RICK HARRISON: I just got a call from my art expert, Brett.
He said something amazing just walked into his shop.
It's not the kind of thing he buys,
but he promised me I would love it.
So I'm going to Brett's gallery to check it out.
Thanks for coming down.
This is the gentleman I wanted you to meet, Ron Raffaelli.
- How's it going? - How do you do?
RICK HARRISON: So what have we got here?
Ron came in with these vintage Jimmy Hendrix photographs,
and we're not really dealing with photography.
But I know you're a Hendrix fan, so I
had to have you come down here and see some of his pieces,
which I think are fantastic.
I've just never seen pictures of Jimmy Hendrix like this.
Never.
How in the world did you get photos like this?
I was Jimi's photographer.
RICK HARRISON: Seriously?
That's why I'm all gray.
[laughs]
RON RAFFAELLI: I was looking to start marketing my archive.
And this photo I had of Jimi Hendrix I had never even seen.
I kept them for myself for too long.
It's time that people see Jimi Hendrix for who he really was.
RICK HARRISON: How did you get a gig being
Jimi Hendrix's photographer?
Oh, I went out on audition, and he
chose me as his photographer, basically
to document his American tour.
I'd become, basically, a member of the band.
These have been in my archive for the last 40 years.
RICK HARRISON: OK, one of the things
I find most amazing about Jimi Hendrix
is he was only on the American rock scene for two years,
and that two years changed rock and roll for the next 40 years.
Eric Clapton told me, when he first heard Jimi Hendrix play,
that he thought he was going to put them all out of business--
[laughs]
--that he was--
he would be selling shoes in a month.
Jimi Hendrix did things on a guitar
that a lot of people never thought were possible.
And since he died so young, his memorabilia is huge.
So a bunch of never-before-seen photos
would drive some collectors nuts.
So what do you think about these?
BRETT: I think they're great.
You were really part of his inner sanctum,
and I think that that really shows
through in the photographs.
They don't have the whole persona.
Jimi's not a rock god.
He's kind of unveiled.
All right, so these are all from the original negatives
and the--
Yeah, I mean, they look to be from the original negative
to me.
And I don't recognize any of these images of his
having ever been published.
I buy a lot of stuff.
But what surprises a lot of people--
I buy fine art, too.
It can be tough in a recession.
But with the right pictures at the right price,
I can make a buck or two.
So why are you releasing them now?
I have been reborn, and I've taken all my old material.
And I wanted to show Jimi the way
he should be shown in the quality
that he deserves to be presented in.
Nobody had the access that I had.
I've captured Jimi, and he's in these pictures.
You haven't even seen the most amazing shots yet.
There's more?
That's incredible.
RON RAFFAELLI: That was a real spider.
I almost walked into it coming back from another shoot.
I jumped back because I'm scared to death of spiders.
And Jimi said, I'm not afraid.
I'll take a picture with it.
I said, OK, put your face up there.
And he put his face up there.
I focused on the spider, and there it is.
RICK HARRISON: Yeah, that's pretty amazing.
What I would really like to do is be able to put
a lot of these in my store.
I think they would sell like hotcakes.
So if you don't mind, I'd really like to make a pile of ones
I'd like to buy right now.
Well, by all means.
I'm going to pick out a stack of what I think are the best
images and make him an offer.
Art is like anything else.
It's always cheaper when you buy in bulk.
So Brett, this is sort of where I need your help.
[chuckles]
What do you think photos like this would go for?
Do you mind if I ask you a few questions, Ron?
RON RAFFAELLI: Certainly.
Now, you haven't marketed any of these shots, ever.
That's right.
Are they limited edition?
Or are they an open edition?
Or do you know--
It's an open edition of signed prints.
Signed prints. And they're archival quality?
You supervise everything?
I do it myself.
You do everything.
OK, very good.
Do you have a certificate of authenticity
that you're doing that documents the process?
Very good, right there.
RICK HARRISON: OK.
But I could see a piece like this,
nicely framed, maybe even a little placard
documenting the concert, that type of thing selling--
[music playing]
12 to $1,500.
OK.
But I think they'll continue to go up over time.
RICK HARRISON: And these ones right here?
BRETT: The smaller ones, less so.
Maybe in the $700 or $800 range, I would say.
But still, very collectible.
Vintage photography is very big right now,
especially when you're talking about photographs
of icons like Jimi Hendrix.
RICK HARRISON: I got 28 photos here.
Normally what galleries do is they take things on consignment
and they generally get a really large discount.
I'm not really asking for that.
It's just not the way I like to do business.
Make me an offer.
I'll tell you what, I'll give you-- for pile right here,
I'll give you $10,000.
I can't accept $10,000.
These are worth at least 20.
I mean by the time he frames them, I put them on the wall--
I mean, they take up real estate in my store.
I'm going to have to take other things down.
What about 12?
RON RAFFAELLI: Nobody's seen them.
They're unpublished.
18.
RICK HARRISON: This is some incredible stuff,
but I'm taking all the risk here because you
haven't been published before.
I'm really seeing, like, $14,000.
RON RAFFAELLI: It's my heart and soul.
Come on.
You're going to make a fortune.
[music playing]
15.
You've got a deal.
All right, thanks a lot, Brett.
I really appreciate it.
I look forward to seeing these in the shop.
I'm really excited we were able to make a deal.
I think I could make a serious profit once people
realize what I have.