9-24-08 Noel Rockmore Auction Update

RuthieChicken Henry
Greetings!
 
What an exciting Rockmore summer we had! We certainly hope all of our Louisiana and Texas friends fared well with minimal damage. This Auction Update is to let you know about two auctions that are coming right up and a few Rockmore related news events that have occurred recently. We will be updating you soon on all of the fantastic works of art that we uncovered on all of our summer trips across the country.

First, there was a very nice article about Gypsy Lou Webb that appeared in the Times Picayune newspaper.  Gypsy Lou Webb Article   Gypsy Lou was a favorite companion and subject of Noel Rockmore after her husband Jon Webb passed away in 1971. Several times in the article it mentions the Rockmore watercolor of Lou & Jon that Shirley Marvin presented her with at our very first get together at Preservation Hall. The sad part of the article relates that Lou is not doing well financially and we hope to have an event in February that might raise some funds for this deserving icon of the French Quarter. Stay tuned - we will keep you posted.
 
There was another sad event that occurred which was the passing of "Ruthie the Duck Lady" who is featured in the painting to the left above and was another favorite subject of Noel Rockmore. Ruthie the Duck Girl, a French Quarter eccentric who zoomed from bar to bar on roller skates, often wearing a ratty fur coat and long skirt and trailed by a duck or two, died Sept. 6 at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge. She was 74. Article - Ruthie the Duck Girl Dies You can really gain an appreciation of Ruthie and the "French Quarter That Was" by reading the "quarterite" comments in the article and her online obituary guest book Ruthie Online Guest Book . We hope to honor the memory of Ruthie at our February event as well.
 
We are getting close to completing our first phase of documenting The Noel Rockmore Project and will be in New Orleans October 11-17 documenting more Rockmores. Please let us know if you have Rockmores in the New Orleans area that you wish to have documented during this time period.
 
Thanks to all that sent condolences for Rich's brother who passed away on May 13, 2008 and the good wishes for a healthy recovery for Shirley who had shingles and recovered and for Tee who went through a series of tests for nerve deterioration that eventually came out negative. We appreciate all of your support. To all of our friends that we visited and documented this summer, we will soon be in touch with you to share the transcribed interviews and the documentation of your Rockmores. 
 
Now on to the really exciting auction updates! In these economic times many folks are looking away from the traditional investment market and towards new opportunities like art. We hope that you might find this informative and helpful. None of these works are part of the Shirley Marvin collection. She wishes to keep her collection together for as long as it takes to get Noel Rockmore recognized as an American Master! 
 
Rich & Tee Marvin

Upcoming St. Charles Gallery Auction - September 27-28

This auction is right around the corner and the Rockmores will be auctioned on Sunday. The deadline to place an absentee bid is by this Friday, September 26 at 5PM. It could not be easier, simply click on this link, fill out the forms and you are done. We have done business with this gallery before and will verify that they do business the RightWay.  St. Charles Gallery absentee bid form
 
Lot #1202 Mike Sultzer  - Click for better picture            #1 Al Rose
 
LOT DESCRIPTION
"Mike Sultzer",
ink and watercolor on paper, sight 14" x 11", signed and titled lower left "Rockmore". Glazed, matted and presented in a mahogany frame.
St. Charles Gallery Estimate = $150 - $300
The Rockmore Project Buy Rating: $100-$150 a steal, $150-$225 a great buy, $225-300 Good Investment, $300-$400- Fair Market Value Now - Not sure who Mike Sultzer is and we would be interested to know but it is a very nice watercolor and representative of a lighter style of Rockmore.
 
 
 
 
Lot #1206 Leslie tie-dying at Clinic - Click for better picture  
#1 Al Rose
LOT DESCRIPTION
"Leslie - Tie-Dyeing Clinic", ink and wash on paper, sight 10-1/2" x 13-1/2", signed, titled and dated on the basal edge lower left "Rockmore, June 22, 1970". Glazed, matted and presented in a black-painted frame.
St. Charles Gallery Estimate = $150 - $300
The Rockmore Project Buy Rating: $100-$150 a steal, $150-$225 a great buy, $225-300 Good Investment, $300-$400- Fair Market Value Now - Not sure who Leslie is either but it certainly captures the Mike Stark Free Clinic atmosphere in 1970.
 
 

Upcoming Neal Auction Gallery October 11 & 12

 
This auction is dealing with Rockmore Oils that are at the very high end of the current works presented at auction. The estimates are reasonable and somebody will walk away with some fantastic pieces that have the potential to dramatically increase in value. Neal Auction has an absentee form that is easy and we have used it and had positive experiences with them as well. Neal Auction Absentee bid form The deadline is 5PM on October 10th. This would be the type of auction to try the Live Auctioneer service as well to watch the auction or to bid live.
  
Lot #610. "Chicken Henry"
#1 Al Rose 
LOT DESCRIPTION
"Chicken Henry" oil on canvas, signed, titled and dated "April 1st, 63" lower right, labels from "63 Artists of the Southeast and Texas, New Orleans Museum of Art, loaned from Borenstein Gallery, 519 Royal St." and "Associated Artists " en verso, 76 in. x 38 in., in a period frame.
 
Neal Auction Estimate =
$4000-$6000
The Rockmore Project Buy Rating:
$3K-$4K a steal, $4K-5K a great buy, $5K-7K Good Investment, $7K-30K- Fair Market Value Now 
 
This is the best Jazz Period piece that has come up for auction since we started the Project two years ago. Chicken Henry is documented as Rockmores favorite jazz musician subject and this is the best jazz piece we have seen. The 6 ft by 3 ft size of such an impressive oil insures that whoever gets this one will get a piece of art history and a valuable asset. The potential is there to break the 26K Rockmore auction record.  

 
"Golden Star" (Star Joey) oil on canvas, signed and dated "'81" upper right, titled upper left, 24 in. x 18 in. Provenance: Exhibited in "Noel Rockmore Fantasies and Realities", New Orleans Museum of Art, 1998, no. 56 in exhibition catalogue.
 
Neal Auction Estimate = $3500/5500
The Rockmore Project Buy Rating: $1K-$2K a steal, $2K-3K a great buy, $3K-4K Good Investment, $4K-5K- Fair Market Value Now   
 
Star Joey is a French quarter Icon in the same vein as Gypsy Lou and Ruthie the Duck Lady. He is a recognized character who stands outside the Star Steak & Lobster rest. and Rockmore was attracted to his unusual features and personality. Our unconfirmed guess is that Star Joey is selling his portraits to raise some funds and we wish him the best. Its a small but powerful work and was selected for the 1998 show. 
 
 
#1 Al Rose"Joey II" (Star Joey) oil on board, signed and dated "'82" lower right, signed, titled and dated "1982, Aug. New Orleans" en verso, 24 in. x 20 in.
 
Neal Auction Estimate = $3500/5500 
The Rockmore Project Buy Rating: $1K-$2K a steal, $2K-3K a great buy, $3K-4K Good Investment, $4K-5K- Fair Market Value Now  
 
What a contrast this piece is compared to the other that was done one year earlier in 1981. This one captures a whole different look of Star Joey and gives Rockmore a chance to display his ability to capture animals on canvas as well. What a companion piece this would make to the other Star Joey if one bidder should end up with both. Then again it could end up with a dog person, you never know. 

Lot #1142. "My Mother (Glady Rockmore Davis)"
 
#1 Al Rose"My Mother (Glady Rockmore Davis)" pen and ink drawing, signed, titled and dated "61, New York" lower right, sight 12 3/4 in. x 9 1/4 in., framed. 
Neal Auction Estimate = $700/900
The Rockmore Project Buy Rating: $800-$1000 a steal, $1000-$1200 a great buy, $1200-$1500 Good Investment, $1500-$2000- Fair Market Value Now    
Wow, some might think those Rockmore Project buy Ratings seem a little high for a pen and ink. We firmly believe that Rockmore and his family are the first family of American Art. This drawing has really important historic significance within that parameter. His mother, Gladys Rockmore Davis, is recognized as a great artist of her time. This drawing was made when Rockmore returned to NYC in 1961 after his first visit to New Orleans. There is a fascinating dynamic between these two artist that extends beyond the typical mother and son relationship. Rockmore would go on to do a series of his parents but this is several years before that project. You heard it here, we stand by it, this one is an important find.

Neal Auction web site  

Results -St. Charles Gallery Auction July 26/27 2008

The "very good" news from this auction is that 12 out of 12 Rockmores drawings and watercolors went for way more than the estimate and each and every one was sold. For those that have Rockmores or are starting collections with the smaller works, this is very exciting indeed! 
 
#1- # 139 - "Al Rose"
, pen, ink and watercolor on paper,  10-1/2" x 13-1/4",   St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $75 - $125  - Sold for $325  #1 Al Rose #1
 
#2 - # 205 - "Clinic", watercolor and India ink on paper, 13-1/4" x 10-1/2", St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $75 -$125 Sold for $200
                                     #1 Al Rose#2 #1 Al Rose #3       
#3 - #210 - "Study of a Reclining Figure", India ink on paper, sight 12" x 17-1/2", signed lower right "Noel Davis Rockmore". 1956 St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $100 - $200 - Sold for $225
 
#4 - #214 - "Possibly O.M & Riva abstract", a watercolor, close to 20 X 15 and signed Rockmore, Jan 71 - St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $150 - $300  Sold for $225   #1 Al Rose#4     #1 Al Rose#5
 
#5 - #415 - "Old Woman with Guitar and Friends", pen and ink on paper, 10-1/2" x 13-1/4", signed and dated upper right "Rockmore 1970". St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $50 - $80  Sold for $200

#6 - #416 - "Tom Hill, Larry B., Dick Allen at the Fair", watercolor and ink, 10-1/2" x 13-1/4", St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $75 - $125  Sold  for $275   
 
 #1 Al Rose#6 #1 Al Rose#7#1 Al Rose#8
#7 - #418 - "Johnny Wigs",  watercolor and ink on paper, sight 11" x 13-1/2", inscribed indistinctly, signed and dated lower right "Rockmore '63".  St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $75 - $125  Sold for $325 
 
#8 - #420 - "Cajun Band", pen and ink on paper, 10-1/2" x 13-1/4", signed "Rockmore".
St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $50 - $80  Sold for $200 
 
#9 - #555 - "Three Figures",
 mixed media on paper, sight 11" x 13-1/2", signed lower right "Rockmore Jan 9, 69 For Robin".
St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $150 - $300 Sold for $375 
#1 Al Rose #9  #1 Al Rose #10
 
#10 - #561 - "Bearded Captain with Pipe", watercolor and ink on paper, sight 13-1/2" x 10-1/2", signed and dated lower right "Rockmore 1970". St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $100 - $200 Sold for $225
 
#11 - #1021 - "Laughing Figures", mixed media on paper, sight 11" x 13-1/2", signed and dated upper left "Rockmore 1969 for Robin". St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $150 - $300 Sold for $650 
 
#12 - #1219 - "Pat after the Party", watercolor and ink on paper, sight 13-1/2" x 10-1/2", signed and dated lower right "Rockmore 1970". St. Charles Gallery ESTIMATE = $75 - $125 Sold for $175 
#1 Al Rose #11  #1 Al Rose #12
 
Result from New Orleans Auction Gallery on August 2, 2008 
 
Lot 992 
#1- "Jazz Funeral, French Quarter, New Orleans",  1981, oil on board, signed and dated lower left "Rockmore '81", 14" x 11".
New Orleans Auction Gallery ESTIMATE =   $3000 - $5000
Sold for $3180 after auction *
 
* We learned on this one that often items get sold after auction to people that want to scoop up a deal and make an offer. The downside is that the works do not get indexed at the art search sites as sold. The upside is we now know you can get a deal if you are willing to make an offer on a work not sold during the auction.
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