Michael Jackson's trademark black fedora and the gold record for
his Thriller album are among dozens of the pop star's
belongings to be auctioned by New York's Guernsey's auction house
next month.
The collection includes about 2,000 items from the Jackson
family, ranging from handwritten lyrics to Michael's sunglasses and
microphone. The celebrity trove will be auctioned on May 30-31 at
the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Once the subject of a legal battle between Jackson and a former
family business partner, the collection spans the Jacksons' careers
from the mid-1960s through the early 1990s.
Keepsakes include Janet Jackson's ballet shoes and a Mae West
costume she wore in her first performance with the Jackson 5. A
black jacket with gold sequined epaulets worn by Michael in his
1980s "moonwalking" era is also on offer.
Guernsey's has not put a price tag on the collection, but
officials expect the bidding for some items to be steep.
"Buyers will be of every description, from the most dedicated
fans to the corporate buyer who sees this as interesting material
to display," said Guernsey's President Arlan Ettinger.
Fans can also bid for the items on eBay at the time of the live
auction, he said.
Jackson vaulted into super-stardom with his 1982
Thriller album and remains one of the best-selling
recording artists of all time. Thriller yielded seven
top-ten singles and sold 27 million copies in the United States
alone.
Controversy has dogged the singer in recent years with tabloids
dubbing him "Wacko Jacko" for his odd behavior such as his dangling
a baby over a fourth-floor hotel railing in 2002.
Tried in 2005 on charges of molesting a 13-year-old boy, Jackson
was acquitted of all charges.
The memorabilia are part of a collection of about 10,000 Jackson
family items that were bought in a bankruptcy sale and later sold
to Boca Raton, Florida-based delivery company Universal
Express.
The collection made news in 2004 when some of the items,
including Jackson's underwear, were turned over to investigators as
evidence in the child molestation case.
Personal belongings from
the Jackson family, including Michael, Janet, Jermaine, Tito and La
Toya, are displayed in New York April 5, 2007, prior to being sold
at an auction in Las Vegas on May 30.
A Michael
Jackson-autographed photograph is seen among personal belongings
from the Jackson family, including Michael, Janet, Jermaine, Tito
and La Toya, which are displayed in New York on Thursday, April 5,
2007, prior to being sold at an auction in Las Vegas on May
30.
Michael Jackson's first
gold album, awarded for Thriller in 1982, is among
personal belongings from the Jackson family, including Michael,
Janet, Jermaine, Tito and La Toya, which are displayed in New York
on Thursday, April 5, 2007, prior to being sold at an auction in
Las Vegas on May 30.
An award from MTV is seen
among personal belongings from the Jackson family, including
Michael, Janet, Jermaine, Tito and La Toya, which are displayed in
New York on Thursday, April 5, 2007, prior to being sold at an
auction in Las Vegas on May 30.
(Agencies via Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2007)
