News on the BBC music website on auction of Prince early recordings

Prince recording fails to sell

The Prince recording was taken when the singer was just 17
A tape of Prince's early recordings has failed to reach its reserve price in a rock memorabilia auction.

The original two-inch master copy tape featuring a 17-year-old Prince did not meet its reserve price of £347,000.

But an early out-take recording by Jimi Hendrix fetched £20,000 in the Rock Legends online sale from Cooper Owen.

An autographed drawing by John Lennon, believed to be the last he made before he died, is still to go under the hammer with a reserve of £82,000.

Other items up for grabs include a pair of trousers owned by Sir Elton John; a shirt owned by Elvis Presley; an early Buddy Holly acetate and a Tina Turner touring wardrobe case.

Investment

Ted Owen, co-founder of the Cooper Owen auction house, said the Lennon autograph had already generated a "lot of interest".

Mr Owen said: "We have got some very unusual pieces.

"The interesting thing about the auction is the intellectual copyright with the Prince tapes and Jimi Hendrix tapes, which is quite unusual.

"More and more, copyright is becoming one of the major collectibles: back catalogue and copyright seems to be high on the agenda as an investment.

"Both of the items you can reproduce in perpetuity and make money out of - and get your investment back.

Spunky said:

There's only so many versions of 'One Man Jam' that people are prepared to buy!!!
.

langebleu said:

Surely there's a Kirky J remix out there ?

What, no one has an extra $600,000 to spend on that item?

Now that's what I call Instant Karma!

Mynameisspmarc said:

Not me I just spent over 600 this year alone.

Maybe they should try and sell it after he passes.

That's weird. I always thought his early material would sell a bit more than that. Hell, I think the buyer's one lucky customer...