PARIS.- More than ever, Rock ’n’ Roll is everywhere – in the streets and museums all over the world, in the world of fashion and luxury, in literature, and for the first time in France in an auction held next November 7th at Artcurial Briest Poulain F.Tajan.

Artcurial’s pioneering spirit has struck again, giving a free hand to François Tajan, auctioneer and Rock ‘n’ Roll fan from his youngest years, with Philippe Manoeuvre at the wheel and Hugues Cornière for his expertise in paying a tribute to Rock culture in all its forms from the 1950s to the present.

The catalog includes over 350 lots – costumes and clothing, contemporary art, photographs including many never before published, magazines, posters, instruments, jewelry, and even cars…

“Rock culture is everywhere, and this auction, a melting pot of memorabilia, contemporary art, fashion, instruments, the mechanical arts, photography, and cartooning, is something of a tribute to all this,” exclaims François Tajan, Co-President of Artcurial.

From Rock culture to Rock ‘n’ Roll attitude
Two collections have been included. First, the collection of Henry Padovani, first guitarist of Police, who came to London in 1977 and founded Police with Stewart Copeland. It includes a bass formerly belonging to Sting as well as his concert jacket from the group in 2007. Secondly, the estate of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, that controversial, larger-than-life figure who lived and died in France, famous for great classics such as “I Put a Spell On You” and “Constipation Blues”. The auction will present objects from his life as a performer – colorful costumes, jewelry, his famous capes, photo albums, and an unpublished film of “Constipation Blues” from 1983, an interpretation with Serge Gainsbourg at his imperturbable best on the piano that is still one of television’s greatest moments.

Among other coveted lots, David Bowie’s guitar is special. As he wrote himself, “I’ve had this Dan Armstrong guitar since the early 70’s. I wrote most of the songs for ‘Station to Station’ on it. Happy playing!” (estimation 20 000/30 000€)

Lots include a customized 1950s Mercury, a Triton “cafe racer”, favorite motorcycle of English rock stars from the 1960s, a mixing board belonging to Pink Floyd, a poster created in 1981 for Palace by Pierre et Gilles, 3 paintings by Robert Combas, photographs by Valérie Belin, Bettina Rheims and Claude Gassian, rare old instruments such as a Höfner bass dating from 1965, fifteen guitars collected over a period of twenty years by Jean Hamille, and even a collection of 48 records with original album covers designed by Andy Warhol from the end of the 1940s to the 1980s.

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac has created eight portraits of rock stars specifically for the sale. There are also several pieces of jewelry by BillyBoy, the brilliant “underground” artist of fashion jewelry. An essential part of the New York art scene, a friend of Andy Warhol in particular, his works are exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Musée des Arts de la Mode in Paris.

A psychedelic atmosphere will be recreated with a rare series of posters by the graphic design group Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, who worked with Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd. Mythical magazines from the punk years revues such as Sniffin’ Glue, or issues of Oracle, the underground magazine created in San Francisco in 1966 are part of the scene alongside OZ, the psychedelic magazine.

If you’re a fan of sixties Rock ‘n’ Roll, punk rock, hard rock, pop rock or folk, the auction is certainly the event of the year you don’t want to miss. “Come together…!”