Frankie Crocker

Some of these prices didn’t change much in the last week. I guess flogging Set Sale records like Lonnie Lester, Sheila Anthony and Harold Melvin appeals to a few, but they’re just not auction records.

A desperate impulse purchase. Darren obviously has to make something on the transaction, hence the high price for the grade. Now, if the (original) seller of this particular disc was the person who actually won the Manship copy recently, that could be seen to be smart business, especially if the record was acquired for a small sum a long time ago.

It’s all a bit hypothetical as John Manship doesn’t have copies of the Four Voices or the Soulettes currently up for auction... Don’t forget, the Four Voices has two very good sides, with some people possibly preferring ‘With A Lonely Heart’. Records with two sides should really command bigger price tickets at auction. For the record, I won my Four Voices in one of John’s auctions a long time ago. It was a top-all-bids offer that cost £1,200. My Professionals cost $3. A second Professionals cost $100 but went in a cash/trades deal that netted the Silhouettes on Good Time.

But if the box was big enough, maybe it wouldn’t have fallen off the lorry in the first place, or the driver might have spotted it before driving off. In any case, the theoretical inner box should have been an 8 inch by 8 inch cube chocker- block full of cardboard stiffeners, making the contents virtually indestructible.

Don Gardner should have been packed in a box in a box in a box... Why put a record in a thin packet that can be run over by a lorry when you can put it in a BIG box??? These scans of cracked records are traumatising...

I thought auction records were removed when the winner paid? Maybe the winner(s) have still got to pay up? Maybe there’s another explanation...

That’s more like it. Much more plausible.

Very doubtful. Records pressed back then were put in 25 count boxes, cartons of four 25 count boxes, and sometimes in boxes of 200. It would be extremely difficult to lift a box of 500, let alone 1,000. Still, it augments the legend just a little bit. I know a Detroit dealer who made contact with a local record wholesaler 10 years ago, who allegedly had all the rarities but wouldn’t allow anyone in to look over them. To the best of my knowledge, he still hasn’t had the stock reputed to be in the warehouse. And so the quest to find dead stock of Cecil Washington continues.

Well, what a night it’s been. The final sales price was not as hyped up as some predicted. Many thanks to all contributors to the thread - your thoughts certainly made for a more interesting auction. Big, big thanks to Andy Rix for his contribution. When people look back over this thread in years to come, they will be amazed to see the lengths some collectors went to, and the important information unearthed along the way. And to my particular interest in Cecil Washington... Yes, I have a copy so I wanted to see the Manship value rise. I also have a spare copy in my trades box, but I think I’ll sit on it a bit longer until the right record comes up for sale. Please, no offers or PM’s on this as I don’t want to lock the thread. Like a lot of us on Soul Source, I’m in it for the records and the music, the money’s just incidental.

£5,017 finishing price. Roundabout £5,000 at 6.00 p.m. then ran on. John should be very pleased with this world record price for a Cecil Washington.

If you look back on Soul Source, you’ll see I continued a conversation. If I’d not started the thread, someone else would have. The record was already a topic of conversation in a previous Manship auction thread. Plenty of auction records have been focused on in the past such as Hamilton Movement. Any record likely to fetch four figures at auction is worthy of discussion in my books. Go easy on the red wine...look what it did for Sir Alex...

No, it’s not my disc. Valid enquiry though. I have only ever bought one record in a Manship auction, and have never got him to auction anything on commission. I don’t think I have overhyped the record, only described it as I see it, a jolly good sound that’s pretty hard to pick up these days. Sure, I have contributed to the discussion surrounding this record, as have plenty of others. I hope I haven’t overhyped records in the past, but I guess there’s always a first time for everything. The record collecting scene has changed out of all recognition, but I don’t think you can blame John Manship’s auctions for this. Perhaps his sales blurb may encourage bidders to pile in harder, but he’s only trying his best for the clients. Anyway, why do you sound so cross? Were you planning on buying the record?

Hi Ted. Hope you’re well. Good to hear from you. I think the buyer will be very pleased with their purchase. If you’re a millionaire, the price really doesn’t matter. If it’s your favourite record, you’ve really got to have it, even if you can’t afford it. Sometimes you have to overpay for a particular record just because it’ll be even more expensive next time it pops up for sale on the open market. I never regret buying a record. I do regret NOT buying certain records. There will be several collectors who’ll regret not winning this particular copy.

Jumped up from c£3K to £3.5K then £4.5K during Saturday evening. This would have been an eye-popping finishing value, yet there’s still three and a half days to go.

Nay lad. But I do have a very keen interest...more about this later...

Bids have now sneaked past the £3K mark. It’s now ‘squeaky bottom’ time as Sir Alex once called it. Even my pulse is beginning to quicken and I’m not putting in a bid.

Hi Paul. You are right as nowadays some can get into a university with two grade E’s at A Level. True scholarship is rare in Sixth Forms these days as most students do not read books or newspapers for pleasure, and rely on set texts and revision guides to ace the test. In the mid 70’s, Soul Night on Tuesdays at the Solem Bar in the Union was a humming event for students from colleges in Manchester, plus a sprinkling of outsiders.

Sorry, but I have to take issue with your opening statement. The Manchester University Northern Soul Club - Baz Lowe of Hyde, Lorraine from Corby, Pat Malloy of Cannock, Brenda from Prestatyn, Simon Millican of Kendal, Kate from Southport, Bill from Leeds (mate of Steve Caesar) and yours truly, analysed each and every record travelling to and from Wigan by car or train. We also went to Blackpool Mecca and The Ritz, so there was plenty more to analyse. As Manchester University was, and still is, the premier university in North-West England, I’d say we were fairly clever. The really smart move though was being based in Manchester as it was handy for travelling to Wigan Casino.

In those days, Warrington was in Lancashire. In my books, it still is. I was born in Warrington, and as it says Lancashire on my birth certificate, I consider myself a Lancashire Lad. My father’s family came from Wigan. My grandmother worked at the Trencherfield Mill. My great-uncle died in the Maypole pit disaster at the age of 16. My father worked his rocks off to get to university, enabling me to follow the same path. PM me with details and I’ll help out with your dissertation.

Finally, countdown can begin. Nibblers in the last week pushed the bids to £2.7K then £2.8K, but now tonight’s auction has finished, combatants can really get stuck in.

Someone snagged a bargain here. Rarer version too. Don't you just hate WOL...

Maybe the bootleg spinner bought it in a hurry to ease a guilty conscience?

A calmer night on the bidding front with prices more in line with normality. As Steve points out, quite a few of these are not auction records as they frequently pop up at set-sale. Roscoe and Friends fetched a bit more than usual with both sides appealing.

I hope not as it’s a great record. At a soul night, there could be some punters thinking it’s just a boot, so won’t bother to dance.

Agreed Dave. It’s a war of attrition if there are two or more bidders sniping away at 6.00 p.m. Pity we can’t see videos of the combatants doing battle.