A massive collection of first-edition books, jazz memorabilia and other memorabilia belonging to the late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts will soon be available at Christie’s. Over 500 lots available at auction over two parts of the sale, with the live part taking place at Christie’s in London on September 28.
Watts, considered one of the greatest drummers of all time, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and won three Grammy Awards for his work with the band. He died of throat cancer in 2021 at the age of 80 and left behind a huge collection showcasing his love of jazz music and jazz era literature.
“Charlie was the heart of the Rolling Stones for almost 60 years. He was totally unique and devoted to jazz and literature from childhood,” Watts bandmates Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood said in a statement. joint statement: “He was the quintessential English gentleman and his absence is a great loss to us all. We miss him very much. »
Among the highlights of Watts’ extensive jazz collection is a copy of Gatsby the magnificent with an inscription that F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote to Harold Goldman, whom he called “the original Gatsby”. Christie’s said the book “continues to define the Jazz Age”.
“To Harold Goldman, the original ‘Gatsby’ of this story, with my thanks for allowing me to reveal the secrets of his past. Alcatraz Cell Block 17,” the inscription reads, referring to the MGM studios office where the two worked as screenwriters.
The book previously sold to a Bonhams Auction in June 2015 for $191,000 and is expected to be among the most expensive items at Christie’s, earning up to $300,000.
A signed copy of Gatsby the magnificent should lead the auction. Courtesy of Christie’s.
Also on sale is an annotated printed score for George Gershwin Porgy and Bessa pair of awards received by famed saxophonist Charlie Parker and books by literary giants from George Orwell to Agatha Christie, and (the creator of Sherlock Holmes) Arthur Conan Doyle to James Joyce.
“Charlie was my dearest old friend from early childhood and in our early teens we both developed a lifelong love of jazz. Charlie of course became a member of the biggest rock band in the world, but his love jazz has never left him,” said Dave Green, a childhood friend of Watts. “His collection of jazz memorabilia, which he began as a teenager and accumulated during his years with the Stones, is truly amazing; it reflects his enduring love of music and the musicians who made it.
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