New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Invaluable, the world's leading online marketplace for fine art, antiques and collectibles, today announced that is partnering with Guernsey's, the New York City-based auction house, to offer online bidding on the Forever Ellington auction. The auction, which features approximately 250 personal belongings from the late, legendary Duke Ellington, will take place on May 18, 2016, starting at 6pm EDT. Bidders can view the full catalog on Invaluable, and bid live online in real-time during auction on Invaluable.com or through Invaluable's mobile app.
All items being offered as part of the auction were consigned directly by one of Ellington's closest relatives. Headlining the sale is Duke Ellington's personal White Baby Grand Piano. Although it is known that Duke owned two additional pianos, the one being offered as part of this sale (and the only one likely ever to be sold) is the one he used when composing much of his music through the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Songs he composed during this time include Sophisticated Lady, Mood Indigo, In a Sentimental Mood and It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing.
Additional highlights from the auction include several paintings by Duke Ellington, including A Portrait of Billy Strayhorn (estimated at $30,000 - $40,000) and Satin Doll (estimated at $20,000 - $30,000). The auction will also feature two dozen original music manuscripts - written in Duke's own hand - for titles including Paris Blues (estimated at $8,000 - $12,000), Let the Good Times Roll (estimated at $8,000 - $12,000) and the Ellington classic, Mood Indigo (estimated at $15,000 - $20,000).
Known for his dapper style, the auction will offer many of Ellington's dinner jackets, tuxedos and suits, most of which have his name discreetly written on the inside of his jacket pockets. Lots of note include Ellington's Cream-colored Silk Performance Jacket (estimated at $4,500 - $6,500), a Red Silk Jacket (estimated at $4,000 - $6,000) which was a staple of his performance wear, and a
Black Mohair Tuxedo (estimated at $4,000 - $6,000) which was worn by Ellington for formal performances and occasions.
"Duke Ellington was undoubtedly one of the most influential jazz composers and performers of all time, and I am thrilled to offer Invaluable bidders the rare opportunity to own items belonging to such an important figure in musical history," said Rob Weisberg, Invaluable CEO. "From Duke Ellington's personally-owned baby grand piano, to his signature tuxedos and jackets, along with original artwork painted by his own hand, it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in this historic event."
For more information on the auction, to register for the auction or place bids, please visit www.Invaluable.com.
About Invaluable
Invaluable is the world's leading online marketplace for fine art, antiques and collectibles. Working with more than 4,000 of the world's premier auction houses, dealers and galleries, Invaluable helps buyers from 200 countries connect with the things they love. With best-in-class online bidding technology, along with a fixed-price retail platform, Invaluable provides sellers with e-commerce and marketing solutions, as well as auction management software. Recently called "one of the fastest growing e-commerce sites in the art world" by Blouin ArtInfo, Invaluable has also been recognized by Deloitte's 2015 Technology Fast 500™ and the 2015 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® program. Headquartered in Boston, Invaluable also has offices in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium and Australia. For more information, visit www.Invaluable.com or follow us on Twitter at @InvaluableLive.
About Guernsey's
In its fortieth year, Guernsey's has built a reputation as the auction house known for representing the most extraordinary properties. From the largest auction in history (the ocean liner S.S. United States) to vintage racing cars on to artwork from the Soviet Union, pre-Castro Cuban cigars and the $3 million baseball, the firm has few rivals when it comes to the presentation of wildly diverse artwork and artifacts. The John F. Kennedy,
Franklin Roosevelt, Princess Diana, Elvis Presley, Jerry Garcia, John Coltrane, Dick Clark, Mickey Mantle and the
Beatles events were all conducted by Guernsey's.
Guernsey's is particularly proud of its work with the Library of Congress in the preservation of the complete Rosa Parks Archive. In the midst of its series devoted to the legendary, Holocaust-related poster collection of Dr. Hans Sachs, other upcoming sales in 2015 include the Urban Archaeology Collection, Historic Artifacts from the Kennedy White House, Atocha Undersea Treasures, and a remarkable, recently-discovered work by
Pablo Picasso.
