Christie’s concluded The Collection of Sir Elton John: Goodbye Peachtree Road, a series of sales comprising more than 900 objects celebrating Elton John’s discerning eye for collecting and the impact the city of Atlanta had on his life.
In total the collection realized $20,537,842, well in excess of the low estimate of $10 million. Photography accounted for approximately one third of the collection, with photographs comprising 350 of the total lots. In total, the full collection realized 200% against low estimate and 73% of lots sold above their high estimate, 47% of the bidders participating in the sale were new to Christie’s with 86% of winning bids placed online.
Bonnie Brennan, President, Christie’s Americas, says: “It was a great honor for Christie’s to have been entrusted with the auction of the contents of Elton John's Atlanta home. The collection was assembled over 30 years in an American city that meant so much to Elton John and his family. Beyond including artistic and personal treasures the sale cemented the cultural legacy of one of the world's most iconic figures. It was an absolute privilege to present these objects to the thousands of fans and collectors who visited our galleries, enabling us to celebrate both Elton John's exceptional eye as a collector and the vibrant chapter Atlanta played in his life.”
Tash Perrin, Deputy Chairman, Christie’s Americas, comments: “Collaborating with Elton John and David Furnish to steward the collection offered in Goodbye Peachtree Road was a truly memorable experience. The enthusiasm of Elton’s fans was equally memorable, especially the first client on the first day of viewing who had flown from Australia to view the collection. The extraordinary success of the sales speaks volumes for the joy and exuberance of his eye and Elton John's lasting impact on collectors and fans alike. The sales began with an impressive $8 million on the first night and surpassed $20 million with day and online sales. Christie’s is immensely proud of these results.”
Darius Himes, Deputy Chairman, Christie’s International Head of Photographs, says: “It was thrilling to witness the depth of competitive bidding on the wide range of photographs from early modernist works to cherished celebrity portraits to the icons of fashion and style that graced Elton and David’s beloved Atlanta home.”
The Collection of Sir Elton John: Goodbye Peachtree Road became a worldwide sensation, drawing more than 9,000 visitors to Christie’s Rockefeller Center galleries who were eager to pay tribute to Elton John from around the globe, from the United Kingdom to Australia. More than 450,000 collectors and fans browsed the sales online in the weeks leading up to the auctions. Christie's livestream auction attracted nearly 1 million views from around the globe.
Main Image :Tash Perrin, Deputy Chairman, Christie’s Americas selling Banksy’s Flower Thrower Triptych for $1,925,500
Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.
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