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In the heart of Manhattan, within the prestigious confines of the Rockefeller Center where Christie’s headquarters reside, an auction of significant magnitude unfolded, dedicated to the memorabilia of British music icon Elton John. This memorable evening, marking the beginning of a series of events devoted to the artist, succeeded in amassing nearly 8 million dollars.
Throughout the auction dedicated to Elton John memorabilia, over 200,000 dollars was allocated for his grand piano, while a triptych by Banksy, a prized possession of the artist, ignited fervent bidding, ultimately reaching nearly two million dollars.
Within the halls of this illustrious auction house, items of considerable sentimental and monetary value were presented to bidders. Notably, silver boots adorned with the initials E and J, worn during performances, were auctioned for 94,500 dollars, a sum vastly surpassing the initial estimate of 5,000 to 10,000 dollars. Similarly, a pair of glasses, embodying the emblematic style of Sir Elton, fetched 22,680 dollars, exceeding its pre-sale estimate by tenfold.
Spanning eight auction sessions, both physical and online, which run until February 28, collectors are afforded the opportunity to procure fragments of music history. Among these, concert attire from the legendary pianist, who bade farewell to the stage in 2023. For instance, an ivory and gold ensemble from the 1970s, crafted by designer Annie Reavey, was sold for 12,600 dollars on the inaugural evening.
The majority of these artifacts originate from the artist’s opulent residence in Atlanta, which has recently found a new owner. Elton John, whose melodies such as Your Song, Rocket Man, I’m Still Standing and Sacrifice have endured through time, had chosen this city as his base for North American tours, motivated by “personal reasons.” Christie’s, in a statement, revealed that following his battle with alcohol and drug addiction, the artist, who became sober in 1990, found comfort and support within this welcoming community, notably through local rehabilitation centers like the Triangle Club, which played a pivotal role in his recovery.
The collection, meticulously assembled with David Furnish, the artist’s spouse, includes works from renowned artists such as Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Robert Mapplethorpe and Richard Avedon, reflecting the couple’s passion for contemporary arts.
Auctions of collections belonging to iconic figures of pop culture have now become flagship events for auction houses. This was evidenced by last September’s sale, where thousands of objects that belonged to Freddie Mercury, the lead of Queen, generated 40 million pounds sterling (46.5 million euros), including a Yamaha baby grand piano, a musical relic of the artist’s compositions, auctioned for 2 million euros.
With AFP
