Online Auction
Every two years, Crowden holds a Gala fundraiser, with live and silent auctions, to benefit our music programs and scholarship funds. This year we had quite a few wonderful donations that we just couldn't offer at the Gala--instead, we reserved those items for this Online Auction.
We have a fantastic list of online auction items! Scroll down to see details about each item, and then get ready to bid! To learn what to do, and when to do it, see How the Online Auction Works.
The online auction is over! Winners will be notified by email. Thank you for supporting Crowden!
Item Descriptions
1. Ajanta Restaurant Cookbook
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $35 |
| Current high bid: $20 |
The gorgeous Ajanta: Regional Feasts of India by Lachu Moorjani, chef and owner of Ajanta restaurant on Solano Avenue in Berkeley. www.ajantarestaurant.com
Donor: Ajanta Restaurant
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2. Bay Area Discovery Museum #1
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $50 |
| Current high bid: $15 |
The Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito is a one-of-a-kind children's museum that offers a full range of hands-on programs... all with a focus on fun! The museum uses the concept of "home" for exploring the natural and cultural environments of the Bay Area-from distinctive landscape elements and natural habitats to artistic traditions. This family pass is good for one visit of a group of up to five people, including at least one adult. Valid through June 30, 2008. www.baykidsmuseum.org (Two passes available;you may also bid on item #3.)
Donor: Bay Area Discovery Museum
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3. Bay Area Discovery Museum #2
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $50 |
| Current high bid: $ |
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4. Cello Stand
| Opening bid: $25 | Value: $100 |
| Current high bid: $35 |
For a half-size cello, an elegant wooden stand with blue plush lining. Used, with a few nicks and scratches, but very sturdy and good for many years to come!
Donor: Joan Blades
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5. Framers Workshop gift certificate
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $50 |
| Current high bid: $26 |
Do you have a picture that needs framing? The Framer's Workshop is a family-run custom and do-it-yourself framing shop located on Channing at Telegraph in Berkeley , serving the Bay Area since 1977. www.framersworkshop.com
Donor: The Framers Workshop
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6. Freight and Salvage, pair of tickets #1
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $40 |
| Current high bid: $20 |
Check out traditional music from many cultures at the Freight & Salvage Coffee House! Home of traditional music since 1968, this family-friendly nonprofit community arts organization is truly eclectic. www.thefreight.org (Two pairs of tickets available;you may also bid on item #7.)
Donor: The Freight and Salvage
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7. Freight and Salvage, pair of tickets #2
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $40 |
| Current high bid: $22 |
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8. Jacques Thibaud String Trio CD set #1
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $40 |
| Current high bid: $ 10 |
Revel in this set of two Jacques Thibaud Trio CDs, recorded live at the Peaceful Bend Vineyard in Missouri . Includes: Beethoven String Trio E-flat Major, Op. 3; Herzogenberg String Trio in A Major, Op. 27/1; Mozart-Bach Adagio & Fugue No.1 in D minor from K. 404a; Schubert String Trio in B-flat Major, D 471; Françaix String Trio; Mozart Divertimento E flat major, K. 563. (Three sets available; you may also bid on items #9 or #10.)
Donor: Jacques Thibaud Trio
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9. Jacques Thibaud String Trio CD set #2
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $40 |
| Current high bid: $15 |
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10. Jacques Thibaud String Trio CD set #3
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $40 |
| Current high bid: $15 |
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11. Keith Modenbach photograph: Pond Leaves
| Opening bid: $100 | Value: $500 |
| Current high bid: $ |
Photograph © Keith Modenbach
Photo on display in the school lobby. www.kmfineartphotography.com
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12. Keith Modenbach photograph: Tulips
| Opening bid: $100 | Value: $500 |
| Current high bid: $ |
Photograph in frame © Keith Modenbach
Photo on display in the school lobby. www.kmfineartphotography.com
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13. Li Zhou photograph: Nude
| Opening bid: $100 | Value: $400 |
| Current high bid: $ |
Framed photograph of a nude woman leaning on an ivy-covered wall, by Crowden parent Li Zhou. Sepia-toned with a Victorian feel-calm and graceful. Arrangements to see the photograph can be made by contacting Sukey Lilienthal.
Donor: Li Zhou
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14. Music Theory Tutoring
| Opening bid: $50 | Value: $200 |
| Current high bid: $50 |
Five 30-to-45-minute music theory tutoring sessions with Drew Wheeler, a Crowden parent who has a handy PhD in Music Composition and Theory. For adults or kids!
Donor: Drew Wheeler
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15. Oakland Athletics Plaza Outfield Vouchers
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $32 |
| Current high bid: $ 10 |
Two Plaza Outfield vouchers to an Oakland A's home game during the 2008 season. Not good for Opening Night and games against the Giants, Yankees, or Red Socks. Expires 8/31/08. www.athletics.mlb.com
Donor: Oakland Athletics
Value: $32
Opening bid: $10
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16. Oregon Shakespeare Festival, two tickets
| Opening bid: $25 | Value: $100 |
| Current high bid: $40 |
Choose between four glorious Shakespeare productions and seven modern plays, performed on three different stages at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland during the 2008 season. Expires 11/20/08. www.osfashland.org
Donor: Oregon Shakespeare Festival
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17. Pamela Smilow painting/collage: Childhood's End
| Opening bid: $100 | Value: $950 |
| Current high bid: $100 |
Painting/collage by the internationally-recognized artist Pamela Smilow, on display in the school lobby. www.pamelasmilow.com
Donor: Barbara Anderson Gallery & Framing
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18. Ratatouille signed poster
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $25 |
| Current high bid: $ 10 |
Ours is like the one pictured here, but signed all over (in the white spaces) by the folks at Pixar!
Donor: Pixar Animation Studios
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19. Wall-E Poster
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $25 |
| Current high bid: $ |
Poster for the new Pixar movie, opening on June 27, 2008. "The year is 2700. WALL*E, a robot, spends every day doing what he was made for. But soon, he will discover what he was meant for."
Donor: Pixar Animation Studios
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20. Plum Wine and Premium Sake Flight
| Opening bid: $20 | Value: $64 |
| Current high bid: $22 |
- Takara Premium Plum White Wine (750ML) - four bottles
A rich, sweet, and aromatic plum wine suitable as an aperitif. This product uses a special plum called "ume," cultivated in Japan, and is very tart in flavor.
- Sho Chiku Bai Junmai-shu Naturally Brewed Sake (1.5L) - two bottles
Smooth, well-balanced, and full-bodied; dry and sweet with a hard, crisp texture.
- Sho Chiku Bai Premium Ginjo Sake (300ML) - two bottles
Sho Chiku Bai means "Pine Bamboo Plum." Ginjo is a special reserve, connoisseur class of sake. Most sakes are brewed with rice that has been milled 30%. For this Ginjo, the rice is polished over 50%. A special strain of yeast is also used to allow fermentation at a cooler temperature. The result of the slower, longer process is a silky-smooth, rich, and fruity flavor.
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21. Pocket Opera, pair of tickets #1
| Opening bid: $25 | Value: $74 |
| Current high bid: $ 25 |
The Pocket Opera brings us a fabulous 2008 season: Orpheus in the Underworld, Xerxes, Cosi Fan Tutti, Bastien and Bastienne, The Conspirators, Don Pasquale, Robert Devereux, and La Boheme. Performances are on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco (museum admission included with tickets!) and various other venues. Winner receives a pair of tickets to any performance through July 27, 2008. Reservations encouraged. www.pocketopera.org (Two pairs of tickets available; you may also bid on item #22.)
Donor: Donald Pippin's Pocket Opera
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22. Pocket Opera, pair of tickets #2
| Opening bid: $25 | Value: $74 |
| Current high bid: $25 |
Value: $74
Opening bid: $25
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23. Pokémon Quilt
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $40 |
| Current high bid: $ |
Handmade child's tie quilt, twin bed size, with a Pokémon theme.
Donor: Angela Archie
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24. San Jose Shark Jeremy Roenick Autographed Puck
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $30 |
| Current high bid: $ |
No hockey fan could pass this up: an puck autographed by San Jose Shark and NHL All Star #27 Jeremy Roenick. sharks.nhl.com
Donor: San Jose Sharks
Jeremy Roenick
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25. SF Giants Autographed Baseball
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $40 |
| Current high bid: $ |
Baseball signed by second base player Kevin Frandsen!
Frandsen sliding into third on a steal.
Donor: San Francisco Giants
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26. "Time To Practice" Clock
| Opening bid: $50 | Value: $200 |
| Current high bid: $50 |
Inspire your child (or yourself) to practice daily. This clock is constructed from a professionally made violin top varnished by award-winning luthier Thomas Oliver Croen.
Autographed and inscribed with a special "Time to Practice" reminder by preeminent violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, the new music director of the New Century Chamber Orchestra and Crowden's special friend.
Donor: Joan Balter
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27. USS Hornet Family Pass
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $40 |
| Current high bid: $10 |
Copyright ©1999-2007 USS Hornet Museum
Visit the USS Hornet aircraft carrier, now a floating museum located in Alameda . A breathtaking, almost sci-fi experience of architectural splendor, as well as a vivid evocation of naval life and history. For two adults and two children. www.uss-hornet.org
Donor: USS Hornet Museum
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28. Viola Shoulder Rest
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $28 |
| Current high bid: $15 |
A sleek, European-made Viva La Musica Viola Shoulder Rest, complete with height and width adjustments and a unique lateral adjustment system to ensure a perfect custom fit. For all viola sizes. www.ifshinviolins.com, www.viva-sas.com/shoulder_about.htm
Donor: Ifshin Violins
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29. Violin Shoulder Rest
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $24 |
| Current high bid: $ 10 |
A sleek, European-made Viva La Musica Violin Shoulder Rest, complete with height and width adjustments and a unique lateral adjustment system to ensure a perfect custom fit. 3/4-4/4 size. www.ifshinviolins.com, www.viva-sas.com/shoulder_about.htm
Donor: Ifshin Violins
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30. Website Design and Programming
| Opening bid: $50 | Value: $1,000 |
| Current high bid: $ 60 |
Here's your chance to finally turn that website idea into a reality. Designer extraordinaire Igor Gasowski and programming wiz Dmitri Gaskin (a 6 th grader at Crowden) will make a small website for you. The duo did Berkwood Hedge's website: www.berkwood.org. Not to exceed ten hours.
Donor: Igor Gasowski
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31. 6 Degrees on Solano certificate #1
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $25 |
| Current high bid: $15 |
With fabulous contemporary Mediterranean cuisine in a charming atmosphere, 6 Degrees supports local organic and sustainable farmers. You don't even have to feel guilty! www.sixdegrees6.com (Two certificates available; bid on number 32.)
Donor: 6 Degrees on Solano
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32. 6 Degrees on Solano certificate #2
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $25 |
| Current high bid: $15 |
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33. Cooler on Wheels
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $35 |
| Current high bid: $15 |
Keep your picnic cool, or your pizzas hot, with this large insulated food carrier, on wheels for easy transport. Big enough for several large pizzas or a picnic for several families!
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34. 
Pegasus/Pendragon Books certificate
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: $15 |
| Current high bid: $12 |
Use this gift certificate for magazines, CDs, or new and used books. Valid at Pegasus locations on Shattuck or Solano in Berkeley , or at Pendragon on College in Oakland 's Rockridge district. www.pegasusbookstore.com
Donor: Pegasus/Pendragon Books
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35. San Francisco Zoo Package
| Opening bid: $10 | Value: |
| Current high bid: $ 10 |
Everything you need for a complete day at the SF Zoo! This package includes general admission for two, two complimentary rides on the Carousel or Little Puffer Steam Train, and two parking passes. The Zoo is open 10:00 am-5:00 pm daily.
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36. Cello Stand
| Opening bid: $25 | Value: $185 |
| Current high bid: $75 |
Beautifully carved wooden stand with padding.
Donor: Balter Violins
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How the Online Auction Works
- The auction will run Tuesday, April 15 through Friday, April 18, until 8:00 pm daily. Emailed bids must be received during that time; since email can be delayed, you should bid sooner rather than later. Bids received after 8:00 pm will be counted in the following day's bidding.
- To place a bid, send an email to Mary Lynn Miller at mlmiller3@pol.net, with "online bid" in the subject line. In the message, include the following info:
- the amount of your bid (whole dollar amounts only please)
- the item number and name
- your full name, address, and phone number
- your Crowden affiliation: parent, student, board, staff, or other (if other, please explain)
Please send a separate email for each bid.
- Each day at 11:00 am, the website will be updated to show the amount of each current high bid, but not the bidder's name. We will not be able to tell you who holds the high bid, so please don't ask. Multiple bids at the same amount will be noted: if you are one of the bidders at that amount, you should increase your bid.
- After the auction closes, winners will be notified by email and given instructions for payment. In the case of a tie at closing, the item will go to the first person who bid that amount. Payment must be received within 10 days, or the bid will expire and the item will be offered to the next highest bidder.
- Items will be distributed at the Crowden Music Center, after your payment is received. Tickets and certificates can be mailed instead, at your request.
- All proceeds benefit the Crowden Music Center. For Federal Income Tax purposes, your purchase of an auction item is deductible as a charitable donation only to the extent that the amount paid exceeds the fair market value of the goods or services received. The auction donors and Crowden Music Center have made a good-faith estimate of the fair market value of each auction item, stated on your itemized receipt. Please consult with your tax accountant or other financial professional about additional questions or concerns. Crowden Music Center is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Our tax identification number is 94-286-3366.
Thank you for your support!