# Possible help/advice with Toscanini/Heifetz estate sale find



## Rob Fouch (4 mo ago)

Hello. My name is Rob Fouch and I found this site in my efforts to research items I bought at an estate sale on Long Island. Maybe someone here would be able to help me. I don't know a great deal about classical music, but often purchase classical records and CDs at sales for resale as part of my collectibles side business. (I'm a journalist and writer by trade.)

I recently found what I believe to be are personal items once owned by Samuel Chotzinoff, the musician, critic/author and NBC producer who persuaded Arturo Toscanini to conduct the National Broadcasting Company Symphony Orchestra in the 1940s. His wife was Pauline Heifetz, sister of Jascha, and he also performed at one time with Efrem Zimbalist. I found items related to all of those people, along with Leopold Godowsky.

Here's what I found:

*A limited edition book of Donizettis “Lucia di Lammermoor,” inscribed to “Chotzi” from Toscanini as a birthday gift in 1949. Toscanini drew musical notes of the song “Happy Birthday” and signed it. Quite charming.

*Three sheet music booklets of Beethoven’s “Quatuors,” perhaps turn-of-the-century, with “J Heifetz” written on the title page of each. There are some notations throughout a couple of them, which I suppose could be Heifetz’s. Pretty amazing if that’s the case.

*A set of booklets of sheet music from Leopold Godowsky, with one containing an inscription to Chotzinoff signed by Godowsky and dated 1935.

*A Bach songbook inscribed to Zimbalist and signed by Godowsky and referencing a 1924 event.

So my questions are:

Does anyone know a Heifetz expert who might be able to recognize if the sheet music was indeed his? Are there auction houses that specialize in this sort of thing? I think they're amazing items and would like them to go to a collector who would appreciate them. I've attempted to attach a few photos.

Thank you in advance for any help/advice you can provide. Best regards.

Robert Fouch


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## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

I can't help you Rob but there's a nice use of canon on 'Happy Birthday'. A great find that you will easily find a home for, try the big auction houses as they do have specialist sales and experts on hand.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Look up Theodore Front. I don't know if they still are interested in material like that, but they might know who is. I picked up several books in their LA store years ago with inscriptions by the authors.


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## Rob Fouch (4 mo ago)

Thank you both for your replies. Even not knowing a great deal about classical music, I thought the items were really cool.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Rob Fouch said:


> Thank you both for your replies. Even not knowing a great deal about classical music, I thought the items were really cool.


They are very, very, very cool. To actually own something by Toscanini is amazing. Treat these items with care; they are valuable not just monetarily but historically, too.


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## Admiral (Dec 27, 2014)

that is an amazing find.


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

There certainly are dealers who specialize in this material. A violinist friend of mine collects signed photos of famous violinists, including Heifetz. 19th century autographs usually are rarer and more valuable than 20th century ones, but that Toscanini inscription in particular is very nice. Congratulations on your find.


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