Michael Jackson's `Thriller' Jacket Up For Auction

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- The jacket Michael Jackson wore in his "Thriller" video is hitting the auction block.

Auction administrator Darren Julien says the red and black leather jacket is "the most recognized and significant piece of pop culture" to come up for sale, and he expects it to fetch at least $200,000 at the Music Icons auction on June 25 and 26 at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills.

Jackson autographed the jacket as a gift to his longtime costume designers, Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush. He wanted them to use the small calfskin jacket as a template for his future concert fashions. A portion of the proceeds from its sale will benefit the Shambala Preserve, where Jackson's two Bengal tigers, Thriller and Sabu, have been living since the pop star left his Neverland ranch in 2006.

Other Jackson items up for sale include the wig he wore when he announced his ill-fated "This Is It" concert series in London, a fedora and spangled glove he wore on stage, his shirt from the "Scream" video and the battered mailbox from the Carolwood Drive estate where Jackson died at age 50 in 2009.

The Music Icons sale also includes one of Eric Clapton's guitars, Frank Sinatra's patent leather boots and 1986 Jaguar, handwritten lyrics and a leather jacket from Johnny Cash, jackets and a guitar from Elvis Presley, a signed harmonica from Bob Dylan and nearly 600 other pieces of music memorabilia from Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, The Beatles and others.

The collection will be on view free to the public from June 13 to 25 at Julien's Auctions Gallery in Beverly Hills.

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Comments

[Nina Hamilton]

08:09 PM on 07/29/2011

Do not call Mr. Michael Joseph Jackson, 'Jacko', please, as in the previous picture caption, thus bringing your respectable newspaper down to the 'rats in the sewer' level of a certain news corporation and now defunct tabloid. I don't need to repeat all the praises of the late great Michael Jackson; you know them already from other comments.

[Anna Bennevendo Wirt]

03:45 PM on 07/25/2011

DEAR EDITORS: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT REFER TO MR. MICHAEL JACKSON AS "JACKO", AS HE HATED THAT NAME, SO OUT OF RESPECT, PLEASE CHANGE THE HEADING UNDERNEATH THE PHOTO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[FirstBeKind]

05:36 PM on 07/16/2011

Oh, Huff-Post...I thought you were above cruel nicknames and monickers--Jack-O! Please!
He hated being called Jacko or worse, Wacko-Jacko. Why is it that people feel the need to be disrespectful and unkind to someone who is obviously different in their thinking and way of looking at the world. He is a dearly missed father, son, brother and hero humanitarian and beloved friend to millions of people all over the planet. He's gained new fans and enthusiasts and re-ignited the admiration and respect from thousands. He is Michael Jackson. Please address him as such.

Why is it necessary to belittle someone? I expected more from you. I'm disappointed. PLEASE! Issue a correction.

What a shame that all these treasured belongings of Michael are being auctioned off to the highest bidder. His children should be the ones to decide what happens to their father's possessions and treasures. I disagree strongly in the way the Estate is handling these very personal things.
What harm would it do if they waited until the children were of legal age to make decsions?

[111FAS]

11:28 PM on 07/15/2011

Dear Sandy Cohen,
I'm not sure if you were called a name that you didn't like or it offended you and the person kept calling you that name anyway. I have, and so has Michael Jackson. You might say "what's the big deal, he's dead!" The fact of the matter is Michael has admirers that care and it is a big deal to them! It's disrespectful and insensitive to call Michael Jackson "Jacko". He has publicly said that is not his name and he didn't like it. I'm asking you to please change it or ask The HuffPost to change it since you've already summited your story.

Name calling is not professional!

Sincerely,
A person who cares

[lubeck]

05:13 PM on 07/15/2011

For the attention of the writer of this article, as we know the name "Jacko" was one the inventions of the News of The World. It has a derogatory and racist meaning. Unfortunately, NOTW, the Sun and other Murdoch's publications had / have used it all the time. They have surely helped to spread it around the world. Now Murdoch and his "journalism" are widely criticized, I ask you kindly to stop using their vocabulary. Please use the name of the legendary artist.Thank you.

[onptlss]

02:27 PM on 07/15/2011

Please change the name in the title : Michael Jackson should be called by his real name, as "Jacko" refers to the caricatural and negative figure tabloids invented for him in the past. It would be correct to call him with the right name : JACKSON. Thank you in advance for not being ignorant and limited as journalists were back then. I think Huffington Post can raise the level and do better.

[Paladin2467]

08:15 AM on 07/15/2011

and this is in the 'weird' section because of.....what ??!! Someone educate me. First of all there is the 'Jacko' tag (someone speak to AOL) and then its placed in the 'weird' category. Exactly what is being said here?

I read this well written peice and I understood that the jacket of one of the worlds greatest icons is on sale. It was written with respect and Ive no issues with the way it was written, or indeed, with any of the content. Im just puzzled at its headline and positioning. Does this constitute weird?

Maybe it really was set to appeal to the under 10s, if thats so, it probably did the job.

[lachu79932]

12:46 AM on 07/15/2011

Michael Jackson was a musical genius, a great humanitarian, an amazing human being who's artistry, love and kindness touched millions and millions of people. He EARNED all those titles and he deserves respect. Please be so kind as to call him by his name if you are to write anything about him.

[lmat]

11:55 PM on 07/14/2011

Mr. Jackson expressed his distaste for the moniker used on the previous page. The man is deceased and deserves more respect than what is demonstrated here. The article itself is
great and given that the jacket is indeed 'the most recognized and significant piece of pop culture'
then surely the man who wore it is a most significant artist in that same culture. Request that his contributions be honored and this insulting moniker not be used.

[Rharte]

12:55 AM on 06/09/2011

This has got to be the most famous article of clothing in music/world history. This jacket sparked a fashion trend in the 80's. Interestingly, in an alternate universe, if MJ never existed and an average Joe wore it I doubt anyone would even care. That's the magic of Michael. We definitely miss him.

[Whoozthaboss]

11:35 AM on 06/07/2011

Labeling him "Jacko" on the sidebar for this story was real tacky... But what else can you expect from AOL?

[Lordcron]

10:04 PM on 06/06/2011

And so the feeding frenzy starts. All the vultures who demonized this man in life now what to make money off him in death.

[amusedbyhumans]

07:41 PM on 06/06/2011

Why is this weird?

Am I missing something? I hope this is not the usual lame job of lumping anything pertaining to Michael Jackson with 'weird'. That has been played and is a bit tired, gotta say.