Maria Elena Holly, the widow of early rock legend Buddy Holly, has consigned a treasure trove of Buddy’s clothing, photographs and personal effects – some of the last pieces in her collection – to Heritage Auction Galleries Beverly Hills’ April 9 Signature Music Memorabilia Auction, making these rare and superbly preserved treasures available to the public for the very first time.
“I defy anyone to see and touch these amazing relics and not have chills run up and down your spine,” said Doug Norwine, Director of Music & Entertainment Auctions at Heritage Auction Galleries. “This is very personal and moving memorabilia, affectionately tended to and immaculately kept by Buddy’s widow all these years. This grouping represents some of the very last pieces of her husband’s physical legacy.”
The trove includes an incredible 1959 Buddy Holly Apartment Tapes six-song acetate, featuring songs recorded scarce weeks before Buddy died, and a song never released, rare 45s of Buddy’s music, candid recording studio photos of Buddy singing, tour snapshots taken by Buddy and Maria Elena both, and a grouping of Buddy Holly’s personal clothing and casual dress, as well as a selection of his favorite cigarette lighters and all with the unimpeachable provenance of having come directly from Maria Elena Holly.
In the more than half century that has passed since the death of Buddy Holly on an icy February night in 1959 – long since known as “the day the music died” – Buddy’s amazing and unequaled musical legacy has been closely and lovingly guarded by his famously private widow, Maria Elena. Besides releasing a few key pieces – Buddy’s Omega watch that Heritage sold for $155,350 in April 2006, for instance – Mrs. Holly has kept a very low profile.
All of that, however, is about to change, as Maria Elena Holly will be in Beverly Hills for the auction on April 9, and will speak not only of the wonderful pieces from her private collection that she has consigned to Heritage, but also of the husband that she, and the world at large, had such a brief time to love and adore.
“Most every item in this amazing trove from Mrs. Holly tells stories not only of one of the greatest musicians to ever live,” said Norwine, “but also of a happy marriage and an undying love. This is truly incredible stuff.”
Heritage Auctions, headed by Steve Ivy, Jim Halperin and Greg Rohan, is the world’s third largest auction house, with annual sales more than $600 million, and 500,000+ registered online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, and to join and gain access to a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HA.com
