The Colorful World Of Michael Jackson

What was set to be a huge auction of Michael Jackson memorabilia has been canceled. The auctioneers had estimated to raise $10 million from the 1,390 lots which came from Jackson's Neverland Ranch home/theme park/zoo, but the auction was canceled due to a suit Jackson had filed in March demanding the return of certain items.

The astounding amount of memorabilia, from who the New York Times called "the most prolific collector since Charles Foster Kane," included the king’s crown, scepter, ice cream cart and life-size Lego model of Darth Vader. All of the items were being displayed in a 30,000 sq. ft. space in Beverly Hills which use to be the home of a department store. After a mutually beneficial settlement was reached between the two parties, it was decided to keep a public exhibit of the 1,390 items open until April 25th. Those items are available to view online as well as in a 900 page catalog created for the auction.

With the public's eye glimpsing the colorful possessions of one of the world's most famous people, it not only begs questions about Mr. Jackson's eccentric life but that of the impact of celebrity.

Sources: NY Times, Reuters, Julien's Auctions.

Images by Shaan Kokin for Julien's Auctions