One entire volume of the five-volume auction catalog is entitled Garden Statuary and Outdoor Furniture. It would have been a rare chance for outdoor decor enthusiasts to participate in something historic, celebrity-glitzy, utilitarian (planters), decorative and off the wall.
Find another source for your patio urns. On opening day of the exhibition, it was announced that the auction had been called off. According to the Julien's Auctions website, the singer had a "change of heart" about parting with his vast and eclectic collection.
Representatives of Jackson’s production company, MJJ Productions, Inc., filed suit in March 2009 in Los Angeles Superior Court to stop the auction, claiming that certain items are irreplaceable and that the pop star had not signed the auction contract. A judge dismissed that attempt to have the contract ruled invalid, and MJJ Productions had been seeking a preliminary injunction to delay the sale.
A joint statement released by Julien's Auctions president/CEO Darren Julien and Jackson's representative, Dr. Tohme Tohme, said that "there was so much interest from so many of Jackson’s fans that instead of putting the items in the hands of private collectors, Dr. Tohme and Julien Auctions have made arrangements that will allow the collection to be shared with and enjoyed by Jackson’s fans for many years to come."
While the exhibition in Beverly Hills was set to continue thorugh April 25, 2009, the possibility of more exhibitions is unclear. This photo gallery may be your only chance to see some of the most eclectic and surreal outdoor furnishings ever.
"After the 25th we will return the collection to Michael Jackson," says Julien. "If there are exhibitions of his collection in the future, we won't be a part of them. The reason is that we are an auction house and have other celebrity clients we have to follow through on. An exhibition only for an extended period of time would be a distraction for us. I'm sure that if they have future plans for an exhibition, they will announce it in due course."