brownie Posted December 7, 2005 Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 From AP: AUCTIONEERS TO OFFER BECHET ITEMS Sidney Bechet's clarinet, soprano saxophone and love letters were scheduled to go on the auction block Wednesday. Among the 32 pieces up for sale at the Hotel Drouot auction house: the fake leopard-fur jacket Bechet often wore onstage, estimated at $11,800. Bechet's musical instruments were expected to bring in about $47,000 each, while golden cuff links decorated with the initials "SB" were estimated at $1,700. Fans could also purchase Bechet's letters to his wife, Jacqueline, and a plaster mortuary mask modeled on the musician's face after his death in 1959. Auctioneer Olivier Collin du Bocage said he had talked about the sale with film director-clarinet player Woody Allen, who named one of his daughters Bechet in honor of the jazz great. Daniel Bechet, a drummer who lives in France, organized the auction. He will finance a foundation dedicated to his father's memory in the south of France from the profits, the auction house said. Born in New Orleans in 1897, Bechet died in France. He composed the famous "Petite Fleur" and performed with artists including Louis Armstrong and Josephine Baker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christiern Posted December 7, 2005 Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 Bechet's stature as a musician and importance to the music obviously eluded the AP writer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted December 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2005 Looks like the estimates were on the low side! Bechet's Buescher soprano sax went up to $163,221! Bechet's golden cuff links were auctioned at $3,429. Buyers not identified so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.