(New York) Silver boots marked with an E and J worn in concert, a piano, a Banksy triptych: Elton John is putting a large collection of his objects up for auction at Christie’s in New York, most of them from his luxurious residence of Atlanta, recently sold.
During eight physical or online sales, including an evening on February 21 at Christie’s in New York, collectors will also be able to treat themselves to concert outfits by the legendary British singer and pianist, who said goodbye to the stage in 2023. Like this ivory and gold set from the 70s designed by designer Annie Reavey (estimated between $8,000 and $12,000), among hundreds of lots.
The British musician, who marked the last half century of music with, among others, the pop hits Your Song, Rocket Man, I’m Still Standing, Sacrifice, his flamboyant costumes and his commitment to the fight against AIDS, had made Atlanta, the capital of the state of Georgia, in the southern United States, his base for his American tours.
A choice dictated by “personal reasons”, explains Christie’s in its press release.
Elton John had long lived plagued by alcohol and drug addiction problems, and “after becoming sober in 1990, he found solace and support in this warm community and the city’s rehab centers, such as the Triangle Club, who played a vital role in his recovery,” the auction house wrote.
With works by artists Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Robert Mapplethorpe, Richard Avedon, the collection, developed with the singer’s husband David Furnish, testifies to the couple’s taste for contemporary arts.
A triptych of the famous “Flower Thrower” by mysterious artist Banksy, estimated at $1 million to $1.5 million, will be the most expensive piece featured in the February 21 sale.
Like the jerseys worn during legendary matches by sports legends like Michael Jordan or Diego Maradona, sales of collectibles belonging to pop culture stars have become a favorite playground for auction houses.
Last September, a string of sales of thousands of items belonging to Queen frontman Freddie Mercury reached £40 million ($68 million), including a Yamaha quarter-grand piano on which the artist had composed almost all of his works (€2 million; $3.4 million).