No Garland for Judy's Early Recordings

Records from Judy Garland's First Studio Session Fail to Sell

A pair of early music recordings by Judy Garland failed to sell at an auction in Hollywood, Calif. on Sunday. Auctioneer Bonhams & Butterfield said Monday that the two acetate discs, which were recorded in 1935, were expected to sell between $20,000 and $30,000. However, as the auction closed Sunday, the discs failed to reach the minimum bid of $22,500.

The Hollywood Reporter via the Associated Press, quotes B&B spokesperson Morgan Levy: "Clearly, there was interest, but perhaps Christmas shoppers didn't want to dig too deep into their pockets."

The recordings, made when Garland was just 12-year-old Frances Gumm, feature renditions of four songs she sang in her early vaudeville shows, including "Bill," from the Broadway musical "Showboat," and a medley of "Good Ship Lollypop," "Object of My Affections" and "Dinah."

It is ironic that on the very weekend these rare recordings failed to sell, another Hollywood auction, this one from the folks at Profiles in History, sold the costume Burt Lahr wore opposite Garland as "The Cowardly Lion" in the "The Wizard of Oz" - to the tune of &700,000!

Shown is a 1937 photograph of child actress-singer Judy Garland at an unknown location. (AP Photo)