Elton John is auctioning some of his extensive collection of personal goods and artfrom the Atlanta home he recently sold in a sale beginning Wednesday.
You can register at Christie’s to bid on items ranging from a custom Damien Hirst, an 18th-century costume created by Sandy Powell to a pair of silver leather boots embossed with E and J on the sides. Red Prada sunglasses start at opening $200. There’s a Bob Mackie-designed track suit and a pair of retro Deakin & Francis aluminum rocket cufflinks with a starting bid of $2,500. He will be auctioning an autographed punching bag signed by Muhammad Ali with an opening bid of $2,000.
A Banksy Flower Thrower triptych he purchased in 2017 is opening at $1 million.
And he is relinquishing the Yamaha conservatory grand piano that he used to create the music to his Broadway play “Aida” with a starting bid of $25,000.
He is also giving up two personalized Atlanta Braves jackets and windbreaker with an opening bid of $600.
Credit: CHRISTIE'S
Credit: CHRISTIE'S
Some are silent auction items and others will be auctioned live.
John, who owned a Buckhead condominium for about three decades, used Atlanta as his home base when he was touring North America. But he has retired from performing and is focused on raising his two children with his husband, David Furnish, in London.
Last fall, the pop legend sold his 13,332 square-foot Buckhead condo for $7,225,000, well above asking price.
New York Times reporter Zachary Small, who covers the dynamics of power and privilege in the art world, wrote an extensive story about John’s auction at Christie’s.
Credit: CHRISTIE'S
Credit: CHRISTIE'S
Small wrote that the auction should generate at least $10 million. The details of the auction are at christies.com.
Furnish spoke to the Times and explained that John had to start culling his huge collection.
“You have to reach a stage where you can’t just continue to accumulate,” Furnish said. “Elton hates parting with things. It is a very emotional decision.”
Credit: CHRISTIE"S
Credit: CHRISTIE"S
John’s property will be presented “in a series of landmark sales at Christie’s Rockefeller Center” location in New York City, according to a press release. The auctions will happen both live and online featuring eight separate sales, each focused on a unique aspect of John’s life and collection.
A public exhibition in their New York City galleries it taking place between Feb. 9 and 21 along with a pop-up gift shop featuring John’s eyewear, apparel, vinyl and accessories.
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