Janis Ian Auction Rules & Procedures

JEWELRY & PENS

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Why would anyone sell this stuff? Because it's raising money for a good cause, that's why. Besides, how many pens can you write with at once? and how many jewels can someone my size wear without gravity bringing me to my knees?
All earrings are for pierced ears, all watches work, all silver needs polishing, all pens worked when used before packing them, all rings are tiny! Where appraisals are available they are given, along with the name of appraiser and date.

070. LAPIS AND GOLD BEAD NECKLACE: 50" long with 21 small gold beads, the rest comprised of graduated lapis beads, this is almost a bolo (tapers to smaller and smaller gold beads at either end; no clasp). The lapis in these is stunning, a very unusual necklace. Appraised in 1979 by B. Harris & Sons at $1800.00; minimum bid $1800.00. A 1977 guilt gift from a soon-to-be ex-lover, I wore these draped around my neck, tied around my arm, hanging from a belt for years. Very upscale, beautiful lapis, and hopefully helpful to this auction!


071. SET OF LAPIS AND GOLD DROP EARRINGS: 1 1/4" long, to match the lapis and gold bead necklace listed here, purchased for $450.00 in 1977; minimum bid $200.00. I bought these myself to match the necklace (the ex-lover was already an ex by then); the lapis is gorgeous, with bits of gold running through.


072. GOLD AND DIAMOND WEDDING-BAND-STYLE RING: Worn on the cover of Night Rains (* does not show on the CD cover & may not show on later runs of the vinyl album); tiny diamonds mounted all around; purchase price $750 in 1977; minimum bid $500.00. No you don't need to know why I own this, you only need to know that I'll never wear it again!


073. OPAL AND GOLD NECKLACE: A light quality stone set in gold, with gold necklace chain. My mother loved opals but could never afford them, so I purchased this in 1976 as a gift for her to wear at the 1976 Grammy awards (which she did, and at every important occasion after). Small and delicate; original purchase price was around $300.00.


074. CORAL JADE AND GOLD NECKLACE: A 16" long, 3/8" thick choker, with large gold ball-clasp at one end; pattern of coral-colored jade interspersed with 1/2" clusters of gold. A gift from my ex-husband, whose taste in jewelry sometimes escaped me. This is a beautiful choker that would look fantastic on a blonde or brunette; I wore it for years because it made him happy to see me in it. Fortunately that's no longer necessary, so here it is.


075. RED AIDS RIBBON: In metal, with red sparkles all along, @ one inch. I first heard about AIDS from my friend Bruce Mailman in 1981, when they were still trying to figure out what caused this mysterious wasting disease that was hitting the gay men of New York so hard. I did every benefit I could after that; I had the honor of doing the first New York benefit (Reno Sweeny's), the first Nashville benefit (For Pete's Sake), and the first pediatric AIDS benefit in the country. Sometime in 1988 two of the founders of ACT-UP came backstage at the Bottom Line in New York and presented me with this ribbon, along with T-shirts, a cap, and their thanks. It means a lot to me.


076. # 1 PIN: A necklace pin in the shape of a #1 sign, with tiny diamond inset, 1" x 3/4", no chain; with Between the Lines CD. This pin was a gift from Brooks Arthur (producer of Between the Lines and "At Seventeen". also engineer on "Society's Child") in September 1975, when the record went to number one on the Billboard chart. A very very sweet way to commemorate an occasion we'd despaired of ever celebrating!


077. ROUGH-CUT AMBER BEAD NECKLACE FROM RUSSIA: In 1959 my grandmother went to Russia to visit her father and relatives there - her first visit since coming to America in 1918. She brought back two of these necklaces, one for my mom and one for me. It has a large amount of incredibly inexpensive rough amber hanging from what appears to be a gold chain, and I always treasured it because Mom, my grandmother, and I each had one.


078. EIGHT STERLING SILVER "PROFILE PINS": Each is cut in the shape of Janis' profile with JANIS IAN written on the front. @ 1.5" around; one to each of the eight highest bidders. Minimum bid on each $35.00. I had fifteen of these made to be used as tour identification badges in 1976; we used them on tour until 1982. (Yes, I had to wear one too, though mine is mounted on a chain - however, each time I misplaced it I wore one of the spares, which are these). It was an effective identification tool, and each musician or crew member had to return theirs when they left the tour. Nevertheless, I mysteriously only have ten left....
There has been confusion over minimum bid requirements on items 025-030 (6 Godlike T-shirts) and 078 (8 silver pins). To avoid any further confusion, please note that the minimum bid requirements are CHANGED for these items. You must bid at least $40 for the T-shirts and at least $35 for the silver pins. However, after that you may bid any reasonable amount you like (no cents! no odd numbers!). Bidders who are bidding the same amount (two bids for $35.00 each) will be tallied at the end according to whose bid came in FIRST. "

079. STERLING SILVER BRACELET AND PROFILE PIN: Small bracelet with "Thank you - Janis Ian '75" engraved on the front, along with a sterling silver pin in the shape of Janis' profile. (See listing #078 for more information on these.) Sold as a lot; minimum bid for both $75.00. I had 30 of these bracelets made in 1975 to give to people at CBS who'd been instrumental in making "At Seventeen" a hit, and kept two for myself. Fifteen of the "profile pins" were made as tour identification badges a year later, and we used them until 1982.


080. STERLING, LAPIS, AND ROSE QUARTZ NECKLACE: A 15" link necklace, with six lapis beads between, surrounded by light and lavender quartz beads; ends in 1/2" silver drops with design, and small quartz and silver designs attached below. Another gift from my mom to me sometime during the late 1960's/early 1970's; I wore it onstage and on television, since the quartz shone so prettily. And yes it needs cleaning - what did you expect? Hey, it's a charity auction.


081. AMETHYST & DIAMOND DROP EARRINGS: These were a gift from my mother for my birthday in 1982; she'd found them in a jewelry store and bought them on layaway for me. The diamonds are tiny, the amethyst is pretty, and I wore them through the years because it pleased her so much to see me in them.


082. MEDICALERT BRACELET: Worn on the cover of Night Rains; with Night Rains CD. This is a standard MedicAlert bracelet warning people of my various allergies - NOT a good idea for you to wear unless you share exactly the same allergies and reactions!


083. ANTIQUE GOLD HEART LOCKET AND CHAIN: Very worn and tiny antique gold heart locket with thin chain. A sweet piece. This was a gift to me from my mother in the 1970's and I wore it tucked under my blouses for years; a lovely, sweet, precious item. I never put a picture inside because my mother thought it might be bad luck. Go figure.


084. ELSA PERETTI SILVER HEART AND CHAIN: Appraised by B. Harris & Sons in 1979 at $120.00. A reporter asked me recently how many times I'd "been left"; I replied that it was a presumptuous question and why did he want to know? His answer: "You just seem like such an authority on the subject." This is yet another guilt gift from a soon-to-be ex-lover, tarnished from years of wear (and no, I'm not going to bother polishing it for you!)


085. MEZZUZAH: Gold colored, very delicate in appearance, beautiful design. Not worth anything near the minimum but something Janis would prefer to keep if it doesn't raise this amount. Minimum bid $150.00. Pat and I met in 1989; we were both stone broke and in debt, so that Chanukah we couldn't really afford presents. Instead we each gave the other personal items that meant something to us. She acquired this in Israel when she lived on a kibbutz around 1971, and gave it to me our first holiday season.


086. TINY GOLD MOGEN DAVID (STAR OF DAVID) with 15" GOLD CHAIN: Only half an inch big, this was a gift from Pat in 1990 and worn by me ever since. Not expensive but very delicate and small. The chain is a thin, shiny one I bought sometime in the 1970's.


087. BREAKING SILENCE DOG TAGS: Two sets of dog tags, copper rectangles with BREAKING and SILENCE cut out of each, on lightswitch chains. Both worn by Janis on tour 1992-1995. One set to each of the two highest bidders. I really liked the idea of tour identification that was something other than a regular laminate. Fans wanted them so much that we made 50 more and sold them through the Subscriber Service. These are two of the five I have left.


088. BREAKING SILENCE DOG TAGS AND REVENGE ALL-ACCESS LAMINATE: A set of Breaking Silence dogtags, copper rectangles with BREAKING and SILENCE cut out of each, on lightswitch chain worn 1993-1996, along with Janis' own Revenge Tour All-Access Pass laminate. There are many classic stories of artists arriving at their own shows and being turned away by security because they didn't have the proper pass. I've always been paranoid about this, and keep my own laminate either around my neck or in a pocket. Nevertheless, at one point on the Revenge Tour I was denied backstage access because I only had a VIP Pass, which wasn't good for backstage entry until the show had ended. After that I made sure I used an All-Access Pass every time.


089. ANTIQUE GOLDEN SCHAEFFER FOUNTAIN PEN: Serial #96416 (on nib), owned since 1969 & used to sign original CBS recording contract for Stars in 1971; with Stars CD. I've never met a writer who wasn't a pen junkie; we collect them, hoard them, trade them, beg for them on birthdays and holidays. Somehow, if we have enough pens, we'll never run out of ideas.


090. GOLD CROSS PEN IN ORIGINAL BOX: Used to sign CBS recording contract in 1976; with Between the Lines CD. After "At Seventeen" hit, CBS asked to renegotiate my contract (since there was only one album due them after Between the Lines). I bought this pen so I could sign the contract with an absolutely fresh one, which to my mind would bring good luck for future albums. And it did!


091. LARGE WATERMAN COBALT BLUE FOUNTAIN PEN: Purchased in Holland 1993 for $250.00; used to write songs for Revenge & Hunger; in beautiful shape. When we toured Holland in 1993, after being off the road almost twelve years, I didn't expect much. I was broke and had been broke for seven years; I used cheap hotel pens or whatever I could borrow for writing. Lo and behold, we sold out every show! I actually made enough money to grant myself one big indulgence, and that was this pen. I've used it for writing ever since.


092. WATERMAN "LADIES MODEL" BLACK FOUNTAIN PEN: Used to write all the songs for Revenge & Hunger; original purchase price $100.00. This pen was a gift from my partner Pat, Christmas 1993. As I remember, she'd just gotten a raise, and immediately went out and spent it on me! What a lady....


093. RECTANGULAR WATCH WITH SPARKLES AND CHAIN LINK BAND: Rectangular watch with sparkles around its face, soft chain link band, worn 1994-1997. I really, really, REALLY wanted a nice looking watch, but we couldn't afford anything grandiose. Pat found this in Provincetown one year for $40.00 and bought it for me; I wore it until she bought my current watch (a Swiss Army, since you asked) in 1997.


094. MOON FACES WATCH: Watch with faces of the moon, gold plate, lizard band. In 1990, after many years without work, I finally began getting calls - but they were all from overseas. Spanish television took a liking to me and flew me over a few times; they noticed I wasn't wearing a watch one day and presented me with this shortly after. Gotta love that country!


095. NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT LADIES WATCH: "Police Dept. City of NY" on the face. Now - I did grow up in the '60's, when police were "on the other side". Since then I've come to respect and cherish most of the cops I meet - especially since they're often protecting me! This was a gift from a female police officer at one of my Central Park concerts.


096. FLAPPER FACE PIN WITH RHINESTONE HAIR: 2 inches, porcelain or something close to it, hand painted. Yet another gift from an ex-lover, this one because they saw it and thought it looked like me. Yeah, right. Like I'd ever wear rhinestones in my hair.


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