The tour was a preliminary step in what will be the liquidation of furnishings at the gated mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive, where the King of Pop lived with his children, Prince, Paris and Blanket.
The queen-size bed where Jackson took his last breath is one of dozens of items that sit neatly on display, awaiting the auction block.
“We want to preserve the history of these items,” said celebrity auctioneer Darren Julien, president of Julien’s Auctions, which will sell the antique furnishings, paintings and other items that surrounded the King of Pop in his final days.
The Carolwood home where Jackson lived from December 2008 until his death, is now for sale. Jackson did not own the home or its contents, but leased the house and its furnishings while he and his family lived there.
A chalkboard inside the home’s kitchen features a love note from one of Michael’s children: “I (heart) Daddy. SMILE, it’s for free,” the message reads in childlike scrawl. The chalkboard is included on the list of items available for bidding.
Highlights of the available furnishings will be on view at a free exhibition at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, Calif., beginning Dec. 12. The auction is set for Dec. 17.
It makes sense that these items are available for purchase, since Jackson did not own them, but it feels wrong to know that the bed in which one of the world’s greatest entertainers took his last breath will not be preserved in a museum. Perhaps the person or persons who purchase these priceless mementos will ultimately sell or gift them to a future foundation whose purpose is the preservation of Jackson’s incredible legacy. –kathleen cross
