My March 31, 2026 Strachwitz Pre-War Blues 78's Auction,
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Closes Tuesday, March 31, 2025 at 7:00 pm PT
My March 31, 2026 Strachwitz Pre-War Blues 78's auction highlights
Printed (PDF) version of my March 31, 2026 Strachwitz Pre-War Blues 78's auction
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* * * Hello Pre-War Blues 78's Collectors! * * *
Chris Strachwitz was one of THE Pioneer Collectors of Vintage Rural American Music! He started collecting Blues records in the South in 1958! He owned the Arhoolie Label and recorded GREAT Blues music and GREAT MUSIC OF ALL KINDS. Chris passed away in May of 2023 at 91 years of age.
I purchased his entire personal collection of just under 50,000 78's last November. This is the first of several auctions featuring GEMS from his collection (with a few of my own thrown in for good measure) and IT'S A DOOZY!!
Read the listings carefully and don't miss anything! There are great records in all price ranges and conditions. (Auction #2 of the Strachwitz Pre-War Blues collection will come later this year and at least one more next year.)
This collection is one of the very LAST great 78 collections from the first generation of 78 collectors to come up for sale. Some items offered here may never be offered again . . . FOR DECADES!
"This Ain't No Mouse Music" was painted on the side of Chris' DownHome Music Store in El Cerrito, California. There AIN'T NO MOUSE MUSIC in this auction! So bid like you really want to win and ask for a call back for any records you just can't live without!
Chris also had a World Class collection of Ethnic, Cajun and Mexican 78's as well as some "off-condition" Blues, Gospel, Jug Band and Post War Country 78's. Check my weekly eBay listings for these records.
CHRIS STRACHWITZ' KINGS OF THE Pre-War BLUES 78's! (Records 1 – 10)!
1. Willie Brown "M & O Blues / Future Blues" PARAMOUNT 13090 • G My choice for one of the top five Pre-War Blues records of all time! About FIVE known copies! This one doesn't look pretty but plays decent. You may not see this one for sale again for a long time. Get it while you can . . . if you can. MB $5,000
2. Smokey Harrison "St. Peters Blues Part 1 / Part 2" PARAMOUNT 12936 • POOR EXTREMELY RARE PARAMOUNT!!! This is one of only THREE known copies and the others are not clean either. Looks wrecked but you can hear it decently through quite a bit of noise. Probably will never be for sale again, so now's your chance. MB $500
3. William Harris "Kansas City Blues / Hot Time Blues"GENNETT 6707 • E-/V+ VERY NICE COPY that was broken in half and then EXPERTLY REPAIRED!!! You do NOT hear ANY evidence of the break! ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE! THREE known! MB $500
4. Robert Johnson "Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped The Devil) / Love In Vain" VOCALION 4630 • E/E- MASTERPIECE!!! And his second rarest record!!! "Preachin' " comes right from SON HOUSE and "Love In Vain" has become a BLUES standard covered by THE ROLLING STONES and many others. VERY nice copy with minimal wear and it plays fantastic! Almost never for sale as everyone who has this one keeps it as long as possible. MB $10,000
5. Charley Patton"Shake It And Break It But (Don't Let It Fall Mama) / A Spoonful Blues" PARAMOUNT 12869 • V+ DOUBLE-SIDED PATTON Masterpiece! And V+ is very clean for a Patton—near impossible to find them any cleaner! Plays nice and clear with standard PARAMOUNT noise floor. To own ANY CHARLEY PATTON is most collectors' dream and this one is one of the very best. MB $5,000
6. Long "Cleve" Reed & Little Harvey Hull" Hey! Lawdy Mama—The France Blues / Two Little Tommies" BLACK PATTI 8001 • V Another Pre-War Masterpiece! This is one of four known copies!!! Could be your one and only chance to own this one! A GREAT one on BLACK PATTI. MB $5,000
7. Henry Sims With CHARLEY PATTON" Be True Be True Blues / Tell Me Man Blues" PARAMOUNT 12940 • V+Mr. Sims played Violin for Mr. Patton on several of his records and Mr. Patton returns the favor on this one!!! One of THREE known!!! Now or never. MB $5,000
8. Jim Thompkins / Speckled Red "Bedside Blues / We Got To Get That Thing Fixed" BRUNSWICK 7200 • E+ STUNNING GUITAR BLUES on the A-side! His ONLY record! Almost never for sale at any price!!! Maybe FIVE known . . . maybe. Grab it now. It will never be seen this clean again . . . until one day if my copy becomes available . . . if . . . MB $3,000
9. Henry Townsend as Jesse Townsend "Take A Chance / No Home Blues"VICTOR 23322 • V+ ONE of only THREE known copies! Only his PARAMOUNT release is rarer (with just ONE copy known). Townsend was known as "The Mule" and was the last living Blues singer from the Paramount era to pass away. There is only this copy, my copy (which is just a hair better) and the copy in the VICTOR ARCHIVES. MB $3,000
10. Minnie Wallace And Jug Band"The Old Folks Started It / Dirty Butter" VICTOR 38547 • E+A MASTERPIECE of the genre! Stunning Jug Band with TOUGH Female vocals! Not many of these around and almost never for sale! Grab it if you can!!! MB $2,000
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My March 31, 2026 Strachwitz Pre-War Blues 78's Auction highlights