Ralph DeLuca's Pre-War Blues 78's collection, (Auction #4,) Complete List!
Closes Tuesday, August 30, 2022 at 7:00 pm PT
This is auction #4 (of at least five) of the record collection of Ralph DeLuca.
Mr. DeLuca is most known for his legendary collection of rare movie posters, but for 15 years he actively, and aggressively, collected rare Blues 78's, mostly Pre-War.
He plunged into collecting rare Blues 78's hot and heavy and went for the best whenever and wherever he could find them. He bought smart and paid big to get what he wanted!
Mr. DeLuca has moved into the art world, no longer collecting 78's, as he finds it easier to buy rare art than rare records. That should tell you something!
There should be something for each and every Blues collector reading this auction. There are titles here not seen for sale in decades . . . and some may never be seen again.
This is your chance to get some LEGENDARY rarities and just plain GREAT records for your collection. Be prepared though — the great stuff is going to go for a lot of money!
E+ is the highest grade used. This is the old-time 78 grading system and I am very strict.
The next Ralph DeLuca auction will be in several monthsand contains another 100 or so goodies.
The previous DeLuca auction realized over $400,000 in sales so be prepared to bid aggressively or go without!!
Good luck to all!
Printed (PDF) version of Ralph DeLuca's Pre-War Blues 78's auction #4, low-res (18 mb)
Printed (PDF) version of Ralph DeLuca's Pre-War Blues 78's auction #4, high-res (29 mb)
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DeLuca Pre-War Blues 78's consignment auction #4, highlights
1. Robert Johnson — "Sweet Home Chicago / Walkin' Blues" VOCALION 03601 • V+/E ALL TIME CLASSIC! Covered by everyone else since 1937! A-side has had some play but plenty left. B-side is REALLY nice! MB $5,000
2. Robert Johnson — "Stones In My Passway / I'm A Steady Rollin' Man" VOCALION 03723 • E GORGEOUS COPY of one of his tougher records to find. MB $8,000
3. Robert Johnson — "Love In Vain Blues / Preachin' Blues" VOCALION 04630 • V+ Next to "Cross Roads Blues" this is Johnson's rarest and most desirable title! Two all star performances! Decent copy. MB $8,000
4. Charley Patton — "Screamin' And Hollerin' The Blues / Mississippi Boweavil Blues" PARAMOUNT 12805 • G All time Patton classic! Yeah, it's rough, but you can still hear it! Original Patton 78's are getting near impossible to find these days . . . and they are not getting any cheaper as more and more people want to own one, even if it's just a beat artifact, to "Hang on the wall." MB $3,000
5. Sunny Boy & His Pals — "France Blues / Don't You Leave Me Here" GENNETT 6106 • V Masterpiece! Released a year earlier on BLACK PATTI (which is just about impossible to find), so this is the only "affordable" way to get it. MB $2,000
6. Tommy Johnson — "Canned Heat Blues / Big Fat Mama Blues" VICTOR 38535 • E- TALK ABOUT A MONSTER BLUES MASTERPIECE! This one has it all! Nice copy and what a record!!! MB $6,000
7. Texas Alexander And His Sax Black Tams — "Worried Blues/Normange Blues" VOCALION 02772 V+ MB $200
8. Pink Anderson And Simmie Dooley — "Papa's 'Bout To Get Mad/Gonna Tip Out Tonight" COLUMBIA 14336 E+ You don't see this anymore! STUNNING COPY! MB $800
9. Kokomo Arnold — "Slop Jar Blues/Black Annie" DECCA 7092 E MB $200
10. Kokomo Arnold — "Running Drunk Again/Coffin Blues" DECCA 7242 E MB $200
11. Andrew And Jim Baxter — "Bamalong Blues/K.C. Railroad Blues" VICTOR 20962 V Classic, Nice Player MB $200
12. Barbecue Bob — "Yo Yo Blues / Trouble Done Bore Me Down" COLUMBIA 14479 • E Beautiful copy! Lots of Barbecue Bob out there, but super clean ones are TOUGH!!! MB $500
13. Pillie Bolling And Barefoot Bill — "She's Got A Nice Line / I Don't Like That" COLUMBIA 14544 • E+ RARE AND FANTASTIC!! MB $1,500
14. Big Bill Broonzy — "Keep Your Hands Off Her/Sun Gonna Shine In My Door" BLUEBIRD 6188 E- MB $100
15. Big Bill Broonzy — "Unemployment Stomp/Sad Pencil Blues" VOCALION 04378 E MB $100
16. Asa Brown — "Crazy 'Bout My Lollypop/Down Home Dance" OKEH 8694 E MB $200
17. Cleo Brown — "Boogie Woogie/Pelican Stomp" DECCA 477 E+ MB $50
18. Ida Cox — " 'Fore Day Creep/Gypsy Glass Blues" PARAMOUNT 12488 E+ Stunning copy! MB $300
19. Rosetta Crawford — "Stop It Joe/My Man Jumped Salty On Me" DECCA 7567 E/E+ MB $50
20. Dallas String Band With Coley Jones — "Chasin' Rainbows / I Used To Call Her Baby" COLUMBIA 14410 • E String Band Masterpiece!! MB $750
21. Blind John Davis — "Jersey Cow Blues/Booze Drinking Benny" VOCALION 04079 E BEAUTIFUL COPY MB $300
22. Sleepy John Estes — "Airplane Blues/Hobo Jungle Blues" DECCA 7354 E MB $300
23. Sleepy John Estes — "Easin' Back To Tennessee/Clean Up At Home" DECCA 7516 E MB $300
24. Sleepy John Estes — "Drop Down (I Don't Feel Welcome Here)/Tell Me How About It" DECCA 7766 E+ MB $300
25. Sleepy John Estes — "Mailman Blues/Time Is Drawing Near" DECCA 7789 E MB $300
26. "Sleepy" John Estes — "Little Laura Blues/Lawyer Clark" BLUEBIRD 8871 E- MB $200
27. Jazz Gillum — "Jockey Blues/Don't You Scandalize My Name" BLUEBIRD 6409 E- MB $200
28. Coot Grant And Socks Wilson — "Can I Get Some Of That/Uncle Joe" PARAMOUNT 12833 E+ STUNNING COPY MB $500
29. Blind Roosevelt Grave And His Brother — "Guitar Boogie/New York Blues" PARAMOUNT 12820 V+ CLASSIC MB $500
30. Lil Green — "Why Don't You Do Right?/Love Me" BLUEBIRD 8714 E MB $50
31. The Harlem Hamfats — "Oh! Red/Lake Providence Blues" DECCA 7182 E- Original version of "Oh! Red" long before Howlin' Wolf! MB $50
32. The Harlem Hamfats — "The Garbage Man/Southern Blues" DECCA 7229 E Great One! Really Rocks! "Take Out Your Cans, Here Comes The Garbage Man" MB $100
33. The Home Wreckers — "Fence Breakin' Blues / Home Wreckin' Blues" BLUEBIRD 5341 • E- FABULOUS!!! One of my all time favorite Pre-War Blues records! Originally Victor as The Shreveport Home Wreckers. MB $500
34. Rosetta Howard And The Harlem Ham Fats — "If You're A Viper/Rosetta Blues" DECCA 7370 E ALL TIME CLASSIC MARIJUANA ANTHEM!!! MB $200
35. " "Peg Leg" Howell — "Coal Man Blues /Tishimingo Blues" COLUMBIA • 14194 E Small one inch lam crack on B-side MB $500
36. Peg Leg Howell — "Turtle Dove Blues/Walkin' Blues" COLUMBIA 14456 E+ Small one inch lam crack on B-side MB $500
37. Charlie Jackson — "Salt Lake City Blues/Salty Dog Blues" PARAMOUNT 12236 E/V+ MB $100
38. Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon And The Harlem Hamfats — "She Brings Me Down/Wet It (Let The Good Work Go On)" DECCA 7286 E- MB $50
39. Frankie (Half Pint) Jackson — "Fan It Boogie Woogie/Don't Pan Me (Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone)" DECCA 7638 E With small one inch hair crack MB $50
40. Frankie (Half Pint) Jackson — "You Can't Tell/Turn Over" DECCA 7806 E- MB $50
41. Kansas Joe And Memphis Minnie — "Frisco Town/Goin' Back To Texas" COLUMBIA 14455 V MB $100
42. Little Son Joe — "My Black Buffalo/Mobile And K. C. Line" VOCALION 04978 E/E+ Tough one MB $300
43. Lem Johnson And His Washboard Band — "Queen Street Blues/Louise Louise" DECCA 7820 E MB $50
44. Lil Johnson — "If You Can Dish It/That Bonus Done Gone Thru" CONQUEROR 8647 E- MB $50
45. Lonnie Johnson — "I Got The Best Jelly Roll In Town - Part 2/Don't Drive Me From Your Door" OKEH 8796 E- MB $300
46. Lonnie Johnson — "I'm Nuts About That Gal/Rackateers Blues" OKEH 8946 E+ MB $500
47. Coley Jones — "Drunkard's Special/The Elder He's My Man" COLUMBIA 14489 E+ MB $500
48. Memphis Jug Band — "Beale Street Mess Around / I'll See You In The Spring, When The Birds Begin To Sing" VICTOR 21066 • E+ MB $500
49. Memphis Jug Band — "Coal Oil Blues / Papa Long Blues" VICTOR 21278 • E+ MB $500
50. Memphis Jug Band — "Bob Lee Junior Blues / I Packed My Suitcase, Started To The Train" VICTOR 21412 • E- MB $300
51. Memphis Jug Band — "Cocaine Habit Blues / It Won't Act Right" VICTOR 38620 • E/E+ All time CLASSIC!!! With label tears as shown MB $1,000
52. Lizzie Miles And The Melrose Stompers — "He's Red Hot To Me/Hold Me, Parson" VOCALION 05325 E+/E MB $25
53. Memphis Minnie — "Selling My Pork Chops/Doctor Doctor Blues" BLUEBIRD 6199 V MB $50
54. Mississippi Jook Band — "Hittin' The Bottle Stomp/Skippy Whippy" MELOTONE 6-11-65 E- MB $300
55. Little Brother Montgomery — "Shreveport Farewell/Crescent City Blues" BLUEBIRD 10953 E- MB $25
56. Pete And Repeat — "Hymn Singing Bill/Judge For A Day (Aunt Jemima Company)" BRUNSWICK 7055 E Obscure MB $75
57. Pinetop And Lindberg — "East Chicago Blues/Farish Street Jive" BLUEBIRD 10177 E MB $25
58. Joe Pullum — "Come On, If You're Comin'/Swing Them Blues" BLUEBIRD 6314 E MB $100
59. Ma Rainey With Her Tub Jug Washboard Band — "Black Cat Hoot Owl Blues/Victim Of The Blues" PARAMOUNT 12687 E+ MB $400
60. Jack Ranger — "T. P. Window Blues/Thieving Blues" OKEH 8795 E+ RARE MB $500
61. Speckled Red — "Do The Georgia/St. Louis Stomp" BLUEBIRD 7985 E MB $50
62. Elzadie Robinson — "Arkansas Mill Blues/Gold Mansion Blues" PARAMOUNT 12701 E NICE COPY MB $300
63. Black Boy Shine — "Sugarland Blues/Dog House Blues" VOCALION 03417 V+ MB $50
64. Bessie Smith — "Graveyard Dream Blues/Jail House Blues" COLUMBIA 4001 V MB $10
65. Bessie Smith — "Haunted House Blues/Evesdropper's Blues" COLUMBIA 14010 V- MB $5
66. Bessie Smith — "Nashville Women's Blues/I Ain't Gonna Play Second" COLUMBIA 14090 V With 2 inch hair crack MB $5
67. Blind Sammie aka BLIND WILLIE MCTELL — "Broke Down Engine Blues / Southern Can Is Mine" COLUMBIA 14632 V+ MB $500
68. Salty Dog Sam aka SAM COLLINS — "Slow Mama Slow/New Salty Dog" ROMEO 5106 V MB $300
69. Sonny Scott — "Early This Morning/Working Man's Moan" VOCALION 25013 E/E+ MB $500
70. Mississippi Sheiks — "Sitting On Top Of The World / Lonely One In This Town" OKEH 8784 • E GORGEOUS COPY and super hard to find clean! Big hit, so lots around, but most copies are V+ or less due to how popular this was. MB $500
71. Clara Smith — "Oh! Mister Mitchell/Where Is My Man" COLUMBIA 14536 E This gets my vote for the BEST Clara Smith record! First heard it in the 1970's on the Dr. Demento show. MB $300
72. Charlie Spand — "Got To Have My Sweet-bread/Mississippi Blues" PARAMOUNT 12917 V RARE ONE MB $100
73. Victoria Spivey — "Moaning The Blues/Telephoning The Blues" VICTOR 38546 E/E+ MB $200
74. Victoria Spivey — "Dirty T. B. Blues/Blood Hound Blues" VICTOR 38570 E+/E Light grain on B-side MB $200
75. Victoria Spivey — "Haunted By The Blues/Lonesome With The Blues" VICTOR 38598 E Light grain MB $200
76. Frank Stokes — "Mistreatin' Blues / It Won't Be Long Now" VICTOR 21672 • E+ STUNNING COPY MB $2,000
77. Henry Townsend — "Henry's Worry Blues /Long Ago Blues" COLUMBIA 14529 E/E- MB $500
78. Washboard Trio — "Lady Quit Her Husband Onexpectinly/Washboard Rag" PARAMOUNT 12682 E- MB $200
79. Peetie Wheatstraw (The Devil's Son-In-Law) — "All Night Long Blues/Numbers Blues" DECCA 7082 E MB $200
80. Whistler's Jug Band — "Foldin' Bed /Hold That Tiger" VICTOR 23305 • E RARE JUG BAND RECORD!!! And when you own it, you can watch the film that was made of them playing it! MB $2,000
81. Bukka White — "Aberdeen Mississippi Blues / Sleepy Man Blues" OKEH 05743 • E Beautiful copy of an All Time classic MB $1,000
82. Robert Wilkins — "Police Sargent Blues /Nashville Stonewall Blues" BRUNSWICK 7168 • E- ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE!!! One of my top favorite Pre-War Blues records of all time and SUPER RARE!! Both labels are faded out, but it plays fantastic! MB $3,000
83. Robert Wilkins — "Rolling Stone-Part 1/Part 2" VICTOR 21741 V CLASSIC MB $300
84. Tim Wilkins aka ROBERT WILKINS — "New Stock Yard Blues / Dirty Deal Blues" VOCALION 03223 • V+ SUPER RARE—ABOUT FIVE KNOWN COPIES MB $2,000
85. Sonny Boy Williamson — "Early In The Morning/Project Highway" BLUEBIRD 7302 E MB $300
86. Sonny Boy Williamson — "I Been Dealing With The Devil/War Time Blues" BLUEBIRD 8580 E MB $100
DeLuca Pre-War Blues 78's consignment auction #4, highlights
Next Month's Auction:
The Jim Coulter Collection of
Sun and Memphis Label 78 RPM records!