Julien’s Auctions has now unveiled the first four major Michael Jackson pieces that will headline its upcoming Michael Jackson: The Fashion Legacy Auction, taking place in Abu Dhabi this December.
And these are not ordinary pieces of Michael Jackson memorabilia.
The auction house has revealed that Michael Jackson’s iconic “Thriller” music video jacket, the loafers worn during the filming of “Thriller,” the rhinestone glove worn for the legendary Motown 25 performance and the loafers worn during the Motown 25 rehearsals will all return to the auction block on December 7.
The announcement was made October 7 at Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles, where the four pieces were unveiled ahead of an international preview tour.
The pieces will be offered as part of Julien’s inaugural Celebrity & Pop Culture Experience in Abu Dhabi, running from December 7 through December 9 at Rosewood Abu Dhabi.
For collectors, this is where the previously announced “mountain” of Michael Jackson memorabilia starts to become much more tangible.
When MJVibe first reported on the Abu Dhabi auction in August, the complete catalogue had not yet been released. Julien’s had described the event as featuring what it called the “largest and most unprecedented collection” of Michael Jackson stage costumes, accessories, video worn pieces and iconic wardrobe items.
At that point, however, there were still plenty of unanswered questions surrounding where the items had come from and what documentation would accompany them.
The new announcement provides considerably more information about these four particular pieces.
The Original “Thriller” Jacket
Perhaps the biggest headline is the return of the famous black and red leather jacket worn by Michael Jackson in the 1983 “Thriller” music video.
Julien’s has not yet published an estimate for the jacket, stating that the estimate is available upon request.
The jacket features the distinctive winged shoulders, silver buckles, red silk lining and trapunto stitched collar that helped make the “Thriller” look one of the most recognizable pieces of fashion in music history.
Importantly for collectors, the jacket is also personally inscribed. Inside the lining is written: “To Bush and Dennis All My Love Michael Jackson.” The sleeve is additionally signed: “Love Michael Jackson.”
According to Julien’s, this is one of two jackets created for the “Thriller” production. The other was deliberately distressed and shredded for the zombie sequences, while this jacket was used during the portions in which Michael appeared without zombie makeup.
The distressed version remains in the Michael Jackson Estate collection and has previously been displayed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The story behind this particular jacket is also significant.
Michael Jackson reportedly brought the original to his longtime costume designers Michael Bush and Dennis Tompkins so they could create patterns from it for future live performances. Michael apparently believed the process might require the original to be destroyed.
When Bush and Tompkins managed to create the pattern without damaging the jacket, Michael gave it to them as a gift, adding the personal inscriptions.
That makes the history of this jacket particularly interesting for collectors. It was not simply a costume that disappeared into the memorabilia market. According to the documentation provided by Julien’s, it became part of the working history of the designers who went on to create many of Michael’s subsequent tour costumes.
The “Thriller” Shoes
Also returning to auction are the black leather Florsheim loafers Michael Jackson wore during the filming and rehearsals for “Thriller.”
They carry an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000.
The soles have been scored and are handwritten with “MJ Thriller Shoes,” with the pair being identified as size 9.5.
The shoes come with an especially interesting piece of documentation: a signed letter from Michael Jackson to Michael Peters, the choreographer of the “Thriller” music video.
Dated December 18, 1983, the letter explains that Michael wanted Peters to have the shoes he wore during the rehearsals and filming, thanking him for his contribution to the creation of “Thriller.”
A separate sheet signed by Michael in red marker also accompanies the lot.
For collectors, this makes the lot more than simply a pair of shoes associated with the video. The accompanying correspondence provides a direct connection between the physical item and the person who received it from Michael.
The Motown 25 Glove Returns
Then there is the piece that will almost certainly attract enormous attention.
Michael Jackson’s Motown 25 stage-worn rhinestone glove carries an estimate of $600,000 to $800,000.
Julien’s describes the glove as the “Holy Grail of Michael Jackson memorabilia.”
It is the glove associated with the historic moment when Michael performed “Billie Jean” during Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever and introduced the Moonwalk to a worldwide television audience.
This is also a piece with a very clear auction history.
The glove was last sold by Julien’s in November 2009, when it was purchased by Hong Kong businessman Hoffman Ma for $430,000, setting a record at the time.
According to Julien’s, Ma has owned the glove for the past 17 years and it has subsequently been displayed as a major attraction, allowing fans and visitors from around the world to see it.
Now, almost two decades after its previous sale, it is coming back to the market.
The new estimate is already considerably higher than its 2009 sale price, meaning collectors will be watching very closely to see whether the glove establishes another record.
The Motown 25 Loafers
Completing the four-piece announcement are the black Florsheim Como moc toe tassel loafers Michael Jackson wore during rehearsals for the Motown 25 performance.
They carry an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000.
Julien’s states that the shoes were worn by Michael on May 16, 1983, during rehearsals for the NBC television special.
The loafers feature hand-sewn detailing, burgundy leather interiors and scored wooden heels.
Together with the glove, they represent the footwear associated with one of the most important performances of Michael’s career.
Four Pieces, Four Very Different Histories
What makes this latest announcement particularly interesting is that the four headline pieces do not simply represent expensive Michael Jackson memorabilia.
Each one is connected to a very specific moment in his career.
The “Thriller” jacket represents one of the most influential music videos ever made and the fashion phenomenon that followed it.
The “Thriller” shoes are connected to the creative process behind that production and come with a letter from Michael to choreographer Michael Peters.
The Motown 25 glove represents the moment Michael Jackson introduced the Moonwalk to the world.
And the Motown 25 loafers are connected to the rehearsals behind that historic performance.
From a collector’s perspective, that history is what makes these objects important.
But The Questions We Raised Still Matter
When we first covered Julien’s Abu Dhabi plans in August, we pointed out that the lack of a complete catalogue meant there were still significant questions about the provenance of the enormous collection being assembled.
That remains something collectors should pay attention to as more lots are revealed.
The new press release provides reassuringly detailed histories for these four headline pieces, particularly the “Thriller” jacket and the Motown 25 glove. But it does not yet tell us the provenance of the many other Michael Jackson items expected to appear in the December auctions.
And that is where MJVibe will continue to look closely.
Our previous coverage raised questions about whether pieces from previous collections could be appearing again, whether reproductions could be included and whether any items could have originated from or passed through the Michael Jackson Estate.
At this stage, we still do not have enough information to answer those broader questions.
The full catalogue will therefore be extremely important.
For collectors considering spending significant amounts of money, the story behind an item is just as important as the item itself. Documentation, chain of ownership, authenticity information and supporting material can make an enormous difference when evaluating a major Michael Jackson collectible.
The fact that Julien’s has now provided detailed information about these four pieces is a positive step, but we will reserve judgement on the wider collection until the full catalogue is available.
An International Journey Before Abu Dhabi
The four pieces will also have an international preview tour before the December auction.
They will be displayed at Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles on October 7 before travelling to Hankyu in Osaka, Japan, from October 9 to 12.
On October 24, they will appear at Prince Jackson’s Heal Los Angeles Foundation’s annual “This Is Thriller” event at the historic Palace Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, a location connected to the filming of Michael’s legendary short film.
Further previews are scheduled in New York and Bahrain during November, followed by an Abu Dhabi exhibition at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental from November 29 through December 5.
The pieces will then move to Rosewood Abu Dhabi for the live auction.
Michael Bush is also scheduled to take part in programming surrounding the Abu Dhabi event, including a conversation and book signing focusing on the craftsmanship behind Michael Jackson’s stage wardrobe.
The Auction Is Getting Very Real
The December auction is now looking considerably more interesting than it did when it was first announced.
Four genuinely historic Michael Jackson pieces have been confirmed, including objects connected to two of the defining moments of his career.
The “Thriller” jacket alone is an extraordinary piece of music history. The Motown 25 glove is arguably one of the most recognizable pieces of Michael Jackson memorabilia ever created. And the accompanying shoes add another layer to both stories.
But with a collection this large, the headline pieces are only part of the story.
As Julien’s continues to reveal the catalogue, MJVibe will be looking beyond the price estimates and celebrity appeal to examine the individual items, their histories and the provenance provided for each lot.
For serious collectors, December 7 could be a very important day.
And for everyone else, it will be fascinating to see just how high the market is prepared to go for pieces of Michael Jackson history that have been hidden away in private collections for years.
The Michael Jackson: The Fashion Legacy Evening Auction takes place on Monday, December 7 at 8:00 PM GST in Abu Dhabi, followed by a Michael Jackson Fashion Legacy Day Auction on December 8 at 10:00 AM GST.
The international preview schedule and full auction catalogue will be updated as more information becomes available.
For more information visit: www.juliensauctions.com
