On January 23, 2012, the Bonhams Entertainment Department will offer Property from the Collection of Dr. Arnold W. Klein in Los Angeles. Klein, the noted Beverly Hills dermatologist, philanthropist, and ultimate Hollywood insider, was for many years a close personal friend and confidant to Michael Jackson and many other celebrities.
The Collection of Dr. Arnold W. Klein will feature numerous modern and contemporary works by noted artists of the period, 20th century decorative arts and entertainment memorabilia, including a Bentley once owned by Cher and items with links to Carrie Fisher, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor, among others.
Leading the Entertainment Memorabilia section of the auction is a 2005 Bentley Continental GT twin turbo 6.0-liter W12 (est. $80,000-120,000). Formerly owned by Cher, the vehicle exhibits the classic characteristics of a Bentley power plant: stunning torque and power.
Also of note within the Entertainment section are eight and a half lines of writing, possibly lyrics, in Michael Jackson’s hand (est. $3,000-5,000); a Versace leather jacket (est. $1,800-2,500) and a selection of hats (estimates range from $3,000-10,000) once owned by Jackson; a pair of diamond and onyx cufflinks once owned by Elizabeth Taylor (est. $5,000-7,000); a gold Cartier pen, also from Taylor (est. $2,500-3,500); a prop sword used onscreen during the filming of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series (est. $2,000-4,000); a harmonica used by Bob Dylan (est. $1,000-1,500) and four lightsaber collectible prototypes from the “Star Wars” series signed by Carrie Fisher (est. $800-1,200 each), as well as a large archive of Hollywood celebrity images, personal letters and cards related to Annette Benning, Clint Eastwood, Tom Ford, Janet Gaynor, Daryl Hannah, Tom Hanks, Diane Ladd, Dorothy Lamour, Penny Marshall, Gary Oldman, Sydney Pollack, Aaron Spelling, Stephen Spielberg, Sylvester Stallone, Barbra Streisand and Sharon Stone, among others (estimates range from $700-1,000).
Additional highlights include “Elizabeth Taylor, 2004” from Vik Muniz’s Diamond Divas series (est. $80,000-120,000); “Brooke Shields” by California artist Robert Graham (est. $30,000-40,000); an acrylic painting on canvas titled “Andy Warhol, Flowers, 1964, 1965” by Richard Pettibone (est. $20,000-30,000); an untitled work on paper by Eric Fischl (est. $20,000-30,000); an untitled lithograph by Matisse, formerly in the collection of Elizabeth Taylor (est. $3,000-5,000); a color aquatint and photogravure titled “Paradise,” 1989-90 by John Baldessari (est. $3,000-5,000); a color etching titled “One Plate, from Brave Men Run in My Family (E. 137),” 1983 by Edward Ruscha and Jim Ganzer (est. $1,000-2,000 and an offset lithograph laminated to die-cut grey cardboard and foam core with stainless steel elements titled “Geometric Mouse, Scale D Home-Made” (A/P 73), 1971 by Claes Oldenburg (est. $800-1,200) as well as works by Frank Gehry, Pablo Picasso, and Robert Rauschenberg, among others.
The illustrated auction catalog will be available online at www.bonhams.com/us in the weeks preceding the preview and auction.
Preview: January 20-22, 2012, Los Angeles
Auction: January 23, 2012, Los Angeles
