Memorabilia from John Lennon and Prince will headline Sotheby’s inaugural online popular culture auction, opening for bidding on August 29th. The auction will feature a collection of items spanning music, film, and entertainment history, including an archival collection from Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1969 “Bed-In For Peace” protest in Amsterdam.
At the “Bed-Ins,” which occurred during two week-long periods in Amsterdam and Montreal in 1969, Lennon and Ono leveraged their celebrity by inviting media to their hotel room and using the attention to protest the Vietnam War. The collection on offer at Sotheby’s includes a variety of personal items, such as handwritten letters by Lennon, detailed questionnaires, and signed memorabilia. The items were first obtained by 16-year-old Dutch Beatles fan Constance Vrijdaghs after she interviewed the couple at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel in March 1969. The collection is estimated to fetch £70,000–£90,000 ($88,200–$113,400).
A multi-colored felt pen drawing by Lennon on Hotel Continental Paris stationery from around 1967 is also part of the sale. It has an estimated value of £15,000–£20,000 ($18,900–$25,200).
Another highlight of the auction is a VOC HDC-77 electric guitar used by Prince. This guitar, played extensively by the artist during performances in the mid-2010s, is estimated to fetch £200,000–£300,000 ($252,000–$378,000). Additionally, a prized Steinway grand piano, acquired by Abbey Road Studios in 1973 and used by artists like Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga, carries an estimate of £150,000–£200,000 ($189,000–$252,000).
The auction also includes memorabilia from the Golden Age of Hollywood and modern blockbusters. Items range from original ballet slippers from the 1948 film The Red Shoes to a gladiator costume from the upcoming film Gladiator II, directed by Ridley Scott. Price estimates for these items have yet to be confirmed.
