Frankie Crocker

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.

Been a shade over 2.5K for almost a week now, with a fortnight to go. Just waiting for the nibblers to get stuck in - a few low-ball bids from the optimists who reckon they might just be lucky if everyone else drops out. Expect a few big bids in the final week as the contenders duel away. As is often the case, the really serious action is during the last hour, especially the final minute.

There’s an Anthony and the Aqua Lads on eBay right now.

Well pleased that Turley Richards fetched a nice price. Mine cost £25 at the 100 Club about 25 years ago. Back then it was a tape swappers tune, so belated thanks to whoever put me onto it. Now of course a DJ staple with the power to pack any floor. If anyone wants to DJ at a big venue, they have to have this one in the box hence the rabid bidding when it comes up for sale.

Thanks for all the feedback music lovers. I can see it going for 4-5K, well above the level I have it pegged at right now. It is not the rarest of the really big sounds as plenty of copies have surfaced to be snapped up. This record is a real ‘keeper’ so once in a collection, it stays there for a long, long time. My first copy cost $1,700 at the Austin Record Show - I had that exact amount in travellers’ cheques but didn’t mind being cleaned out one little bit.

Nice copy up for auction hitting the 2K mark within 24 hours. Speculation about the finishing price inevitable. Yes, a truly great record that no collection should be without. Sure to go beyond £3,500 which is what I would peg the current value at. So at the insistence of Zan The Man, here’s the new thread to make your predictions.

Cheap at £200. Was stuck at £100 for years. Been on lots of Wants lists in recent times. Not an easy one to pick up, but there have been a few on the open market recently. Set to rise further in value as demand continues to exceed supply.

You must have been a real keeno at Wigan. Summer In The Parks has been easy to find. Pointer Sisters a tough one, but a Demo clinches it. Lou Pride, nigh impossible...like yourself, still waiting but I do have the Wigan boot in the meantime waiting for an upgrade.

Semantics, semantics... It’s knobhead with a silent K. Some may prefer dickhead but why split hairs? We’re talking pratts here. Maybe spoilsports in some walks of life, but out and out morons, tossers, scumbags, etc etc. The original post raises the serious point of why individuals are spoiling soul fans’ nights out, and these low-life deserve to be branded nobheads so the Mods on here don’t have to issue warnings (to the over 50’s) for using the extreme terminology that could apply.