Adding to the Museum Collection: Gabrielle goes to the Christie's Auction

I have just returned from a trip out East during which I attended the auction at Christie's in the Rockefeller Center in New York City. The museum bid on two Monroe artifacts—the Gibson mandolin headstock veneer, which we didn't get, and the statuette commemorating his induction into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, which we did get.

It was "Wild and Wonderful" (yes, I drove through West Virginia!) to see all the interest in the Bill Monroe artifacts. When the headstock veneer was introduced, they made an announcement that there had been a LOT of interest in the upcoming piece. I think they were surprised at that, but I certainly wasn't.

See a picture of it here.

There were bidders in the audience (including me) and callers on the phones. The bidding went SO HIGH, SO QUICKLY it made my head spin, and suddenly it was out of reach. I was disappointed because I had driven a LONG way to be there and I wanted that artifact for the museum so that everyone all over the world could enjoy it—and the story that accompanies it—forever, but I know whoever bought it will take excellent care of it because they spent $37,500 (plus taxes & fees) to get it!

Here's what we did acquire:



It’s the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction award presented posthumously to Bill Monroe in 1997. It will make a great addition to our permanent Big Mon exhibit at the Museum.