Sir Elton John’s piano, jumpsuit and platform boots up for sale
All the items listed are from the home he and husband David Furnish shared in Atlanta, and include an ivory-and-gold jumpsuit, one of his first stage outfits, a Yamaha grand piano and a pair of silver leather platform boots made in 1971.
Sir Elton John is putting a piano, jumpsuit and a pair of platform boots up for auction in New York next month.
A painting of the pop megastar and his partner, David Furnish, by Damien Hirst – titled Your Song after his hit track, and inscribed “xxx for Elton + David” – is expected to fetch $350,000 to $450,000 (£280,000 to £360,000).
Also included is a portrait of the 76-year-old singer by American painter and Oscar-nominated director Julian Schnabel – valued at between $200,000 and $300,000 (£160,000 to £240,000).
The items listed in the collection titled Sir Elton John: Goodbye Peachtree Road, are from the home he and Furnish, a well-known gay rights campaigner and AIDS activist, shared in Atlanta.
If you fancy tinkling Elton’s own ivories, there’s a Yamaha grand piano for sale at $30,000 to $50,000 (£24,000 to £39,000).
A 1971 pair of tall leather platform boots – silver and with red leather letters ‘E’ and ‘J’ on both sides – could fetch between $5,000 and $10,000 (£4,000 to £8,000).
An ivory-and-gold jumpsuit, one of his first stage outfits, designed by Annie Reavey, has an estimated value of $8,000 to $12,000 (£6,500 to £9,700).
It was loaned to make costumes for the 2018 Rocketman biopic, starring Taron Egerton.
Tash Perrin, deputy chairman of Christie’s Americas, which is handling the auction, said: “This extraordinary collection not only showcases a diverse array of remarkable objects that encapsulate Elton’s unique life, work, and art but also provides our clients with a glimpse into the profound impact that the city of Atlanta had on him.”
The collection, she said, features “a refined assortment of photographs, artworks, fashion, and costumes – a testament to a man’s eclectic vision, artistry, and impeccable taste”.
Also up for sale is an 18-carat-gold limited-edition Cartier watch, a necklace with diamond letters that says “the bitch is back” (after his 1974 hit of the same name) and silk Versace shirts.
And a Vogue cover by American photographer Irving Penn of fashion model Jean Patchett could fetch between $100,000 to $150,000 (£79,000 to £120,000).
Sir Elton John ended his touring career last year, after spending more than 50 years performing at venues throughout the world, when he delivered his last gig in the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in Stockholm in July.
He gave his final UK performance as a headliner of Glastonbury, the famous festival in Somerset.
The collection is open to the public at Christie’s in New York for 12 days before the opening night of sales on 21 February.
SOURCE: SKYNEWS