Rare Elvis Recordings Fail To Sell

A batch of Elvis Presley's earliest RCA recordings from nearly 50 years ago failed to meet the minimum asking price at auction on Monday, but lesser keepsakes from the King of Rock 'n' Roll fetched more than $6,000.

The highlight of the two-day sale of show business memorabilia by international auction house Bonhams and Butterfields was a private collection of six reel-to-reel tape recordings of Presley valued at between $30,000 and $50,000. The "pre-master" recordings of some of Presley's first sessions at RCA included never-before-heard versions of such hits as "All Shook Up" and "Jailhouse Rock" as well as studio banter among the singer, members of his band and the engineer who recorded them, Thorne Nogar. It was Nogar, working under contract for RCA, who ended up in possession of the reels and whose family put them up for bid through Bonhams & Butterfields. Nogar died in 1994. The tapes ended up being withdrawn from auction because "they did not meet minimum price set by the owners," auction spokesman Erik Simon told Reuters. He said the family did not want to divulge the reserve price set for the collection or the range of bids received. Several other pieces of Presley memorabilia did sell, including a signed photograph of the singer ($2,115), an autographed movie banner from his 1968 film "Stay Away Joe" ($3,525) and an autographed record sleeve ($470).

BMG already has everything which is featured on these tapes.

Here is tracklisting for the Elvis tapes that went under the hammer at the Bonhams & Butterfields auction yesterday in LA. In between each song is there is session talk etc.
 
Tape 1:
 
The complete Christmas album

Tape 2:
 
Jailhouse Rock (Begin fade at 1:50)
Jailhouse Rock (Begin Fade at (2:15)
Treat Me Nice
Don't Leave Me Now
Don't Leave Me Now
I Want To Be Free
Young And Beautiful (3 tracks)

Tape 3:

Precious Lord
It Is No Secret
Blueberry Hill
Have I Told You Lately
Is It So Strange

Tape 4:

Playing For Keeps
Love Me
Paralyzed
How Do You Think I Feel
How Is The World Treating You
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold
Long Tall Sally
Ole Shep (Alternate Master)
Ole Shep
Too Much
Anyplace Is Paradise
Rip It Up

Tape 5:

I Believe
Got A Lot Of Living To Do
All Shook Up
Mean Woman Blues
Peace In The Valley
I Beg Of You
That's When Your Heartache Begins
Tell Me Why (Extra number)

Tape 6:
 
Don't Leave Me Now
One Night
True Love
I Need You So
Loving You
When It Rains It Really Pours
I Beg Of You (Original mono tape)
Teddy Bear
Lonesome Cowboy
Party (Vocal and group)
Party (Vocal and band)
Hot Dog

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