Court-ordered auction of Michael Jackson original artworks slated for Aug. 3 in Beverly Hills

Collection includes 78 signed drawings, some double-sided, including Presidential portraits with gold-embossed POTUS Seal; bonus item: iconic MJ throne constructed for 2014 Billboard Awards

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – King’s Auctions of Las Vegas has been appointed by the Superior Court of California to auction a collection of 78 original artworks signed by Michael Jackson during his adult years. The August 3, 2024 live auction will be conducted in association with King’s Los Angeles branch and held at an upscale Beverly Hills venue. All who wish to bid in person must register ahead of time with the auction house, at which point they will be provided with details regarding the location of the sale. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available from anywhere in the world via LiveAuctioneers.

The auction has an unusual angle in that Lot #1, which requires an opening bid of $1 million, represents the entire collection of art. If the reserve price for Lot #1 is met, the complete collection will go to the winning bidder. If the reserve is not met, the auction will automatically revert to a standard auction protocol in which each artwork is offered individually. The closing item, an extravagant Michael Jackson throne designed for the late singer’s holographic “appearance” at the 2014 Billboard Awards, is not part of the art collection. It will be auctioned as a separate entity, whether the collection is purchased as a whole or the artworks are sold individually. Each drawing has a starting bid of $9,999, while the throne will open at $7,499.

It may come as quite a surprise to Michael Jackson’s fans that he had artistic talent beyond his prodigious gifts as a singer, dancer and composer. He was interested in art from the time he was a young boy, and in later years – including when was on tour – he pursued drawing as a hobby. He was influenced by many art genres, from classical and architectural to pop art and even portraiture. On several occasions he discussed his love of drawing during TV interviews.

No one could have been more acutely aware of the celebrity phenomenon than Jackson, and that translated to the subjects he chose to draw. The collection includes portraits such as My Friend, which depicts a beautiful woman with a striking resemblance to Elizabeth Taylor; and Andy, an affectionate bust-portrait of a smiling Andy Warhol wearing a bowtie, his head turned sideways and showing a full thatch of fluffed hair. Jackson’s homage to cartoon art is revealed in his strikingly accurate portrayal of animator Walt Disney, and in Baseball Mickey, a Disney-style drawing of Mickey Mouse as a pitcher, captured at the midpoint of a wind-up.

Following an invitation by Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger, Jackson produced a series of US Presidential portraits which were intended for exhibition at the White House during the Bicentennial of the US Presidency. Using custom-made archival paper embossed with the Presidential Seal in gold foil, Jackson initially drew portraits of early presidents whom he admired, including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, amongst others. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan invited Jackson to the White House, where he stayed overnight in the Lincoln Bedroom, an experience that inspired his Lincoln portraits, the drawing titled White House Doors, and a portrait of President Reagan. While the White House art exhibition never transpired, the original artworks Jackson created for that express purpose were preserved. All are entered in the August 3 auction. 

Jackson also had a love affair with London, where his presence literally stopped traffic. On March 28, 1985, while he was there to unveil a likeness of himself at Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, Jackson’s limousine – on whose roof he sat to wave at the throng of fans – caused an hours-long gridlock felt throughout England’s capital city. His fondness for Britain’s customs, architecture and Royal Family are seen in drawings such as Buckingham Palace Gates, Afternoon Tea, London; and the dignified and finely-executed portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, which he titled Her Majesty.

The influence of classical art can be seen in such works as Getty Bronze and Michael’s Statue of David, Jackson’s interpretation of Michelangelo’s immortal Renaissance masterpiece. Ornate Gothic keys, the Wright Brothers in flight, antique shoes, still-life fruit, furniture, and architectural elements were also among the various subjects that fascinated Jackson. He drew many elaborate entry gates – including those that guard Neverland – and intricately-detailed interior doors.

Each of the artworks in the sale is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from music industry autograph specialist Roger Epperson, who personally inspected and validated all of the signatures. Note: none of the art will convey with copyright or IP (intellectual property) rights.

The auction will conclude with a showstopping throne fabricated for Michael Jackson’s holographic “appearance” at the 2014 Billboard Awards. Constructed from solid wood with an “MJ” logo and lightning bolts sculpted from high-density foam, it is richly upholstered in faux-leopard-print fabric. Measuring 7.5ft tall by 5ft wide by 3ft deep, this substantial piece weighs approximately 50lbs.

A portion of the auction’s profits will benefit a Los Angeles charity. Immediately preceding the auction on August 3, pre-registered guests are invited to preview the art and meet special guests Nick Cannon and Bre Tiesi, who will co-host the event. A multitalented comedian, actor, TV personality and rapper, Cannon is known most recently as the host of Fox-TV’s The Masked Singer. A businesswoman and social media star, Tiesi is one of the elite real estate agents featured on the hit Netflix series Selling Sunset. On July 27, an additional pop-up preview, for pre-registered bidders only, will be held at a Las Vegas gallery adjacent to the “Strip.” Approximately 10 Michael Jackson artworks from the auction will be exhibited. 

For questions about any artwork, to register to attend the invitation-only August 3, 2024 live gallery auction or celebrity-hosted preview immediately preceding the auction in Beverly Hills; or to register to attend the July 27 pop-up Las Vegas mini-exhibition and preview, email [email protected] or register online at https://kings-auctions.com/jackson-rsvp/. The Beverly Hills auction preview will be held on August 3 from 9:30-11:30am PST. Doors will close at 11:30am in anticipation of the auction’s start time at 12 noon PST/3pm EST. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers. 

Disclaimer: The auction is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Estate of Michael Jackson; it is a court-mandated sale by order of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, Civil Division, West District, Santa Monica, California.

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