GARDENA, Calif. — For 20 years, Julien’s Auctions has brought the magic of the entertainment industries to the world through countless auctions of stage-worn, concert-played and screen-used items found nowhere else. In celebration of its anniversary, Julien’s has announced Played, Worn and Torn, a three-day sale of important memorabilia on Thursday, November 16, Friday, November 17 and Saturday, November 18. The catalogs are open for bidding now at LiveAuctioneers.
Topping expectations for Day 1 is Paul McCartney & Wings’ double-decker, open-top bus used for their 1972 tour of Europe, his first as an ex-Beatle. Painstakingly restored to 1972 specifications and in perfect mechanical shape, the bus has appeared at numerous music and vintage vehicle exhibitions. McCartney noted in a past interview, “We painted the outside psychedelic, like a magic bus. If you look at it very straight, very conventionally, it was quite a mad thing to do, to put a playpen on the top deck of the bus and put all the children in there while driving around Europe. It was not what you’d expect from a normal band. But we weren’t a normal band.” The lot is estimated at $200,000-$300,000.
Jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie was renowned for his unique instruments featuring an upturned horn. One such trumpet, from the collection of famed jazz musician Joey DeFrancesco, comes to market with full provenance documentation. Created for Gillespie by Martin, the horn is offered with a custom case as well. It is estimated at $30,000-$50,000.
In a nod to The Who, Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain was taken with smashing guitars at the end of sets while on tour. One such piece, a made-in-Japan Fender Stratocaster, did not survive its chance encounter with a 1992 Buenos Aires stage, and ended up as a listener prize on BBC radio in England. Signed by the band and, of course, in pieces, the Fender is estimated at $500,000-$700,000.
Pop singer Lady Gaga is known for her couture, so it’s fitting that Julien’s marks its 20th with a Gaga-worn dress and gloves from her acceptance of an RIAA six-times-platinum award for her A Star Is Born soundtrack. With full documentation by designer Adriana Sahar, it is expected to bring $6,000-$8,000.
