USA: Photographs from Elton John's collection go on sale at Christie's auctioneers in New York

Record ID: 847467

  • Title: USA: Photographs from Elton John's collection go on sale at Christie's auctioneers in New York
  • Date: 13th October 2004
  • Summary: (W8) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA (OCTOBER 13, 2004) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR: CHRISTIE'S AUCTION HOUSE CU/PAN: OF SIGN AND ROOM WITH EXHIBIT OF PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE COLLECTION OF SIR ELTON JOHN SCU/CU: PHOTO OF SIR ELTON JOHN TITLED 'BOUQUET FROM A FAN' BY NORMAN PARKINSON (ESTIMATE 2,000 - 3,000 U.S. DOLLARS) (2 SHOTS) GV/PAN: PHOTOS ON DISPLAY 'MERMAID DRESS' BY IRVING PEN
  • Embargoed: 28th October 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK AND LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, USA / UNKNOWN LOCATIONS
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVAA85OSR10517PMIDZWBEFJFEV4
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Photographs from singer Sir Elton John's collection will go on sale in New York on Thursday.
    A New York auction house is selling photographs from Sir Elton John's collection, which the legendary pop star built up over the past 13 years.
    According to the auctioneers Christie's, John is an avid collector of photographs with over 4,000 images. On Thursday (October 14), the auction house will sell a select group of 100 photographs.
    Christie's International Director of Photography, Joshua Holderman, said as a collector, John uses his gut instincts, not an in-depth knowledge of photographic history, to acquire his images.
    "He collects in a very precise, impulsive visual way, that is to say when an image strikes him he has the confidence to really just kind of go for it," said Holderman.
    "He has confidence in his own eye and he is one of the most highly regarded collectors around at the moment."
    Among the most valuable lots in the sale are images from some of the most legendary names in photographic history. Examples include a classic western landscape by Ansel Adams estimated to sell for 35,000 to 45,000 U.S.
    dollars, a painting by Irving Penn called 'Mermaid Dress' (25,000 - 35,000 U.S. dollars, and a large colourful image by Robert Mapplethorpe from 1987 called 'Calla Lily,' valued at between 30,000 and 50,000 U.S. dollars.
    John was a folk-tinged singer-songwriter when he had his first hit with 'Your Song," co-written with Bernie Taupin, in 1971.
    But John soon embraced the flamboyance of glam rock and loved to perform flowery costumes and massive platform boots.
    John now openly admits his homosexuality, and Holderman said some of the erotic images in the collection reflect this aspect of the singer.
    "There is certainly a portion of his collection in which one might characterise the pictures or images as being homo-erotic and I would say that is certainly is indicative of a way in which he is very outspoken about his life," said Holderman.
    Holderman said John's love of flowers is also evident in the collections, with its many still lives and orchid images.
    One of the oldest images is a vintage print from the 1920's by Constantine Brancusi, an artist most known for his sculpture.
    Also present are photographs of fellow celebrities, including an image of Woody Allen dressed up as Charlie Chaplin by photographer Penn, and a 1965 image of the famous British model Jean Shrimpton, taken by her lover and noted fashion photographer David Bailey.
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