Hard Rock Cafe To Host Unique Music Memorabilia Auction On May 18-19
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Music lovers, listen up!
Pieces of music history can be yours ... if the price is right.
Prince's clothes, Bob Dylan's guitar and Elvis Presley's jewelry are just some of the items being auctioned this weekend. And starting Monday, potential bidders can get a view of a handful of those items at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, CBS2's Elise Finch reported.
Just inside the Hard Rock is a collection of music memorabilia most fans never get to see up close.
"Looking at them online is one thing, but seeing them in person is really cool," said Lucy Shneyer of Denville, New Jersey.
Dylan's electric guitar, a 1965 Fender Telecaster, for example, is considered one of the most important in rock history. It was also played by Robbie Robertson, The Band's legendary guitarist and songwriter.
There are also costumes worn by legends. Michael Jackson's black patent leather ensemble from his "Moonwalker" video; one of Elton John's bejeweled jumpsuits and the two-piece ensemble with a peek-a-boo back that Prince wore in the movie "Under The Cherry Moon."
"I'm big on the costumes. I love to see all the artwork that's in it, all the delicate intricate pieces and designs, so that's probably my favorite thing," fan Jackie Jackson said.
The display holds a fraction of the items for sale during the 2018 MUSIC ICONS event, the 11th annual auction of music memorabilia presented by Julien's Auctions.
"Some people see these items as art, three dimensional art something that we can all relate to," said Martin Nolan, the executive director of Julien's Auctions. "The next-best thing to meeting the celebrity is to own something representing their life and career."
While there are a lot of costumes, like the jumpsuit from Whitney Houston's 1991 tour, it's not just about clothing and instruments. In catalogs and online potential buyers will see several of Presley's rings, George Michael's MTV Video Music Award and handwritten notes from a number of artists, including Prince.
Speaking of the purple one, there is an entirely separate Prince auction. Up for grabs are items, including his guitars, tambourines, hats and even shoes.
"I saw the hat. Forget about the guitar and I'm planning on taking the catalog home to look through it," Bushwick resident Enid Fonfrias said.
"Just to have the chance to purchase one of these things, I don't know if I actually could but to have the opportunity to do it is fabulous," Shneyer added.
The public exhibition is free and open every day this week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. It's worth taking a look because while some big items will sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars, others could sell for as little as $200 to $300.
The Prince collection will be auctioned off at the Hard Rock Cafe on May 18. The items from all the other artists will be sold on May 19.
If you can't attend but you still want to buy, you can register with the auction house to bid online, CBS2's Finch reported.