A Swarovski rhinestone glove from Mickael Jackson, his famous red Dior cardigan, pants from the Bad tour, these famous moccasins with which he performed his legendary moonwalk… On June 3, fifty objects that belonged to the king of pop will be sold at auction at Aguttes in Paris, for a total amount estimated at nearly a million euros. A first in Europe.
Lots between 400 and more than 100,000 euros which should be snapped up because the pop culture market has exploded over the last ten years. “He is a complete artist, a beast of the stage. “He’s the one who invented music videos,” enthuses Arthur Perault, head of the pop culture and Memorabilia department at Aguttes.
A carefully documented provenance
These clothes, accessories, stage costumes and autographs all come from the collection of Norwegian Richard Fossaas, who resold them to another New York collector. The latter decided to part ways with it this year, taking advantage of the renewed interest in the artist following the release of the biopic dedicated to him. “These objects retrace Michael Jackson’s journey in three acts: the beginnings of his solo career in the 1980s, the Bad period, when he was at the height of his glory, then the History Tour years,” explains Arthur Perault.
To give confidence to potential buyers, the provenance of each piece is carefully documented. “DNA tests were, for example, carried out on a rhinestone glove. As for the Fedora hat on sale, its provenance is perfectly established: it comes from Michael Jackson Productions, the company linked to the artistic and commercial heritage of the artist,” specifies Arthur Perault. Several of these objects have already been offered during public sales, their traceability sometimes goes back several years.
Auctions open to fans and investors alike
On the day of the sale, bidders should come from all over the world: fans, collectors, investors, but also museums. Arthur Perault is already anticipating a fierce battle to try to acquire certain objects: “In particular Michael Jackson’s gloves and the rhinestone cushion.”
According to him, fans with a more modest budget will still be able to try their luck. “Some objects are accessible, such as the rhinestone cushion is estimated at between 400 and 600 euros. Or a shirt estimated between 600 and 800 euros. » For the curious who simply wish to discover these pieces without bidding, conference visits will be organized at Aguttes with Richard Lecocq, historian and biographer of Michael Jackson, on Saturday May 30, Monday 1isand Tuesday, June 2
