Richard Winton and Andrew Blankstein
Los Angeles Times

An estimated $2 million worth of jewelry and other belongings was stolen from the home of Paris Hilton, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The robbery occurred at 5 a.m. at Hilton's Hollywood Hills home on Clarendon Street. The burglar or burglars got into the house through an unlocked door, according to LAPD sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing. More...

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — An array of treasures from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch ranging from his iconic white-jeweled glove to the grandiose entry gates to Neverland Ranch are up for sale in a tour de force auction boasting more than 2,000 items in a live auction conducted by Julien's Auctions.

Beginning with a highlights tour to major cities worldwide, Julien's Auctions will host a seven-day museum quality exhibition at 9900 Wilshire adjacent to The Beverly Hilton open to the public on April 14-20. The auction begins on April 21 and runs through April 25.

This monumental five-day auction offers an astounding array of fine and decorative art items, paintings and life-size bronze and marble sculptures to memorabilia from Jackson's life and career. The auction also includes amusements, arcade games, Disneyana, entertainment memorabilia and garden statuary furniture from Jackson's personal collection with a portion of the proceeds benefiting MusiCares ... a charity of The Recording Academy.

Auction Network will broadcast the auction live on national television and stream video of the auction online providing fans all over the world a front-row seat to watch and bid in real time on the items up for sale.

Jackson began his assent to the zenith of international pop culture in the 1970s as the stand-out member of the Jackson 5. His aspirations for success as a solo artist would be realized beyond anyone's wildest imagination in the following decade with the release of his albums Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad. His altruistic personality and undeniable musical talent proved him capable of reinventing everything from music industry conventions to age-old racial barriers, becoming the first black entertainer to be embraced by the new crossover audience of the MTV generation. “The King of Pop” became one of the defining aspects of 1980s popular culture. His highly acclaimed, extravagant worldwide tours propelled him into the international spotlight, earning him recognition and respect from millions of fans around the world. Jackson's innovations reach far beyond his groundbreaking musical aesthetic extending from short film to high fashion and influencing countless generations to come.

Neverland Ranch is named after Peter Pan's magical island whose youthful inhabitants never grow up and was created in 1988 when Jackson purchased the 2,700-acre property in central California's wine country.

Neverland became an awe-inspiring wonderland containing larger-than-life superheroes, a custom made horse-drawn carriage and antique automobile replicas, top-tier 19th century paintings and sculpture, exquisite furniture and fine art, renowned international awards and Jackson's iconic concert costumes.

Jackson was an enthusiastic and avid collector of everything from exquisite antiques to prized entertainment and popular culture memorabilia.

Beginning Feb. 15, 2009, bidders will be able to place proxy bids, register for the auction and explore the history of the more than 2,000 lots in this historic auction by visiting juliensauctions.com and auctionnetwork.com.

Registering to Bid
Registration is required to bid in this live auction and can be done either in person at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., or by visiting the Julien's Auction registration page before the sale or by calling 310.816.1818. Online bidding registration can be completed via Auction Network.

Placing Bids
There are four ways to bid in this sale:
* Place bids in the room by attending the auction in person
* Bid over the telephone through an auction house representative, who sits in the room and conveys the bid to the auctioneer
* Enter absentee bids. Absentee bid forms are printed in the back of each catalogue, and are also available by calling Julien's Auctions or online.   
* Proxy and live interactive bidding prior to and during the auction is available online through Auction Network.

Exhibition Schedule:
Tuesday, April 14 – Monday, April 20
Open daily to the public (1pE/10aP - 9pE/6pP)

Auction Schedule:
Tuesday, April 21 – Saturday, April 25
Auctions begins daily at NoonE/9aP

Auction Inquiries:
Phone: 310-836-1818
Fax: 310-827-2125
 

LOS ANGELES (AP/Sandy Cohen) — Michael Jackson's glittery glove is going on the auction block.

The glove, which inspired countless copycats, quips and Halloween costumes after it was unveiled in the 1983 video for Jackson's hit Billie Jean, will be part of a five-day auction next year, Julien's Auctions announced Wednesday.

Jackson is also unloading the grandiose gates that once led to his Neverland Ranch, along with more than 2,000 other personal items.

The King of Pop's possessions will be on display before the auction begins on April 21, 2009. Bids will be accepted in person and online. The sale is to be broadcast live on Auction Network.

Jackson plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to MusiCares, a charitable organization founded by the Recording Academy to help musicians in need.

The singer has been plagued by financial woes since he was acquitted of child-molestation charges in 2003. He went into default on his sprawling Neverland property earlier this year, before an investment company bought the loan. Last month, Jackson's lawyers reached a settlement in a $7 million breach-of-contract case brought by a Bahraini sheik.

As Jackson marked his milestone 50th birthday in August, the reclusive star hinted that he would be back to work eventually.

"(I'm) looking forward to doing a lot of great things," he told ABC News. "I think the best is yet to come in my true humble opinion."

 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luke Skywalker's lightsaber from Star Wars, Indiana Jones' hat and whip from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Batman's cowl from Batman Begins are going on the auction block.

The iconic movie items are for sale as part of Profiles in History's Hollywood auction, to be held Dec. 11 at the company's headquarters in Calabasas, Calif.

The lightsaber is expected to sell for at least $150,000. Other items featured in the auction include C3PO's helmet, a complete set of Harry Potter books signed by J.K. Rowling, a three-volume collection of The Lord of the Rings signed by J.R.R. Tolkien and Arnold Schwarzenegger's costume from Terminator 2: Judgment Day.