I don't know if I find this sad, creepy, interesting or exciting (frankly, all of the aforementioned), but The Gloved One's items from his now Notorious Neverland Ranch are being auctioned off in a little over a month and I've got the lowdown for you, from the auction catalog covers to some of the actual auction items and their estimated prices.
The Michael Jackson Auction
More than 2,000 items of fine and decorative arts, furniture, memorabilia, arcade games, Disneyana, and garden statuary from Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch will be auctioned off at Julien's in Beverly Hills on April 22-25th.
photo courtesy of terrastories.com/bearings/inside-neverland-ranch
The immense collection represents the personal property and contents of Michael Jackson’s private amusement park and family residence to be sold during a live auction, televised and real-time online auction broadcast by Auction Network to be held at 9900 Wilshire Blvd adjacent to the Beverly Hilton Hotel from April 22nd through April 25th, 2009.
Iconic memorabilia from Jackson's career is featured alongside his luxurious home furnishings and profuse amusements in this once-in-a-lifetime auction of Neverland Ranch.
King of Pop: A once in a lifetime Auction Featuring The Personal Property of Michael Jackson with a Portion of the Proceeds Benefiting MusiCares®
Exhibition:
9900 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills, California 90210
Adjacent to The Beverly Hilton
April 14th – April 21st (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Daily)
$20.00 per person for Exhibition and Auction
The Auction catalogs:
above: The boxed set of the five auction catalogs (shown individually below) is available for purchase here, either signed or unsigned.
April 22nd: Session I: Garden Statuary and Outdoor Furniture
Session II: Furniture and Decorative Arts
April 23rd: Session III: Furniture and Decorative Arts
Session IV: Antiques, Paintings and Fine Decorative Art
April 24th: Session V: Amusements, Arcade Games and Disneyana
Session VI: Amusements, Arcade Games and Disneyana
April 25th: Session VII: Memorabilia From the Life and Career of Michael Jackson
Session VIII: Memorabilia From the Life and Career of Michael
above photos courtesy of Julien's Auction House.
Observer Music Monthly has obtained this world exclusive preview of some of the items going under the hammer, and here are some of the more interesting ones:
above: Portrait of Michael Jackson dressed as a King, oil on canvas, signed and dated 1995. Housed in an elaborate gold frame. Norman Oak (American, B. 20th Century) Guide price: $4,000 - $6,000.
above: An orange spandex glove covered with orange Swarovski Loch Rosen crystals and rectangular mirrored beads. Guide price $1,000-$1,500
above: A pair of Michael Jackson's Triumph-era socks with uppers covered in rhinestone banding. They date back to his 1981 Triumph tour with the Jacksons. Guide price $600-$800
above: A full-length red velvet cape with detachable faux ermine collar with gold rope trim, gold metal cross brooch with faux cabachon gems and satin lining. Guide price $300-$500
above: An electric cart featuring an image of Jackson as Peter Pan on the bonnet and Peter Pan cushions. Guide price $4,000-$6,000
above: A robotic Michael Jackson head featured at the climax of his 1988 film Moonwalker, when he transforms into a robot and defeats Joe Pesci's evil character, Mr Big. Guide price $2,000-$3,000
The robotic head lights up as each piece of the face pushes out and expands before retracting back into the shape of Jackson's face. It still animates at the push of a button
above: Jackson's MTV Video Music award for Best Group Video USA For Africa 1984-1985. Guide price $6,000-$8,000
above: A Brevetti Gaggia espresso and cappuccino machine. Two tone metal featuring polished chrome with bands of repouss&ecute; and reticulated brass. Tank bears a Neverland plaque, is flanked by decorative Turkish tea vessels and is crested by an eagle finial. Guide price $1,000-$2,000
above: Accessory pieces from Jackson's Moonwalker costume including: a black leather and gold metal belt, a gold metal necklace with matching purple and blue stones and matching bracelet and rectangular epaulets. The belt can be seen in the opening sequence of the film Moonwalker. Guide price $1,000-$1,500
above: The prop 'scissorhand' gloves that Johnny Depp wore in Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands. Stan Winston, the visual effects artist for the film, worked with Jackson on the 1997 short film Ghosts. Guide price $4,000-$6,000
above: A Sega flight simulation arcade game with safety barrier and attendant station. Guide price $4,000-$6,000
above: A larger-than-life figure of Superman. Guide price $1,000-$1,500
above: A marble chess table supported by four parcel gilt horses on marble pillars. Guide price $2,000-$3,000
above: A fire engine tea kettle with moving wheels. Guide price $100-$200
above: A Katherine Baumann crown-shaped minaudiere with red, green and gold jewels. Guide price $800-$1,200
above: A Victory tour jacket worn by Jackson at the Kansas City opening of the 1984 tour with the Jackson. It is currently on exhibit at the Los Angeles Grammy Museum. Guide price $2,000-$4,000
above: A coin-operated Grandmother Predictions fortune teller in wooden cabinet. Guide price $1,500-$2,500
above: Jackson's Rolls Royce with interior designed by himself. Guide price $140,000 - $160,000
And, these new items whose photos were just released.
The sale also includes vintage video game machines, as well as Jackson's collection of 18th- and 19th-century art. There are books about Disney, the Three Stooges, Peter Pan and Alfred Hitchcock, as well as a collection of black history books, including the autobiography of Malcolm X. Then there is a selection of his own stage costumes, dating back from the days of the Jackson 5 through to the present. There is one of the fedoras he wore in the video for Billie Jean; a pair of trousers so studded with diamanté that they feel as heavy as chain mail; there are customized military jackets, featuring insignia surely acquired on his global travels - including badges from the Royal Air Force and the Thai Narcotics Bureau.
All Photographs Courtesy of Shaan Kokin/Julien's Auctions
About the ranch:
The ranch opened as a private amusement park in 1988, with its own zoo and Ferris wheel, roller coaster and bumper cars. It was named after Peter Pan's fantasy island where children never grow up, and for years children would arrive by the busload, invited to play freely in its grounds. But following the 2005 child molestation trial - which saw Jackson acquitted of all charges - the singer never returned to the 2,800-acre property in the Santa Ynez Valley, 130 miles west of Los Angeles. The ranch has recently been renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch.
photo courtesy of terrastories.com/bearings/inside-neverland-ranch
Wanna watch the auction live online?
Auction Network will broadcast live streaming video of the auction and provide viewers with real-time, interactive bidding during the auction.
Wanna Bid?
Register to bid here.
Check out the updated post on Julien's summer auction of MJ's items here.
And check out the best, weirdest and worst art inspired by Michael Jackson here.
Buy Michael Jackson Music and Books on Amazon
