3-31-09 The Noel Rockmore Project Update

In This Issue
The Last Supper - April 5th - New Orleans Auction Galleries - Est. 3.5-5K
Coney Island Labyrinth - April 18th 2009 - Neal Auction - Est. 15-25-5K
Homage with 40 Names
Greetings!

 
We wanted to thank all those who participated in the name the folks in the "Homage to the French Quarter Contest." The WINNER of the "Preservation Hall Portraits" book Grand Prize is Resa Lambert, a Preservation Hall icon, with 31 identifications. Congratulations Resa! In 2nd place was JoAnne Clevenger who owns the painting which is on display at "The Upperline Restaurant". All of you that participated will get a prize of a 1964 Noel Rockmore catalog(link) which is now a collectors item. Please email us your mailing address to confirm your prize. You can still win a prize by actually identifying any of the remaining unidentified characters - especially #10 - - *note - Johnny White regular is just not a positive I.D. Homage High resolution close up link.
 
There is some exciting news on the Noel Rockmore Auction front with two big auctions coming up including one this weekend of "The Last Supper" at New Orleans Auction Galleries.
 
We will also make a PR push to bring visibility to Noel Rockmore tied into the sale of one of his masterpiece Crown Jewels, 'The Coney Island Labyrinth" self portrait on April 18th at Neal Auction.
 
The sad news to report is that Johnny Donnels (web site link), the long time French Quarter icon, photographer and artist passed away on March 19th after taking a spill playing with his dog. There were complications after his hip surgery and he succumbed shortly thereafter to a heart attack. Many of you got the postcard that had Johnny's photo of Gypsy Lou Webb & Noel Rockmore on it. We were lucky enough to get to know Johnny well in the last year and this photo by Tee Marvin captures him in his element. (WWL Obit & comments)  (Times Picayune Obit) (Tributes.com) Our condolences to his family, may his memory be a blessing.
 
The Noel Rockmore Project Team is busily documenting and transcribing Rockmore interviews.There are more trips planned in the near future to document artwork and interview characters and collectors. Let us know if you are interested.
 
That's all for now. We will keep you posted. Click on the name below to email us.

The Last Supper - April 5th - New Orleans Auction Galleries
The Last SupperLot 949 - The Last Supper(link) - Estimate $3500-$5000
This is a classic Rockmore work from 1974, it is an oil and mixed media on canvas, signed and dated lower right "Rockmore 74", 36-1/4" x 36-1/4". Presented in a handsome giltwood frame with cream linen liner.
 
The painting has the Rockmore cityscape scene, night sky, flowers, still life, feeple people and it uses Hologram eyes for the eyes. These eyes had just come out at the time and Rockmore pasted them in so that Christ eyes not only follow you but they open and close as well. One of the comments you often here from Rockmore collectors is how many things they find in their paintings each time they look at them. This work has all that and it looks back at you.
 
The Last Supper will be an excellent conversation piece and is one that we would love to take on an eventual museum tour so let us know if you win it.  

Coney Island Labyrinth - April 18th 2009 - Neal Auction
 Coney IslandLot 463: "Coney Island Labyrinth," Estimate: $15,000/25,000 

This self portrait is one of the "Crown Jewels" of Noel Rockmore. It is an oil on canvas, signed and dated "'58" lower right, signed, titled, inscribed "June July August 10, 1958 painted above Ghost Ride on second floor - and studio - Summer '58, Coney Island"  50 in. x 34 in., framed.
 
This is THE Major Event in the Rockmore World of Art. It could be argued that it his greatest self portrait and his greatest masterpiece ever. It is quite surprising that it is coming to auction at this time and in this way. There is no doubt it will sell and quite possibly set the World Record for Rockmore which is currently 26.5K for another self portrait.
 
This will be a STEAL at any price within the 15-25K estimate for the collector who is lucky enough to get it. When we are successful with The Noel Rockmore Project in the next two years, the value will be at least 6 figures. Its his signature work!
 
Factor in the low level of promotion to date, it's a New York artwork, it was not in the Neal mailout brochure, Neal artist index will not be up until April 5th, poor economic climate, low recognition of Rockmore value outside our close circle - somebody is going to get the Rockmore deal of all time.  
 
Of course, we will do all we can to get some major PR and Neal Auction has graciously offered to work with us. It's just going to be very tough - the PR should be in the hands of the Press before next Wednesday and most don't even know the Rockmore story. It will be very exciting to see how all this plays out and it will become part of the Rockmore lore forever. We'll keep you posted! 
Results of the recent Rockmore Ebay auction 1/15/09 
Percy Humphrey$1076 - Fair - The First piece is of Percy Humphrey of Preservation Hall and is an oil on masonite in the classic Rockmore-Borenstein Jazz Portrait frame. Click here for the Percy Humphrey Ebay link.
Rockmore did several of these oil on masonites during this time period and Percy Humphrey is certainly a well documented jazz musician - Wilkapedia link.
 
$811- Good Deal - Good deal The Second piece is an outstanding water color of Sweet Emma Barrett - "the Bell gal" who is another Preservation Hall Icon. Click here for the Sweet Emma Ebay link. Sweet EmmaThere are several nice oils that Rockmore did of Sweet Emma but this watercolor captures her like we have not seen before. Emma was quite a musician (with bells on - literally) and a well known character. - Wilkapedia link.
 
$665 - Steal - The Third piece is of Billie & DeDe Pierce and is an outstanding water color that also went on to be done by Rockmore as a fantastic oil. Click here for the Billie & DeDe Pierce Ebay link. DeDe & BillieWhile not as well documented as many of the other jazz musicians they were certainly a well loved couple by all who knew them and legends at Preservation Hall. Billie & DeDe Pierce record review.
 
Noel Rockmore Project Buy rating on all three of these works is as follows: 
$600-$1000 a Steal to Good Deal 
$1000-$2000 - Fair market value.
$2000 - $3500- a good investment.
 
 
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