Michael Jackson tossed his hat to the side of the stage just before initiating his legendary moonwalk dance. It’s being sold at auction in Paris after 40 years.
The sale will take place on September 26 at the Hotel Drouot in Paris. The black fedora is anticipated to sell for between 64,000 and 107,000 euros.
Although it is the star of almost 200 pieces of rock memorabilia, the Artpeges gallery’s Arthur Perault said that prices for Jackson memorabilia have recently dropped as a result of “the sale of fakes and the accusations against him.”
Jackson has long been accused of abusing children, a charge that his heirs continue to challenge and one the singer steadfastly refuted until his untimely death at age 50 in 2009.
At the height of his fame in 1983, the King of Pop pulled off the hat as he launched into his famous song “Billie Jean” during a broadcast Motown concert.
A short while later, Jackson performed the moonwalk, a seemingly easy backwards glide that gives the impression of walking forward.
According to Perault, Adam Kelly picked up Michael Jackson’s hat, “hoping the singer’s staff would come and collect it but they didn’t.”
He kept it for a while, but it has since been acquired by a few private collectors and is now on its way to Paris.
The iconic blues musician T-Bone Walker’s guitar, one of Madonna’s gold albums, a suit worn by Martin Gore of Depeche Mode, and a guitar that could sell for up to 150,000 euros are all being auctioned off as well.
Between 5,000 and 8,000 euros is the estimated value of a section of wall from the Bus Palladium, a Paris venue that closed down last year and was autographed by various rock musicians, including members of The Libertines, Air, and The Dandy Warhols.
“I personally wish that France keeps this wall.For all music and rock enthusiasts, it is a part of our heritage, according to Perault.
Music memorabilia is become a lucrative industry.
Co-organisers Lemon Auction made a splash last year with the sale of a guitar smashed by Noel Gallagher on the night Oasis split up in Paris following a fight with his brother Liam. The instrument went for 385,500 euros.
This month, a series of auctions for items belonging to Freddie Mercury — including the piano on which he composed “Bohemian Rhapsody” — have made a total of 46.5 million euros at Sotheby’s, attracting bidders from 76 countries.
