisted man, but later became a commissioned officer. He saw acion in Northern Africa and Yugoslavia. Sir Fitzroy Mclean passed away in June 1996.

Buffalo Memorial Auditorium (The Aud) Memorabilia Auction

The City of Buffalo yesterday and it’s mayor, Byron Brown, announced that they are searching for an auction company to sell memorabilia from the old Buffalo War Memorial Auditorium. The Aud, as it is affectionately known in Western New York is an indoor arena that served the community well from 1940 until 1996. In its heyday, the Aud provided a fantastic venue for everything from NBA basketball (Buffalo Braves) to NHL Hockey (Buffalo Sabres) as well as circuses, wrestling events, ice shows lacrosse and indoor soccer. The Aud was also a favorite destination for concert goers with acts such as the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Paula Adbul, Garth Brooks and many many others.


In 1970, when the Sabres finally arrived in Buffalo, my brother and I became fans of the team as well as the Buffalo Braves of the NBA. However, the Aud has a deeper meaning for me because I remember going there as a kid. My father was a huge professional wrestling fan and as a kid we watched on TV on Saturday evenings. When the behemoths of the ring came to the Aud in most cases my father, my brothers and I would go to see the action. It was events like these where my father, who has since passed away, bonded. The very last event at the Aud was indeed a wrestling show with proceeds benefitting the Ilio D’Palo Foundation in 1996, my father, my youngest son and I were there. It will be sad to see the Aud finally go.

Michael Phelps Trading Card Value Soars

Unless you have been living under a rock the past few weeks you have all heard the name Michael Phelps a few times either on the news, or you have read it in the papers or your friends and neighbors have been abuzz with his name. If you have been under a rock, then let us fill you in, Michael Phelps is being billed as “the greatest Olympian” by many people because he just accomplished winning eight gold medals in swimming at the Beijing Olympics this week. We agree that it was no small feat, especially when you have to depend on others, during relay competitions, in order to achieve your goal. Congratulations to Michael Phelps on his achievement and thank you for representing us well at the Olympics.

What does Michael Phelps have to do with antiques and collectibles you ask? Let us not forget about trading cards. Although swimmers cards are not as popular or collectible as baseball cards, you can rest assured that the value of the Michael Phelps swimming card has gone up. Other sources on the Internet are reporting that the card that was worth a mere $25 a few months ago was trading at over $500 right before the Olympics began last week. Many speculators say that the market value could go up to the thousands of dollars within the next couple of weeks. If you have one, hang on to it because I think that card is going to appreciate even more in years to come.

Collecting NASA and Space Memorabilia Collectibles

"Ten, nine, ignition sequence start, six, five, four, three, two, one, zero. All engines running. Lift off; we have a lift off, 32 minutes past the hour. Lift off on Apollo 11."

That’s how it all started on July 16, 1969 as Apollo 11 took off from Kennedy Space Center headed for the moon. Four days later, it was an uneasy atmosphere in Mission Control as the spacecraft neared its destination. NASA scientists were confident they could get Apollo 11 to the moon, but landing it was a whole different story. If the spacecraft tipped over during landing, the crew would be stranded, unable to return home.

Their fears were silenced on July 20 as the spacecraft safely touched down. Commander Neil Armstrong climbed out and down the ladder. He was standing on the moon. “I thought that when I step off it's just going to be a little step, you'll step from there, down to there,” Armstrong said. “But then I thought about all those 400,000 people that had given me the opportunity to make that step and thought it's gonna be a big something for all those folks, and indeed for a lot of others that weren't even involved in the project.”

All over the world, a sense of triumph filled people. If landing on the moon was possible, anyone could reach the stars. Everything was possible. Collecting space memorabilia is as close as most people will ever get to the moon. It’s also their chance to own a piece of American space history. Baby-boomers who grew up with the moon landing are big collectors. The field includes everything from astronaut autographs to stamps, photos and pieces of real space hardware. Tens of thousands of NASA-licensed objects sell at space center and museum gift shops, like limited edition coins or photographs, many for under a hundred dollars.

On March 18, Swann Galleries, New York, held their fourth Space Exploration auction. They featured artifacts, emblems, medallions, books, charts and maps, postal covers, photographs, equipment, posters and more. Among the most desirable lots in the auction were flown items that were the property of astronauts. This included Apollo 11 artifacts from the Buzz Aldrin collection. An official 8 inch by 10 inch color photograph of the crew in space suits signed and inscribed by Armstrong sold for $5,750.

NOVA-Antiques Newsletter Archive – April 20, 2006 . . . .

Elvis Presley Jumpsuit Sells for Record at Memorabilia Auction

A few weeks ago I wrote about the record auction for James Brown memorabilia including one of his infamous capes that went for more than $32,000. This time it’s Elvis and it is one of his flamboyant jumpsuits. The hand embroidered Peacock jumpsuit was designed by Bill Belew in 1974 for the King of Rock and Roll. It was reported that Elvis originally paid $10,000 for the jumpsuit that sold for a record $300,000. Pre-auction estimates for the jumpsuit by online auctioneers, Gotta Have It! Collectibles, ranged from $275 to $325,000. The previous record for an Elvis collectible was $295,000 for the King’s Lincoln.

Elvis Presley was born in January 1935 was originally a controversial figure in American music because he blended black and white sounds. It did not help that he gyrated and swayed his hips to the music he played while on stage, in a country that was still pre-cultural revolution of the 60’s. However, as time passed, Elvis became an icon of that same culture and one of the most popular and recognizable names in the music business ever, earning him the title of The King of Rock and Roll. In addition to his music, Elvis made 32 movies. Sadly, Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977.

James Brown Memorabilia Auctioned Off

Some of the belongings of The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, went on the auction block last week and brought in just over $850,000. More than 300 memorabilia items were sold by Christie’s of New York. Aside from his infamous jumpsuits and capes there were many other personal mementos available for purchase including a medical bracelet worn by Brown. Paul Shaffer of the Late Show with David Letterman won the bracelet with a bid of more than $32,500. Some of his satin capes went for more than $35,000.

James Joseph Brown who had the distinction of many titles, including The Godfather of Soul was also known as the Hardest Working Man in Show Business. He was born in Barnwell, South Carolina. His professional career began in 1953 and he quickly ascended the popular music charts to become one of the most influential figures of the genre with hit songs like “Papas Got a Brand New Bag” and “I Got You (I Feel Good).” James Brown died at in 2006 at the age of 73 but the mystique of this legendary performer will live on through his music and now through his memorabilia as well.

Babe Ruth Cap Sells For Record Auction

Yesterday, a sweat stained cap belonging to the great Babe Ruth sold at auction for more than $328,000. The cap, which is one of three still known to exist, was stitched on the inside with G.H. Ruth, his full name was George Herman Ruth. The cap was not expected to bring in more than $200,000 in pre-auction estimates. The cap, a piece of 1920’s memorabilia, was not the only thing that sold.

A bat also belonging to the Sultan of Swat, as Ruth was known, also sold for $195,000. The bat was personally signed for former Broadway star Tessa Kosta. Before this, Babe Ruth memorabilia that has sold at auction include the bat he used to hit his first home run at Yankee stadium. This bat brought in more than $1.26 million in 2004 at a Sotheby’s auction.

Britney Spears Clothing on the Auction Block

Bet you all can’t wait for this one . . . Britney Spears clothes will be auctioned off between July 21 and August 6, 2008. Gotta Have It Auctioneers an online auction company is conducting their Rock N Roll Pop Art Auction and seven of Britney’s items will be included, among them a sexy Santa dress she wore for a Pepsi commercial. The nice thing about this auction is that the proceeds will go to charity.