Items from Freddie Mercury, Bill Waman & others also raked in huge sales
Marquee music memorabilia from the likes of Michael Jackson, Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Freddie Mercury, Bill Wyman and more hit the top of the charts at Julien’s Auctions’ aptly titled event Music Icons held today Tuesday, February 27th live and online at Julien’s Auctions where hundreds of bidders and music fans and collectors from around the world participated online to vie for these music treasures. The event featured over 100 signed and played instruments, wardrobe, handwritten lyrics, and more from the best-selling women who rock, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston and Amy Winehouse to music’s most popular male artists including Johnny Cash, Mick Fleetwood, Walter Becker, and Chris Cornell, as well as supergroups, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Nirvana.
The King of Pop ruled as Michael Jackson’s 1996 Brit Awards worn jacket when he accepted the Artist of a Generation Award that was custom made by his long-time court of designers Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush realized $50,800, the event’s top-selling item.
Country music royalty reigned at the auction podium with the appearance of Dolly Parton’s custom-made figure-hugging jade green embellished 1970s stage ensemble worn in 1974 while performing at WBAP’s Country Gold in Arlington, Texas and on the cover of her 1978 album In the Beginning. The sparkling embellished polyester ensemble with a fitted bodice, bell sleeves, fitted waist and peplum, and a pair of fitted bell-bottom trousers sold for $32,000.
Taylor Swift’s 2014 Glamour Magazine cover boho-inspired photo shoot props stole the spotlight including a 1991 Gibson Les Paul Studio Lite guitar, in translucent cerulean blue finish that sold for $15,875; a circa 1979 Music Man 112 RD 50 amplifier which sold for $8,890, more than eight times its estimate of $1,000; a wooden tambourine ($2,600 well over its estimate of $800); a Polaroid SX-70 Land camera, Model 2 ($2,223, over five times its estimate of $400); a vintage-style steamer trunk featuring a hand-painted water lily design ($1,950) and a group of bohemian style throw pillows ($4,445, over four times its estimate of $800).
Rock icons electrified the auction stage with handwritten music lyrics by Freddie Mercury of Queen to an unpublished song selling for a remarkable $28,575, as well as incredible axes from guitar heroes such as Steely Dan legend Walter Becker’s 1966 Fender Precision Bass with its original Firemist Silver finish ($28,575) and legendary bassist and Rolling Stones co-founding member Bill Wyman’s 1977 Travis Bean TB2000 Custom Short-Scale White Bass used on the Rolling Stones’ recordings in 1977 and 1978 ($26,000).
