Tim Brown Auction Results December 2021

[Bo Diddley]

Just had the email so I thought I'd post up.

Sammy Campbell (Queen City 1601) - £667.00
Johnny Gilliam (Cancer 101) - £631.00
The Four Pro's (Carla 2531 dj) - £355.00
Paul Sindab (Hype 1007) - £550.00
Nella Dodds (Wand 1136) - £300.00
Diane Lewis (Wand 1191) - £310.00
Rufus Lumley (Holton 5001) - £232.00
The Majestics (Linda 121) - £650.00
Barbara English (Aurora 155 dj) - £300.00
Living Color (Madhatter) - £210.00
Infra Red Funk Band (Total Involvement 2) - £260.00 
Tobi Lark (Topper 1011) - £400.00
The High Keys (Verve 10423 dj) - £303.00
The Superlatives (Uptite 250) - £295.00
Austin Taylor (Sprout Artist 731) - £911.00
The Notations (Sue 5) - £400.00
The Smith Brothers (Soul Dimension 5102) - £875.00 
Patti & The Emblems (Congress 263 dj) - £250.00

 

[Bo Diddley]

Artist: SAMMY CAMPBELL
Title: I Never Thought (I'd Find Anybody Like You)
Label: Queen City 1601
Condition: M-
Sammy Campbell aka Tyrone Ashley is well known as the former lead of the Del-Larks on the same Queen City label (named after the city of Plainfield, New Jersey). In fact, the record label was Campbell’s own, and this release is a year later than the Del-Larks’ ‘Job Opening’ i.e., 1968. The record is pristine but a little crackly, possibly to do with its manufacture.

  
Artist: JOHNNY GILLIAM
Title: Room Full Of Tears
Label: Cancer 101
Condition: VG++
Johnny Gilliam aka J.G. Lewis on IX Chains and Al and The Kidd labels was a Pittsburgh artist. The Cancer label was his own and here is the first release on it circa ‘70/’71. Considering its relatively low price it comes along very infrequently. First spun at Stafford where I once saw it referred to as a ‘modern soul’ record(!)

 Artist THE FOUR PRO'S
Title: Just Another Girl / There Must Be A Reason
Label: Carla 2531 (dj)
Condition: VG++
Stonking, storming, Detroit soul of the first order and still going strong on the dancefloors – but wait! Please don’t underrate the tremendous midtempo flipside ‘There Must Be A Reason’, so we’ve ‘soundbitten’ it for you. Great condition too, just a couple of minor marks relegate it from M-.

  
Artist: PAUL SINDAB
Title: Do Whatcha Wanna Do / Give Me Your Heart
Label: Hype 1007
Condition: VG++
The careering top side was reissued in double-quick time when this one was spun back in ’76. It was as per the original 45 but without the red text/colours on the original (and a Florida address, it was legal). What we did know was that some copies had the fabulous ‘You Dropped Your Candy In The Sand’ mis-pressed instead of the true B-side ‘Give Me Your Heart’. This is one such copy, so wrap your ears around double dynamite.

Artist: NELLA DODDS
Title: Honey Boy / I Just Gotta Have You
Label: Wand 1136
Condition: VG++
Philadelphia’s Nella Dodds certainly had a thing about The Supremes, not content with beating the famous trio to the first release of ‘Come See About Me’ later in her short career, after having a minor hit with that, she had a try at this Supremes album track. Lightning didn’t strike twice, and this is equally her rarest 45. HOWEVER, the flipside ‘I Just Gotta Have You’ is also waiting for the right deejay.

 Artist: DIANE LEWIS
Title: Without Your Love
Label: Wand 1191
Condition: VG++
One of two releases from Pat Lewis’ sister on the Wand label and much the rarer of the two. In fact, we’ve only ever had two or three copies of this one and it must be rarer on the red-lettered issue copy. Never really spun much at ‘nighters’, there is lots of mileage left in this one. Again, strong VG++ points towards M-.

Artist: RUFUS LUMLEY
Title: I'm Standing

Label: Holton 5001
Condition: VG+
Connecticut resident Rufus Lumley saw himself as a cowboy crooner in his early years before hitting the soul groove quite convincingly in the middle sixties. He ended up with at least four recognised Northern winners to his name. None can beat ‘I’m Standing’, a true giant of blue-eyed soul and a 45 that, as an original copy, comes along quite infrequently nowadays.

  
Artist: THE MAJESTICS
Title: (I Love Her So Much) It Hurts Me
Label: Linda 121
Condition: VG++
Featuring the vocals of David and Ruben Robles, together with brother Arthur and The Romancers band as well as the Ralph Ventura Mariachi Group. An irresistible mix of soul and Tex-Mex trumpeteering which fills every dancefloor and has remained stubbornly expensive ever since it was first played in the late 70s (the track itself is from 1965).

 Artist: BARBARA ENGLISH
Title: (You Got Me) Sittin' In The Corner
Label: Aurora 155 (dj)
Condition: M-
After starting her career in The Clickettes (Marlina Mars was also a member at one time), Barbara was a solo act by 1965. This seemed to consist of a number of one-off releases, as was this one on New York’s Aurora imprint. Fabulous copy with just one tiny mark.

 
Artist: LIVING COLOR
Title: Thank The Lord For Love / Gotta Strange Feeling
Label: Madhatter
Condition: VG+
Huge back in ’76, by which time this Chicago release was five years old and already very tricky to locate. Certainly a ‘fibreglass’ copy but one which sounds decent enough (see soundbite). This was a very early production from one Mark Davis who ended up as a significant figure in the music business via Motown, films, television, etc. His talent is obvious on this one. Amazingly, the instrumental version was pressed up on some copies of ‘City Skies’ by the Mystery Men on Penthouse. Strange, eh?

  
Artist: INFRA RED FUNK BAND
Title: What's Happening Now
Label: Total Involvement 2
Condition: VG++
Time for a break from 60s Northern Soul and this obscure 1984 release out of St Louis. Unlike many of the era this is not subsumed by synths and electronics. The handclaps, for instance, would seem to be real ones. It’s the kind of thing you could imagine The Voices Of East Harlem doing if they had lasted into the mid-eighties, a very infectious song indeed.

 Artist: TOBI LARK
Title: Happiness Is Here / Talkin' About Love
Label: Topper 1011
Condition: M-
This wondrous track has tended to be overshadowed by ‘Challenge My Love’ in recent times very unfairly. Ginger used to play this one at Cleethorpes Pier, I loved it then (in fact he sold it to me) and ever since. We found a previously unissued version by Barbara Mercer in the United Sound vaults, but it doesn’t rival this gem. The flipside ‘Talkin’ About Love’ also sounds more than decent today (see soundbite).

 Artist: THE HIGH KEYS
Title: Living A Lie / Let's Take A Chance
Label: Verve 10423 (dj)
Condition: VG+
Shook the rafters of The Casino back in ’74 and was pretty popular but not popular enough to receive the ‘accolade’ of a bootie (not at the time, the bootleg was later). Of course, it still sounds immense and has the added bonus of the great midtempo flipside ‘Let’s Take A Chance’ (see soundbite). Certainly not a minter but one for every collection that’s for sure.

Artist: THE SUPERLATIVES
Title: I Still Love You
Label: Uptite 250
Condition: VG++
A very neat yellow label copy of this fabulous piece of Northern Soul. Every second of every groove screams out ‘This is the music that made the scene what it is’. Of course, we’ve all heard that track many times, possibly, in the process, becoming inured to its essential genius. If by chance you don’t own it… you need to!

  
Artist: AUSTIN TAYLOR
Title: Why O Why
Label: Sprout Artist 731
Condition: M-
An obscure release from Zell Sanders’ Sprout label has had an odd play or two over the years without many copies turning up at all. The thunderous production has an overtone of R&B about it that may well appeal to that faction – and with a tremendous saxophone break too.

Artist: THE NOTATIONS
Title: You Should Know / Eleven O'Clock
Label: Sue 5
Condition: M-
Not the Chicago group, but this four-man group from Bergen County, New Jersey (ex doo-woppers) turn in a fantastic job for the dying embers of Juggy Murray’s Sue label. Two good sides too with ‘Eleven O’Clock’ on the reverse having been largely ignored thus far.

  
Artist: THE SMITH BROTHERS
Title: Payback's A Drag / There Can Be A Better Way
Label: Soul Dimension 5102
Condition: VG++
Our first copy of this one in 30 years! NOT the promo, please note. Therefore, it has ‘There Can Be A Better Way’ on the flipside (same as The Magnificents on MAM). Strong VG++ verging on M- making for a very nice acquisition indeed.

Artist: PATTI & THE EMBLEMS
Title: It's The Little Things
Label: Congress 263 (dj)
Condition: VG++
We find this disc only very infrequently. It came to prominence in the late 70s due to spins for the UK version on Polydor by Linda Kendrick. But this one is the original and by far the best.

  

 

[Dobber]

Clearly tim attracts a more realistic buyer,these are reasonable amounts that wouldnt differ to far from set sale prices!

[Merve]

1 hour ago, Dobber said:

Clearly tim attracts a more realistic buyer,these are reasonable amounts that wouldnt differ to far from set sale prices!

Agreed - I'd have had a punt at that Living Color if I'd have thought it was going to go for under £250

[Bo Diddley]

I agree with Mr Dobber! I think that Tim is happy to put "used" records up for auction. You then get a chance to pick up a rare item for a reasonable price. However, I have seen absolute trash go through ebay at very high prices.

Edited December 9, 2021 by Bo Diddley