It’s been revealed that over 500 memorabilia items from the likes of Rhianna, David Bowie, Michael Jackson and more are to be auctioned off at an upcoming ceremony hosted by BAFTA.
Spearheaded by collectibles company Propstore, the Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction will run as part of BAFTA’s three-day showcase starting from November 3. The event will take place at the British Academy’s London-based venue in Piccadilly, and will allow music fans from anywhere in the world to bid on memorabilia online or via telephone.
In addition to Rhianna, Bowie and Jackson, the auction will also feature materials from the likes of The Beatles, Oasis and Elvis Presley, as well as Nirvana’s Dave Grohl and Spice Girls’ Mel B. For her part, Rhianna contributed the top she wore for the music video of her 2016 single Work, while Bowie’s space suit for his Ashes to Ashes film clip will likewise be auctioned off.
Meanwhile, of The Beatles’ bandmates, George Harrison’s banjolele, John Lennon‘s custom-tailored Madame Tussauds suit and Paul McCartney‘s striped blazer from the band’s appearance on The Morecambe & Wise Show will also be offered up. Elsewhere, fans can get their hands on Mel B’s signed and Spice Girl tour-worn boots, Michael Jackson’s studded leather bracer, Elvis Presley’s signed gun license application, and a Nirvana tour setlist handwritten by Grohl.
All up, the event is auctioning off some $1.7 million worth of memorabilia, with Propstore CEO Stephen Lane saying that the event has “been stepping up the game year after year.” It marks the memorabilia company’s first time auctioning music pieces, having previously sold material from films and television shows like the Harry Potter franchise, Superman, and Gone With The Wind.
Last month, the flannel shirt and guitar used by Kurt Cobain was auctioned off alongside Amy Winehouse’s 2008 Grammy Awards outfit. Elsewhere, graffiti drawn by The Kid Laroi was sold for $3,000 earlier this year, while a demo version of the Bowie track I Want Your Love fetched $20,000 at a 2021 auction.
