First Jackson Auction Drop in the Bucket, But Higher Than Expected
Filed under: Auctions, Celebrity Shopping
In what is likely to be the first of several auctions, Michael Jackson's estimated $500 million debt was chipped away by $205,000. This is far ahead of the initial estimates of $10,000 to $12,000, showing signs of life in at least one corner of the auction market today.
The auction was not a knee-jerk reaction to the entertainer's death, as it had been scheduled prior to his demise. Items brought under the gavel include a sheer, long-sleeve shirt from the 1984 "Victory" tour. Clearly, the unexpected death pushed prices higher. The shirt went for $52,500, much more than the $1,000 to $1,500 anticipated, and a handwritten letter was purchased for $12,500 – up substantially from the $200 to $300 estimate.
Also on the block were a painting of Mickey Mouse conducting with Pluto singing (acrylic on cardboard) – signed ... twice ... by Michael Jackson. The first painting was in black paint, and the second was in white paint, over the original signature. It sold for $25,000, well above the $1,000 to $1,500 target.
[Photo via Julien's Auctions]
Joe DiMaggio's very own watch is up for auction this holiday season; not just the same kind of watch he used to wear, but the very watch.
If you are a Beatles fan or perhaps just a collector of odd things, Betty Glasgow has something that might interest you. When Glasgow worked as a stylist on the Beatles' movies Hard Day's Night and Help, she was in charge of keeping the Liverpool lad's hair neat and trimmed. After one such trim, John Lennon gifted her with a lock of his hair along with a note that read: "To Betty, lots of love and hair from John Lennon xx." That lock of hair became part of the Betty Glasgow Collection of Beatles and Film Memorabilia, which will soon be up for auction. The sale is scheduled for December 12 at 
