| Press Contact: | David Bonsey, Director | Catherine Riedel, Director |
| Musical Instruments | Marketing & Public Relations | |
| Skinner, Inc | Skinner, Inc | |
|
617-350-5400 x224 |
978-779-6241 x255 |
SKINNER AUCTION OF FINE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
TO BE HELD IN BOSTON MAY 8
BOSTON, Mass. – April 18, 2005 – www.skinnerinc.com - Skinner, one of the nation's foremost auction houses, will host an auction of fine musical instruments in Boston on Sunday, May 8, 2005. The sale, which will begin at 12 noon, features a large and unusually fine offering of vintage American guitars and mandolins, and an extraordinary array of stringed instruments. Nearly 440 lots of fretted, string, and wind instruments will be offered, as well as a selection of bows, and various violin related literature. Instruments from the collections of musicians James Benjamin Cain and Kai Winding also highlight the auction.
James Benjamin Cain (1928-1998)
Esteemed bluegrass musician James Benjamin Cain was active as a guitarist and mandolinist for over thirty years, performing vocal harmony duets with his wife, Vallie. Their group, The Country Cousins, helped to popularize the new sound of "bluegrass" music along the East Coast and throughout the United States. The group included many well-known musicians and recorded albums for the Adelphi and Rebel labels. The Country Cousins were featured on a weekly radio program on WINC Winchester, Virginia, and later appeared at festivals around the country and on concert tours of Europe. Along with his friend and colleague, Bill Monroe, Benny Cain was also a well-known collector of Gibson mandolins and an authority on the Master Model F-5 mandolins signed by Lloyd Loar.
Fretted Instruments
Highlighting the fretted instruments in the auction is a large offering of vintage Martin, Gibson and Fender guitars and mandolins. Particularly significant among them are two Gibson F-5 Master Model mandolins signed by Lloyd Loar on March 31, 1924. The first, with a “fern” style inlaid headstock was owned and played by Benny Cain, and was selected by him and Bill Monroe for its outstanding sound (lot 37, $80/100,000). The other, with the inlaid “flowerpot” design headstock was a previously undocumented instrument from the original owner’s family (lot 56, $90/100,000). Other noteworthy fretted instruments are two Martin guitars from the golden age of American Guitar Making: a 1934 Martin 000-45 (also with provenance Benny Cain, lot 36, $30/50,000) and a rare 1933 Martin 0M-28 (lot 57, $15/20,000). Exciting offerings also include a Fender Telecaster serial #4213 from 1952, with its original “poodle” interior case, shoulder strap and Fender brochure (lot 47, $18/22,000), and a very fine classical guitar of Ignacio Fleta from 1961, with its original case (lot 46, $20/30,000).
Stringed Instruments
The extensive list of fine string instruments includes Italian violins by Bolognese Giovanni Tononi, c. 1690 (lot 86, $40/60,000), Venetian Carlo Tononi, c. 1716 (lot 82, $60/80,000), modern Neapolitan Vincenzo Sannino, 1903 (lot 88, $35/45,000), and maker Gaetano Sgarabotto, c. 1930 (lot 75, $18/22,000). A violin by French maker Nicolas Lupot, Orleans, c. 1800 (lot 71, $40/60,000) also will be offered. Violas will feature a modern example by Ansaldo Poggi, made in 1976 (lot 60, $40/60,000), and another by Parisian maker Georges Chanot, 1850 (lot 67, $8/12,000).
Three very fine 'cellos also highlight selections. The first is an instrument made in 1817 by Giacomo Rivolta (lot 69, $60/80,000). The others include an example from 1860 by Claude Guillot (a student of Pressenda, lot 68, $35/50,000), and a 1919 instrument from Naples maker Alfredo Contino’s workshop (lot 70, $35/45,000).
Over 100 bows are listed, including those by French makers Dominique Peccatte (lot 106, $16/20,000), Eugene Sartory (lot 104, $8/10,000), Nicolas Maire (lot 130, $6/8,000), Nicolas Maline (lot 128, $5/7,000), Claude Thomassin (lot 132, $4/6,000), François Peccatte (workshop, lot 129, $4/6,000), and Louis Bazin (lot 110, $3/4,000). Highlighting the many outstanding German bows are examples by Pfretzschner, Nurnberger, and August Rau.
Additional Highlights
Of special interests to wind players is a c.1960 King Trombone custom built for and used by jazz great Kai Winding for over a decade (lot 193, $6/8,000). Winding played only King trombones custom built for him by Chuck Ward according to his own specifications. He used this 2B trombone during the late 1950s and early 1960s for concert appearances, as well as on numerous recordings. His famous collaboration with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson from 1954-1969 produced a highly successful series of albums on the Columbia, Prestige, Impulse, Verve, and other record labels. With the trombone will be sold an original signed and dated manuscript of the tune “I Concentrate on You,” written for Winding's recorded duet with Johnson, produced by Creed Taylor (lot 193, $6/8,000).
Kai Chresten Winding (1922-1983)
Kai Chresten Winding was born in Denmark and immigrated with his family to the United States in 1934. His professional career began in 1940 with Shorty Allen, and later continued with the bands of Benny Goodman and Lionel Hampton. Major recognition came soon afterward with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, where his unique phrasing was adopted by other trombonists and became an essential part of the Kenton "signature sound." He worked extensively with artists such as Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan, Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonius Monk, and many others. He also participated in historic recording sessions with Tad Dameron and on the Miles Davis Nonet's landmark recording of Birth of the Cool.
Winding's achievements as a performer, composer, arranger, and teacher established him as one of the leading and most influential trombonists of the twentieth century. In 1987, The International Trombone Associated established the annual Kai Winding Competition in his honor.
For details on these lots, and complete listings and condition reports, contact department director David Bonsey at 978-779-6241 ext. 224.
Catalogue and Preview Information
Previews for the auction will be 12 to 5 p.m. Friday, May 6, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 7, and 9 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 8. Illustrated catalog #2274 is available by mail for $29 ($35 for foreign requests) from the subscription department at 978-779-6241 x240. It is also available at the gallery for $26. Prices realized will be available at www.skinnerinc.com during and after the sale. For more information, call 978-779-6241, or visit www.skinnerinc.com
Note to Editors: Photos available upon request. Contact Catherine Riedel at 978-779-6241 x 231.
About Skinner:With galleries in Boston and Bolton, Mass., Skinner is a full-service auctioneer and appraiser of antiques and fine art. Regularly seen on the PBS series, Antiques Roadshow, Skinner is one of the nation’s leading auction houses. Skinner conducts auctions year-round and has received world-record prices for many pieces sold at auction. Departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, Paintings & Prints, English & Continental Furniture & Decorations, Fine Ceramics, Jewelry, Couture, 20th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Art, Fine Judaica, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Science & Technology, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographica, and Discovery. For more information on upcoming auctions, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com.