Auctioned, weird belongings of famous people
Auctions of private belongings always draw much attention by those who have special interest, leaving some to not hesitate to pay high prices for hair clippings, chest x-rays and even toilet seats used by famous people.
Every year, millions of dollars are paid at auctions for priceless paintings, sculptures, photographs, diamonds and vases as well as memorabilia from around the world. In 2014, prestigious auction houses broke records with sales of such items like the magnificent 9.75 carat blue diamond that fetched $32.6 million at Sotheby's, or Andy Warhol's "Elvis triptchy," which sold for $81.9 million at New York Christie's auction house. Likewise, a painting by the late American artist Georgia O'Keeffe sold for more than $44.4 million in New York, which Sotheby's called a new auction world record for any female artist. Throughout last year, auction houses sold a total of $16.1 billion-worth of art works. Some pieces, which are not even art, fetched jaw-dropping prices. For instance, a lock of assassinated President Abraham Lincoln's hair, which was taken by his surgeon, Joseph Barnes, right after Lincoln was killed on April 14, 1865, was bought for $25,000 last week by an anonymous buyer. Here is some of other interesting auction news:
- A toilet that once belonged to U.S. author J. D. Salinger was put up for sale by an American author couple who own Salinger's former house. The toilet went for $1 million.
- A 1954 X-ray of Marilyn Monroe's chest sold at an auction in Las Vegas for a sizable $45,000.
- A piece of cake from Queen Elizabeth's 1947 wedding went on sale in 2013. The slice of alcohol-filled fruitcake fetched 560 British pounds. Another piece of cake from the 1981 wedding of Princess Diana, who died in 1997, went for 950 British pounds.
- More weird auction news comes from Hollywood's celebrity couple, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. A jar of air exhaled by Brangelina was put on auction, but failed to attract the anticipated interest. The jar went for only $550.
- King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, memorabilia are among the most popular auction items. A one-of-a-kind model of Presley's teeth together with a crown made for the star by his former dentist, Henry J. Weiss, was put up for auction. Unwashed and stained, a pair of Presley's underpants also went on sale at an auction in 2012, but no one was interested in buying.
- The love affair between former U.S president Bill Clinton and intern Monica Lewinsky is still remembered by many. The price of the black nightgown that belonged to Lewinsky jumped to $50,000 at the auction.
- The space suit that was worn by Canadian singer Justin Bieber in a TV commercial and bears his signature was sold for $5,800.
- As we all remember, the American Britney Spears shaved her head in 2007. The hairdresser who shaved her hair then auctioned it off for $1 million. However, it is not certain whether the auction was completed or not.
l Items belonging to famous politicians are also auctioned for high prices. Aside from Lincoln's lock of hair, a wedding ring worn by Lee Harvey Oswald, the man who was charged with killing President John F. Kennedy, went for $118,000. Additionally, one of Napoleon's famous two-pointed hats was bought for $2.2 million, and the false teeth of William Churchill sold for 15,200 British pounds at an auction in Norfolk.
Source: Daily Sabah - Selcuk Eren
- A toilet that once belonged to U.S. author J. D. Salinger was put up for sale by an American author couple who own Salinger's former house. The toilet went for $1 million.
- A 1954 X-ray of Marilyn Monroe's chest sold at an auction in Las Vegas for a sizable $45,000.
- A piece of cake from Queen Elizabeth's 1947 wedding went on sale in 2013. The slice of alcohol-filled fruitcake fetched 560 British pounds. Another piece of cake from the 1981 wedding of Princess Diana, who died in 1997, went for 950 British pounds.
- More weird auction news comes from Hollywood's celebrity couple, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. A jar of air exhaled by Brangelina was put on auction, but failed to attract the anticipated interest. The jar went for only $550.
- King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, memorabilia are among the most popular auction items. A one-of-a-kind model of Presley's teeth together with a crown made for the star by his former dentist, Henry J. Weiss, was put up for auction. Unwashed and stained, a pair of Presley's underpants also went on sale at an auction in 2012, but no one was interested in buying.
- The love affair between former U.S president Bill Clinton and intern Monica Lewinsky is still remembered by many. The price of the black nightgown that belonged to Lewinsky jumped to $50,000 at the auction.
- The space suit that was worn by Canadian singer Justin Bieber in a TV commercial and bears his signature was sold for $5,800.
- As we all remember, the American Britney Spears shaved her head in 2007. The hairdresser who shaved her hair then auctioned it off for $1 million. However, it is not certain whether the auction was completed or not.
l Items belonging to famous politicians are also auctioned for high prices. Aside from Lincoln's lock of hair, a wedding ring worn by Lee Harvey Oswald, the man who was charged with killing President John F. Kennedy, went for $118,000. Additionally, one of Napoleon's famous two-pointed hats was bought for $2.2 million, and the false teeth of William Churchill sold for 15,200 British pounds at an auction in Norfolk.
Source: Daily Sabah - Selcuk Eren
