FEATURES ARCHIVE

Legendary American singer-songwriter Judy Collins takes to the auction stage as Christie’s presents a group of instruments from the entertainer’s personal collection. Comprising guitars (seven of them by C.F. Martin and Company) and an autoharp, this collection reflects Collins’s extensive recording and performing history, from the early days of the 1960s well into the 21st century. Included in the sale are three contemporary guitars, the HD-35 6-string and two 12-strings, custom-made for Collins by C.F. Martin, used as recently as this year’s Newport Festival in the United States and the Glastonbury Festival in England. A truly stellar offering, these guitars and autoharp promise to strike a chord for devotees of one of America’s most beloved songstresses.

In Her Own Words…
“The people I admired most played Martins. The Martin sounded the best to me; they always had the sweetest tone. You can play anything on a Martin.”

The D-28: Most Coveted
“I was always traveling with great guitarists like Eric Weissberg and Stephen Stills, and they were both interested in instruments and collected them as Stephen still does. It was these two who convinced me to buy [the 1939 Martin D-28]. So then I had really found the 6-string that I played every time I performed for the next eight or ten years…I played a lot on that guitar…anything I recorded between ’68 and ’77, I would have used the old D-28. I love that guitar to this day. It is a beautiful, beautiful instrument.”

The Autoharp: Sweet Sounds
“I use the Oscar Schmidt autoharp for a song called ‘The Fisherman Song.’ I heard Sylvia Tyson play the autoharp when she and Ian sang together, and it appealed to me. I had to figure out how to hold it with the strings up here and the fingering down there. But I liked the way it sounded and it was perfect for that song. Sometimes you just have to get the right instrument for the song.”

The HD12-35SJC: Tailor-Made
“I had seen a recent piece about Stephen Stills and his relationship with Martin. He had gone to the factory and, working with Dick Boak, he figured out everything from the size, the wood, the neck length…I got to thinking I would call them and while I was thinking that, Dick Boak of Martin called me!…He said he would like to come and speak with me about making a Martin signature guitar for me. He knew I played a D-35 12-string and wanted to tailor it to my needs. I was very excited. So we got together and talked and talked and I visited Nazareth, Pennsylvania where we chose the wood and the idea for the pearl inlayed wildflower for the neck. That was Dick’s idea because Wildflower was the name of my recording company…when the first prototype came I was thrilled and delighted…When Martin makes a signature guitar for an artist, they ask you to choose a nonprofit that the royalties will be given to. In my case I chose both Amnesty International and UNICEF. They are two of my favorites.”