Elton John’s Classic Bentley, Leopard-Print Rolex, Banksy Painting & More Sell For $8 Million
The legendary singer’s lavish cache of collectibles is truly a sight to behold.
Like a Rocket Man blasting into space, Christie’s recent “The Collection of Sir Elton John” sale saw several items skyrocket past their pre-auction valuations and sell collectively for nearly $8 million.
The top seller was an original Banksy, 2017’s Flower Power Triptych. The three-canvas work, which was acquired by the “Candle in the Wind” singer directly from the famously incognito artist, blasted past its $1 million-$1.5 million estimate, going for $1,925,500.
A pair of untitled paintings by ’80s-era pop artist Keith Haring, who previously collaborated with John on album art for a limited-edition vinyl repressing his single “Are You Ready for Love,” also exceeded expectations. A 1982 Haring original featuring a smiling face with three eyes sold for $746,000, surpassing the $300,000-$500,000 pre-sale valuation, while a second featuring Haring’s simple-but-iconic human silhouettes on a TV screen sold for $529,200 against its $200,000-$400,000 estimate.
Among the other top-value items was a 1990 Bentley Continental two-door convertible featuring a black-over-black leather and brown walnut scheme—in the lot essay, John remarked that the car retrained “the most gorgeous smell from the butter leather seats” for decades have he acquired it. It was the fourth most-expensive lot in the sale, with a price realized of $441,000.
But more notably, that price is 12.6 times, or 1,260 percent, higher than the top end of its $35,000 pre-auction estimate. That multiplication factor is so great, it’s sure to land a spot on Hagerty’s 2024 Power List, which quantifies the impact of celebrity ownership on vehicle values.
Several collector-grade watches were also up for grabs, including an 18-karat gold leopard-print Rolex Daytona adorned with diamonds and sapphires. Like these other items, the boldly decorated bauble easily surpassed its high-sales estimate of $60,000 to fetch $176,000, setting an all-time record for the Rolex Daytona ref. 116598 in the process.
A one-of-400 1991 Cartier Crash timepiece, seemingly inspired by Salvador Dali’s time-bending surrealist masterpiece The Persistence Of Memory, sold for $277,200 against a $100,000 estimate. A second, more traditionally styled Cartier Tank featuring baguette-cut diamonds set in white gold fetched a whopping $176,400 against a $30,000 estimate.
Other highlights from the Elton John sale include a Yamaha concert grand piano ($201,600), a pair of silver leather platform boots ($94,500), and a concert-worn pair of John’s signature multi-colored prescription sunglasses ($22,680).
Head to Christie’s website to learn more about all 49 items featured in the “The Collection of Sir Elton John” sale.