Michael Jackson’s red-and-black leather jacket from the music video for “Thriller,” Princess Diana’s dresses and a signed Banksy painting are among the leading lots in a three-day auction in Abu Dhabi. The live bidding will take place from December 7 to 9 at the Rosewood Abu Dhabi hotel, while online bidding opened on November 9.
The event is organized by Julien’s Auctions and includes three collections dedicated to Michael Jackson, Princess Diana and items from music, film and popular culture.
Jackson’s Glove Among the Most Expensive Lots
The jacket, signed by Michael Jackson, was worn in the music video for “Thriller.” Julien’s has not announced a public estimate for it, but is also offering other items from iconic moments in the singer’s career.
The white glove from the first televised performance of the moonwalk in 1983 is estimated at $600,000-$800,000. The loafers from the same performance are estimated at $60,000-$80,000, while the shoes from the “Thriller” music video are expected to fetch between $30,000 and $50,000.
Jackson’s collection includes more than 100 items, including costumes from the “Bad” tour and the striped suit from “Smooth Criminal.”
Two evening dresses worn by Princess Diana are valued at up to $400,000 each. One is a dark-blue Catherine Walker design worn at the 1995 Fashion Awards. The other is a midnight-blue silk dress designed by Victor Edelstein and worn at London’s Serpentine Gallery in 1993.
The items also include the pair of loafers Diana wore when she visited Angola in 1997 and walked through a cleared minefield as part of her campaign against landmines. They are estimated at $20,000-$30,000. A Ralph Lauren shirt associated with her humanitarian work is expected to sell for $10,000-$20,000.
Banksy, Prince and Kurt Cobain
One of the most expensive lots is Banksy’s signed painting “Brace Yourself!” The work depicts Death with a scythe and has an estimated value of between $2 million and $3 million.
A metallic-blue guitar owned and used by Prince will also be offered at the auction, with an estimate of up to $600,000. The leather jacket worn by Kurt Cobain at the Reading Festival in 1991 and during the photo shoot for the album “Nevermind” is estimated at $20,000-$40,000. In a similar range is the personal guitar of Amy Winehouse, on which she wrote songs.
The film selection includes a collector’s replica of the Infinity Gauntlet from Marvel, made from official design files and set with six natural gemstones weighing nearly 180 carats in total. The item is not a prop used in the films.
“These collections represent much more than iconic objects—they are tangible fragments of our shared pop-culture history,” said Ken Citron, chief executive officer of Julien’s Auctions.
Selected exhibits will be displayed at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental from November 29 to December 5. The auction of Jackson’s items begins on December 7, followed by the popular-culture items on December 8, while Diana’s collection will be offered on December 9.