Elton John auctions 900 items worth $10MILLION from his former Atlanta home: Collection includes 100 Versace shirts with bids starting at $4,000, his 1990 Bentley and an original Banksy
Pop icon Elton John has sold his spacious Atlanta condo and is now auctioning off more than 900 of his personal items that were kept in the 13,500-square-foot apartment.
The vast collection includes rare watches, some of John’s famous tour outfits, a vintage Bentley, a huge photo collection and various other maximalist decor pieces.
Ahead of the start of the auction, which starts later this month and is led by Christie’s, John, 76, told potential buyers: ‘If you buy something at the sale, remember that it comes from an incredibly enthusiastic collector who has I’ve had so much fun with what you’re about to buy, and I hope it finds a good home.’
The large and eclectic collection includes items ranging from ornate but relatively simple pieces, including a Versace sofa and Louis Vuitton suitcases, to the Yamaha Conservatory grand piano on which the musical legend played some of his hits for guests.
Previews at Christie’s begin this Friday, with bidding beginning February 21. The vast personal collection is expected to fetch at least $10 million.
The beloved pop icon is auctioning off more than 900 of his personal items after selling his spacious Atlanta apartment late last year
Elton John, 76, said he has sold his US palace in the sky and now some items in it because he no longer needs a US home base to retreat to during tours
‘The Collection of Sir Elton John: Goodbye Peachtree Road’ will go on official display at Christie’s auction house in New York later this week, with sales beginning on February 21.
The famed auction house estimates that John’s original Banksy work ‘Flower Thrower Triptych’ will be the most expensive piece available for bidding.
Bidding is expected to start somewhere between $1 million and $1.5 million.
Another unique and valuable piece that John has ready to rehome is a custom piece by Damien Hirst called ‘Your Song’, which was given to John by Hirst in 2008.
The large white heart features a photo of John and his husband David Furnish, as well as an inscription from the artist that reads: ‘xxx or Elton + David love Damien Thank You.’
Bidding on the unique wall art starts at around $350,000.
John’s vast art collection played a major role in the distinct aesthetic of his mega-apartment that sold for $7 million last October.
According to the original advertisement for the house: ‘Each room in this house has been carefully designed to showcase one of the world’s largest and most prized photography collections.’
The beloved crooner began collecting pieces by Man Ray, André Kertész and Berenice Abbott in 1990.
The home, with skyline views, a massage room, five wine storage rooms and nine reserved parking spaces, was quickly transformed into a gallery with captivating photographs on every wall.
The auction of more than 900 items is expected to raise more than $10 million
Another unique and valuable piece that John has ready to rehome is a custom piece by Damien Hirst (left) called ‘Your Song’, which was given to John by Hirst in 2008 – bidding starts at $350,000
John, who had a close relationship with Gianni Versace before the designer’s murder, has a whole closet full of vintage Versace shirts, each of which will retail for several thousand dollars.
The most expensive item in John’s collection is an original Banksy (pictured) called ‘Flower Thrower Triptych’. Christie’s has priced the piece between $1 million and $1.5 million
‘And That’s How I Feel’ by Tracey Emin costs between $80,000 and $120,000
Over the years, the star’s home has been seen by many museum representatives pouring over the impressive collection.
The art and photographs for sale â reportedly around 350 of his 7,000-piece collection â range from beautiful, to iconic, to risquĂ© and erotic.
A marvelous picture taken by Herb Ritts for Versace in 1990, it is estimated to be worth between $60,000 and $90,000.
John’s relationship with Versace is central to the collection. The singer had a close relationship with Gianni Versace before his untimely death in 1997.
He has a whole closet full of vintage Versace shirts, each of which retails for several thousand dollars.
Also up for auction is a Versace table set featuring the brand’s iconic red Medusa dining chairs and glassware.
That’s what Tash Perrin, vice chairman of Christie’s, said NBC Newsthat an integral part of understanding the incredible collection is believing that it ‘gives you a glimpse of how Elton lived with the objects he made and gave him inspiration, it was a difficult and emotional decision, and it was a long process to decide what they were is going to say goodbye.
“They didn’t want to leave anything in storage.”
The collection has been named ‘The Collection of Sir Elton John: Goodbye Peachtree Road’.
A Versace (Rosenthal) porcelain ‘Medusa Red’ dinnerware set, which will sell for at least $4,000
According to the original advertisement for the house: ‘Each room in this house has been carefully designed to showcase one of the world’s largest and most prized photography collections’
John’s custom silver touring boots retail for up to $10,000
A variant of Elton John’s 1974 album cover for his greatest hits record by Terry O’Neill
A custom pinball machine is one of the most whimsical items available at Christie’s
Fans with deep pockets hoping to own some of John’s most flamboyant tour costumes will get that chance when the collection goes live on February 21.
When his Atlanta home was first put up for sale, John spoke to the Wall Street Journal about the process of preparing to let it go and the hundreds of personal pieces that would be auctioned.
‘I’m afraid I’m not a minimalist. It was a bit of a nightmare to clean and a bit of a nightmare to know where everything was.
âBut I have one of those brains where if something has been moved, I know exactly where it has been moved to. And I put it back in its rightful place,â he said.
Prior to selling it late last year for $7.22 million, John had owned the property in Buckhead’s 40-story Park Place high-rise residential tower for more than 30 years.
He considered it his home base when he toured the US. After his farewell tour of 330 concerts, he is now focusing on spending more time with his husband and their children in his native England.
The home that housed parts of his vast collection and is now in the hands of a new owner also includes a two-story dining room, three spacious guest suites, a master suite equipped with an adjacent sitting area and an onyx-clad bathtub.