- Title: Items from the estate of B.B. King hit the auction block
- Date: 26th August 2019
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 26, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTION MARTIN NOLAN SAYING: "I'm Martin Nolan, the executive director of Julien's Auctions and excited to show you some of the highlights for our upcoming B.B. King auction." (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTION MARTIN NOLAN SAYING: "Of course the piece de resistance in this auction is Lucille. This is a beautiful, extremely heavy guitar. A prototype made for his 80th birthday. Eighty of these guitars made - look at this, the king, the signature, the detail here. This is just an exquisite piece estimated $80,000-100,000 (USD)." LUCILLE IN GUITAR CASE LEATHER LUCILLE GUITAR CASE LUCILLE GUITAR STRAP (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTION MARTIN NOLAN SAYING: "So B.B. King didn't have an iPhone but he had his little black book and all of the who's who for so many years are represent in this book. Estimated $400-600." (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTION MARTIN NOLAN SAYING: "This is a really great auction. Of course B.B. King passed away at age 89. Solid worker, performed over 200 performances almost every year sometimes over 300 performances. He's left us with great music, great memories and now we have an opportunity to own some of these items." VARIOUS OF JACKETS ON DISPLAY INSIDE OF JACKET (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTION MARTIN NOLAN SAYING: "The jackets are really iconic. All of the jackets were custom made for B.B. King and so, you know, people identify with B.B. King when you see those amazing colorful beautiful jackets. And we estimate those jackets in a range of $4,000-6,000 (USD)." VARIOUS OF HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME PLAQUE PASSPORT NATIONAL MEDAL OF ARTS PRESENTED TO KING IN 1990 BY GEORGE H. W. BUSH BLACK BOOK (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTION MARTIN NOLAN SAYING: "There is items at every price point. You know, we have that plaque from the Hollywood Walk of Fame that's estimated $4,000-$6,000 (USD). We have his ring, the B.B. King ring, so many photographs of B.B. with that B.B. ring. One point eight carat size 13 ring. And that's estimated $6,000-$8,000 (USD). That medal from the National Medal of Arts honor presented by George Bush. We estimate that $20,000- $30,000 (USD)." (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTION MARTIN NOLAN SAYING: "And this is one of my favorite pieces in the auction. It's B.B. King's ring. You can see B.B. in diamonds. One point eight carat size 13 estimated $6,000-$8,000 (USD). Fantastic photographs of B.B. King wearing this ring." NOLAN ARRANGING ITEMS (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTION MARTIN NOLAN SAYING: "When you think of B.B. King you think of the music, the blues, so many performances. And now people can own something iconic from his life and career." VARIOUS OF GUITAR IN CASE WIDE OF AUCTION ITEMS ON DISPLAY
- Embargoed: 9th September 2019 16:17
- Keywords: auction bb kings guitar estate music blues
- Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA001ATUVTCP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Items for the life and career of blues legend B.B. King is going up for sale with Julien's Auctions.
The late singer's estate is selling 500 items including clothing, jewelry and guitars including a staged used replica of Lucille.
King will forever be associated with the trademark black Gibson guitars, all of which he christened "Lucille" in recollection of a woman who two men fought over in 1949 in an Arkansas dance hall where he was playing.
"This is a beautiful, extremely heavy guitar. A prototype made for his 80th birthday. Eighty of these guitars made - look at this, the king, the signature, the detail here. This is just an exquisite piece estimated $80,000-100,000 (USD)," said Martin Nolan the executive director of Julien's Auction.
The blues singer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time ranked King at No. 3, behind only Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman.
King passed away in 2015 at the age of 89 in Las Vegas.
"Solid worker, performed over 200 performances almost every year sometimes over 300 performances. He's left us with great music, great memories and now we have an opportunity to own some of these items."
The sale will be held September 21, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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