New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Julien's Auctions, the world-record breaking auction house to the stars, presented its most spectacular single owner auction to date, "ICONIC TREASURES FROM THE LEGENDARY CAREER AND LIFE OF JANET JACKSON," a three-day extravaganza on May 14, May 15th that culminated on May 16th after a months-long birthday celebration fit for the one and the only,
Queen of Pop, live in Beverly Hills and online at JuliensAuctions.com. Thousands of bidders, collectors and super
Janet fans across the globe from Asia to
Europe and the United States, as well as prestigious international art and design museums and celebrities such as Kim Kardashian - who purchased Jackson's "If" music video ensemble, consisting of her black suede cropped top with white bone-like decorations and black western pants, for $25,000 - participated in person, on the phone and online to vie for a piece of music history owned by one of the world's most celebrated and accomplished creative forces of all time. A portion of the proceeds of this one-time only special event will go towards Compassion International.
Offered to the public for the first time was a dynamic collection of nearly 1,400 illustrious items - one of the largest and most comprehensive amassed by a single artist in Julien's history -spanning across Jackson's legendary four decade plus career as one of the biggest-selling musical artists of all time, having sold over 188 million records worldwide; Grammy Award winner; discerning empathic songwriter; producer; actor; Number One New York Times Best Selling Author; Academy Award / Golden
Globe / Emmy nominee; and Philanthropist.
In the weeks leading up to the auction, super fans around the world got "
Together Again" and celebrated all things
Janet online and in person in a timeless journey of the music icon's greatest and most groundbreaking moments with free open to the public auction exhibitions, special limited edition three volume boxed set hardcover catalogues as well as an accompanying stunning video exclusive only to fans and created by Jackson that played on a miniature "TV screen" housed in the box set, the first ever created of its kind for an auction catalogue. In addition, fans were in for a special treat on May 16th at the auction during a toast by auctioneer Zack Krone to Jackson wishing her a happy birthday when the pop diva herself made a surprise virtual visit to relay her gratitude to everyone watching and bidding in the auction.
In the live streaming video,
Janet Jackson said, "You have made this so special for me this birthday, thank you so much. And thank you all for participating in this auction and thank you for supporting along with me one of my favorite charities, Compassion (International). It means a lot to me you guys." The birthday video can be viewed and downloaded here:
One of the highly anticipated moments of the auction was the sale of some of Jackson's most spectacular costumes worn in her iconic award winning music videos and record-breaking world tours and television performances (listed below with winning bids), such as Jackson's original "Rhythm Nation Jacket'' from the pop culture icon's career defining 1989 award-winning musical film-short worn on her record breaking 1990 Rhythm Nation World Tour together with a black "1814" cap and black satin gloves with metal plaque decoration was realized under the hammer for $81,250 twenty times its original estimate of $4,000. A Rhythm Nation prototype jacket created as a costume idea for
Janet Jackson to wear during her 1990 Rhythm Nation Tour also sold for $21,875, twenty-one times its original estimate of $1,000. "Rhythm Nation" ensemble auction video can be viewed and downloaded here:
Another of Jackson's iconography - her single silver-tone hoop earring suspending a key - sold for $43,750, eleven times its original estimate. The earring was worn on her 1990 Rhythm Nation Tour and at the 1987 Soul
Train Awards as well as the end of the Control project. Jackson began wearing her signature look during the debut of her Control album and the earring became a phenomenon during her Rhythm Nation era, which firmly exalted Jackson in pop culture history not only as a preeminent music icon but as a trailblazer in the vanguard of fashion.
The auction of Jackson's entire set of ensembles worn in the 1995 award winning Guinness World Record inductee for the most expensively made music video, "Scream," with her brother Michael Jackson, made headlines including, her famous black circular "bubble" textured fabric long-sleeve shirt by
Dexter Wong, black patent leather pants, and black patent leather over-the-ankle boots by El Dantes in Spain, which sold for an astonishing $125,000, thirty-one times its original estimate of $4,000; her Helen Storey designed floor-length metallic silver coat with lambskin shearling lining, cuffs, and collar ($50,000) and her silver string bikini and a pair of matching pants worn underneath the coat by Jackson ($25,600); her white long-sleeve shirt covered with circular gathered puckers, white faux leather pants, and off-white faux leather bikini top ($25,000); and her black furry jacket together with a silver furry cropped jacket made for Jackson to wear in the video ($44,800). In addition, her cropped white T-shirt with "Pervert 2" written on back and a pair of black platform boots worn by Jackson at the MTV Video
Music Awards in 1995 when she and
Michael Jackson won for Best
Music Video for "
Scream" was sold for $19,200, nineteen times its original estimate of $1,000, as well as an ensemble worn by Jackson while performing "
Scream" during the MTV Video
Music Awards in 2009 as a tribute to her brother, Michael, consisting of a black and white PVC-blend long-sleeve jumpsuit with metal studs and sharp epaulets, a single white glove with two finger cover and metal studs, and a pair of black PVC Christian Louboutin boots fetched $25,600. The "
Scream" black ensemble auction video can be viewed and downloaded here:
Other top selling items were Jackson's 1956 Chevrolet 3100 Cameo 1/2-ton pickup, which sold for $112,500; her British grand tourer, 2003 Aston
Martin V-12 Vanquish Coupe, which sold for $70,400; a
Daniel Authouart panoramic painting sold for $60,800; her Richard Tyler black coat stage worn while performing "
Nasty" and "
Control" on her 1990 Rhythm Nation World Tour which sold for $22,400; her 1986 "When I Think of You" music video ensemble consisting of a black blue and gold trimmed bustier with two attached pins and gold-tone chains, her black embroidered jacket with heavy shoulder pads and dangling charms, black pants, black mesh with gold polka dot wrap skirt and a pair of black suede western-style booties with custom insoles including her handmade wire mesh cuff bracelet with attached charms ($18,750); her black suede cropped vest and a pair of black suede bell-bottomed pants worn in her 1993 "That's the Way Love Goes" music video ($28,800); her black bustier cropped top and a pair of ripped blue denim jeans worn in 1989's "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" music video ($25,000); Jackson's 17th century French inspired "If" ensemble worn on her 1993-1995
Janet World Tour ($25,600); her white "MTV Icon:
Janet Jackson" performance costume ($25,000); Jackson's 2001 "All for You" music video ensembles consisting of a purple mesh sequined sleeveless top, a white cropped top with cutout squares and a pair of Levi's denim jeans with hanging chain accessory ($10,240) and her ensemble in the video's final dance sequence consisting of a push-up bra with dangling coin pendants worn beneath a black cutout sleeveless top, a black leather half jacket with button pins on the lapel, a black arm cuff, a single long metal earring with bead and string accents, a sterling silver ring, and a silver-toned ring with crystal accents marked "
Forever" ($22,400) as well as her 2001 All For You Tour costume comprised of a beige cropped halter bustier with mirror and iridescent crystal accents, suede western-style trousers with crystal accents, a matching belted skirt piece, a silver sequined white hat and a choker necklace ($19,200); a black and white pinstripe suit jacket worn by Jackson throughout her 1989 "
Alright" music video ($22,400); a pair of black latex gloves worn by Jackson on the cover of her 2008 Disciple album ($19,200); her "
Together Again" music video ensemble comprising a neon green and red mesh tank top worn beneath a long- sleeve orange-red mesh shirt, gray trousers, an orange-red scarf, and a burnt orange fabric accessory and a silver-toned choker necklace worn also in the video (combined total $19,200); her spectacular and whimsical 1998-1999
Velvet Rope Tour ensembles and grand custom made headpieces such as a long-sleeve black and white ensemble consisting of a black and white shirt, a black tie, a black and white striped vest and
David Cardona jacket and trousers with a Constance Jolcuvar hat ($37,500) and a pink and blue
David Cardona jacket, blue pants and an exaggerated Constance Jolcuvar top hat in pink, silver, and blue ($11,520); her black and brown swirl halter cropped top, a floor-length brown patterned skirt, a brown leather jacket, and a pair of brown and tan wedges, worn in her 1997 Grammy award-winning music video "Got Till It's Gone;" ($11,250); an ensemble worn by Jackson in her 2000 "
Doesn't Really Matter" music video ($11,520); a futuristic metallic silver latex jumpsuit ensemble with matching high-heeled booties by Christian Louboutin worn by Jackson in her 2011 Number Ones, Up Close and Personal Tour ($16,000); and more.
Ensembles from her live television performances, photo shoots and prototypical fashion defining red carpet appearances worn to prestigious events such as The Oscars, Met Gala, NAACP Image Awards, designed exclusively with premiere couture fashion houses including Armani, Versace, Louboutin and more made appearances including her sensational floor-length black dress with high slits and flared sleeves with black and orange-brown feathers, leather opera gloves and custom Andre #1 black high-heeled platform boots worn to her induction ceremony into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019 ($32,000); a pair of white Christian Louboutin boots worn by Jackson in a nude photoshoot with photographer Sante D'Orazio ($19,200); a pair of denim boots by Christian Louboutin with a handwritten note from Jackson that these are her favorite that he made for her ($11,250) and more.
Other auction highlights included her multi-platinum record awards such as the RIAA-certified award to commemorate the sale of more than six million copies of the A&M Records album, cassette and CD
Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, ($30,720, thirty times its original estimate), the RIAA-certified award for the sale of more than five million copies of the A&M Records album, cassette, and CD Control ($11,520) and the RIAA-certified award for the sale of more than three million copies of the Virgin Records album, cassette, and CD janet. ($19,200); a replica of
Janet Jackson's actual handwritten journal which includes her rough drafts and final lyrics for her Rhythm Nation 1814 and
Velvet Rope albums which Jackson will autograph for the winning bidder ($16,000); two canvas prints with large images of
Janet Jackson used as a backdrop during her 1993-1995 janet. World Tour ($12,500, an astounding forty-one times its original estimate of $300); a Swarovski crystal-encrusted black Sennheiser microphone used by Jackson while performing on stage ($21,875); items from Jackson's childhood including her illustration of her sister LaToya Jackson ($3,500), as well as Jackson's fine jewelry, accessories, furniture, tour jackets, road cases, and many other items.
"Janet Jackson's auction was one of the greatest and most successful single owner auctions to date," said Darren Julien, CEO/President of Julien's Auctions. "She not only is an icon in entertainment industry but now an icon in the auction industry."
