Lot 894 Chicken Henry Neal Auction Sun Feb 13

 Lot #894 "Chicken Henry", 1963, oil on masonite, signed, dated "'63 July", and inscribed "N.Y" upper left, 16 in. x 9 1/8 in., framed.

Estimate $1200/1800

Facts: Chicken Henry was without doubt one of Rockmore's favorite Jazz musician subjects. Four of the Top 20 Rockmore's sold at auction are of Chicken Henry. This work is a much smaller oil on masonite in the abstract colorful Rockmore style. The Rockmore Jazz Portraits that have the most value are the large oil on canvas that are included in the Preservation Hall Portraits book like Johnny Wiggs below. This is a nice Partial autobiography on Chicken Henry.

Thoughts: This should be a very interesting first test of the Rockmore Jazz market at a local Auction House after the Garden & Gun article. The problem is that Rockmore is a an artist of national interest at this point but most folks are unwilling to go through the hassle of getting work at a local auction. Folks in New Orleans are slightly jaded on Rockmores since it is in their own backyard all the time.

Lot 861 Johnny Wiggs Neal Auction Sunday Feb 13

 Lot #861 "Johnny Wiggs, (John Wigginton Hyman) Cornet Player (1899-1977)", 1963, oil on canvas, signed and dated "March 24" upper left and titled upper right, 36 3/8 in. x 24 in., in a giltwood frame.

Estimate $2500/3500

Facts: This work of Johnny Wiggs is in the Preservation Hall Portraits Book, it is an oil on canvas and it is nice and large at 37 X 24. Johnny Wiggs was not a typical Preservation Hall musician in that he was white and had a career with many bands and later instructing musicians most notably Pete Fountain. Johnny Wiggs was easy to get along with and loved sitting in with the Preservation Hall Band in the Mid 60s. There is a nice biographical sketch of Johnny Wiggs in Wikipedia and much more detail in the PH Book. 

Thoughts: It's a great relaxed Rockmore Jazz portrait with a pedigree. Neal Auction is not great at getting the word the out and he is not a black musician. It will be interesting to see how Johnny Wiggs does! Certainly a keeper for someone! 

Lot #893. "Ernie Cagnolatti, Trumpet Player", 1965, oil on masonite, signed and dated upper left, 20 in. x 13 1/8 in., frame.

Estimate $1200/1800 

Facts: Ernie Cagnolatti is one of the Jazz musicians from the Preservation Hall era and is included in the Preservation Hall Portraits book although not this image. He seems to have been quite a character and physically small. By the time he was playing the hall, he had one leg and used crutches to get around. He was a strong trumpet player and an important link in the Rockmore & Pres Hall connections.

Thoughts: This is a more traditional Pres Hall Rockmore in the style of his best works. Although it is larger than the Chicken Henry that is being offered, it might not do as well due to the attention that Chicken Henry garners. Not many links on Ernie Cagnolatti and hopefully one of the most important things that the Shirley Marvin Non Profit Foundation will do is preserve and share the history of important men like Ernie Cagnolatti.

Lot 860 Mardi Gras 1973 Neal Auction Sunday Feb 13

Lot #860 "Mardi Gras", 1973, pastel on paper, signed and dated lower left, with "Brown's Jackson, MS" backing paper, 19 3/4 in. x 25 5/8 in., matted and framed.

Estimate $1000/1500

Facts: Rockmore and his mother were known for their exquisite pastel works and this one is one of the finest that we have seen. It has everything including Rockmore himself in his trademark TopHat on the far left. It has a mummy, it has the Storybook characters from another series in the front, a buxom girl looking up as well as a mustached man doing the same and several figures in close conversation and activity. It has the cityscape in the background and his famous portals from his early NYC days. If you win this one let us know, we would certainly want to include it on the First Rockmore Museum Tour! 

Thoughts: It's the steal of the weekend with everyone looking at the jazz works.

Lot #892 "Lost in Thought: Portrait in Red and White", 1981, oil on canvas, signed and dated center right, 20 in. x 16 in., unframed.

Estimate $500/700

Facts: Not a traditional Rockmore in any way, shape or form. The use of the reds, whites and yellows were not his traditional oil colors. The sad looking face lost in thought that emerges and engages is certainly a Rockmore.

Thoughts: There is a story yet to be discovered about this work. It comes at a time when he was just about to join the Sandra Zahn Oreck Gallery. Could it be from his trip to Pass Christian Mississippi or Jackson which indicates Bryant Gallery or Alice Barry. Is it a self portrait? It certainly has some Valentine colors going on.

Bids must be in with Neal Auction 800-467-5329 by 5PM this Friday February 11.

These are NOT from the Shirley Marvin Collection but are all GREAT Rockmore works!