BOSTON, MA.- If you were the mother of an internationally-known rock star, what memorabilia would you keep from his career? Now, if you were moving to a new home, what would you sell?
On October 19, Elton John fans all over the world will have an opportunity to bid live online on memorabilia from the collection of Sheila Farebrother, mother of the iconic rock star. The auction is hosted by the notable UK auction house Gorringes and will be broadcast live online by the Boston-based
Artfact.com, the world's leading online auction portal, and its UK sister site Invaluable.com. Auction registration is free of charge, and online bidders will have to opportunity to experience the auction in real time via live webcast. For more information, or to register for the auction, visit www.Artfact.com or www.Invaluable.com.
Highlighting the sale is pair of rare gold Cartier “Captain Fantastic” brooches. As a struggling young musician, Elton assumed the moniker of Captain Fantastic as an on-stage persona, paired with his lyricist partner Bernie Taupin. The autobiographical concept album “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” chronicles this early period in their musical career. Each brooch is cast in 18k gold with red enamel lettering and the pair is estimated at £8,000-£12,000 (approx. $12,750-$19,000).
As renowned for his music as his outrageous fashion sense, Elton John has showcased a wide variety of unique garments both on and off stage. Included in the auction are two silk suits by Gianni Versace, one in cream and the other in lavender. Two Versace tuxedos, complete with satin collars, are also offered in the unusual hues of canary yellow and deep purple. Bidders will jump at the chance to take home one of these vibrant examples of Elton’s ever-diversifying wardrobe.
A bevy of gold and platinum discs, VIP passes and tour jackets from throughout Elton's career highlight the auction’s memorabilia offerings. The commemorative discs represent many of the musician’s chart-topping hits, including a platinum disc for the first million sales of the 1973 album 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'; a multiplatinum disc commemorating 11 million sales of 'Candle in the Wind', re-released after the death of the Princess of Wales in 1997; and most notably a framed set of discs commemorating 43 million record sales in America.
Other items in the sale include tour jackets and items belonging to Bob Halley, Elton's manager for 35 years, as well as a diamond- studded Theo Fennell Celtic cross given to Bob as a birthday present by Elton John. The cross, which hangs on an 18k gold Italian chain, is inscribed “To Bob, Happy Birthday with love Elton 9.11.92”. The piece is estimated at £2,000-£3,000 (approx. $3,200-$4,800).
Mrs. Farebrother has decided to sell her collection following her recent move to a new home on the South Coast of England. She is extremely proud of her son's success and has always been a huge support to him.
She comments: "From an early age Elton would love to perform at family weddings and birthdays. When his career as a performer began to take off I would go along to his concerts and my main concern was that he didn't forget any of his lyrics! It wasn't until the concert in Madison Square Garden in 1974 when John Lennon made an appearance on stage and sang with Elton that I realized he had become a world superstar."
Artfact.com is the largest global marketplace of fine and decorative arts, antiques, collectibles, and estate auctions. In 2009, Artfact launched two live online bidding platforms, Artfact Live! and Invaluable Live! In the UK, allowing users to bid in real-time on auctions held around the world reaching a community of more than 10 million knowledgeable collectors and dealers worldwide. In 2010, Artfact merged with AuctionZip.com, increasing the reach of their platforms to include thousands of auction houses around the country.
Artfact's industry leading database includes more than 57 million complete auction results totaling more than $204 billion in value, including information on more than 500,000 international artists.
