Al Capone's legend of bootlegging, gangland slayings and tax evasion lives on more than 60 years after the Chicago gangster's death. Now comes a footnote that is a sign of the times: foreclosure.

A Wisconsin lodge that may have been one of Capone's old hideouts goes on the auction block this week with a starting bid of $2.6 million.

The two-story stone lodge, tucked away on 407 acres in Couderay, Wis., was owned by the Capone family in the 1920s. It will be auctioned Thursday on the steps of the Sawyer County Courthouse, three hours from Minneapolis, Minn., according to an ad in the Chicago Tribune.

The property includes a 37-acre lake and eight-car garage.

The Tribune ad was placed in September by the Chippewa Valley Bank. The property,owned by Hideout Inc. owner Guy Houston, went into foreclosure in April 2008. The Houston family purchased the property in the 1950s and transformed the home into a touist spot. Visitors paid a few dollars for a walking tour of Capone's reputed hideout. The lodge is fortified with stone walls at least a foot thick and a guard tower. There is a separate facility that resembles a jail on site.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Jackson's glove is not going once, going twice - or going anywhere.

A scheduled auction of the pop singer's possessions was called off Tuesday after Jackson and Julien's Auction House reached a settlement to their dispute over whether 2,000 items from Neverland Ranch were ever intended for sale.

Specific terms were not disclosed. But in short, Jackson keeps his things, while Julien's keeps its exhibition, which was open to the public and originally meant to promote next week's sale.

"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's Auction House have made arrangements that will allow the collection to be shared with and enjoyed by Jackson's fans for many years to come," read a joint statement from Jackson spokesman Dr. Tohme R. Tohme and auction organizer Darren Julien.

Jackson's production company, MJJ Productions, sued Julien in early March, seeking to halt the sale by arguing that Jackson hadn't authorized it. Julien maintained that the auction house was contracted by Jackson's production company to take all of the items from Neverland with the intention of selling them all beginning April 22.

A judge blocked one effort by MJJ Productions to cancel it earlier this month, and another was scheduled to hear arguments Wednesday for an injunction.

"I believe both sides are pleased with the resolution," Julien said Tuesday by telephone.

Julien has said he spent $2 million organizing the sale, which another auctioneer estimated could have fetched $12 million. The exhibition in Beverly Hills costs $20 to attend, and auction catalogues - a $50 single volume and $200, five-volume boxed set - were still selling, Julien said.

The statement also said MJJ Productions and Julien's Auction House would be making a "substantial" donation to MusiCares to benefit artists in need.
 

Thousands of items belonging to Rosa Parks are expected to be sold within the next few months, according to the owner of the New York auction house serving as the middleman for the civil rights icon's collection.

Arlan Ettinger, founder and president of Guernsey's Auction House, said there are two main contenders vying for the 2,000-plus item collection. Ettinger wouldn't name them but said both organizations would be well suited to showcase the multimillion dollar collection for generations to come. "Either one would be terrific. Without revealing who it is we're speaking with -- assuming it goes in one of those directions -- the world will not only understand, but say 'That's a wonderful direction.'"

Representatives of The Henry Ford confirmed they have been in touch with the auction house and that communication remains open. But they're unwilling to comment further, said Wendy Metros, spokeswoman for The Henry Ford. Eight years ago, The Henry Ford paid $492,000 for the bus Parks was riding when she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on Dec. 1, 1955.
 

Due to the legal controversy that has arisen between Julien’s Auctions and Michael Jackson/MJJ Productions, Auction Network is withdrawing as the online bidding service provider unless and until the controversy is resolved between the parties. We apologize for any inconvenience, but this controversy is not a matter that is within our control. Please check back periodically for updates.

For more on this developing story, click here.

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."

 

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Auction Network can add another successful event to its growing portfolio. The Pickfair Estate Auction, conducted by Julien’s Auctions on Nov. 22-23, 2008 at the Beverly Hilton, raised nearly $585,000 during four sessions of live and online bidding.
 
Bidders from around the world had the opportunity to take home one of more than 700 pieces of fine art, furnishings and jewelry that graced the home dubbed Pickfair. Owned by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Pickfair was the social focal point for not only Hollywood celebrities in the 1920s, but for the world’s nobility and notable personalities. The renovated rustic lodge on 18 acres outside of Hollywood was referred to as the West Coast White House.

Auction Network, with hosts Tava Smiley and WorthPoint’s Christopher Kent (above), brought a significant number of online registered bidders to the Pickfair auction with 30 percent of the items being sold to those online bidders.
 
One of the most anticipated items, Mary Pickford’s personal autograph book (Lot 749), caught the eye of bidders across the board. The autograph book which includes 120 famous signatures such as Thomas Edison, Benito Mussolini, George Bernard Shaw, Amelia Earhart, U.S. President Eisenhower and Henry Ford sold for more $23,750. The pre-auction estimate was $6,000-$8,000.

Three pieces of rare artwork by Philip Mercier (Lot 411) and Paul de Longpre’ (Lots 412 and 413) sold for more than $65,000.

For a complete look at the entire auction catalog and what each piece sold for, click here.

Auction Network continues to deliver fast-paced, interactive programming that celebrates the sport and competitive spirit of auctions from around the world. Continue to check us out for truly exciting auctions coming in the near future!
 

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (Nov. 14, 2008) — In 1919, the world’s most famous actor, Douglas Fairbanks, purchased 18 acres outside of Hollywood in a little-known, undeveloped area called Beverly Hills.

The next year, he married the world’s most famous actress, Mark Pickford.

Working together, Doug and Mary renovated the rustic lodge on this large parcel of land and out of their effort and love, one of the most famous residences in the world, dubbed Pickfair, was born.

This incredible home for Hollywood royalty included amenities like no other. Pickfair featured a projection room to view the couple’s latest films, a western-themed bar to display Doug’s props and costumes, a room housing the couple’s collection of Asian art, accommodations for servants and a pool house for the first residential pool built in the Los Angeles area.

Pickfair was decorated by several designers throughout the years including Marjorie Requa, Harriet R. Shellenberger and Tony Durquette. The designers’ work and couple’s sensibilities created a hub of social life in Los Angeles. Royalty, presidents, artists, authors, inventors, actors and athletes all coveted an invitation to Pickfair to be entertained by the most famous couple in the world. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Madame Chiang Kai-shek, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, Pearl S. Buck and Charlie Chaplin were among the scores of honored guests.

After the dissolution of their 16-year marriage in 1936, “America’s Sweetheart” married “America’s Boyfriend” Charles “Buddy” Rogers in 1937. The couple was visited often by her stepson, Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

Upon Mary’s death in 1979, after 42 years of marriage, Buddy built Pickfair Lodge on the property of Pickfair and moved many of the beautiful furnishings and memorabilia to his new home, thus preserving the memories for future generations.

The personality of Pickfair was shaped by those who lived there and the many famous guests who visited. While Pickfair no longer stands as it was, the memory of its majesty and the history of what it held lives on.

Pickfair Estate Auction: They were the Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes of early 1900s Hollywood. Now you can own one of more than 700 pieces of fine art, furnishings and jewelry that graced the home, dubbed “Pickfair, owned by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks.  

This amazing two-day auction, conducted by Julien’s Auctions, and broadcast live on Auction Network (auctionnetwork.com) will be held at the Beverly Hilton, Saturday, Nov. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 23, starting at 10am/8c both days.

Pickford was known as “America’s Sweetheart” during Hollywood’s Golden Age of silent films. Dinners there were legendary with guests including Charlie Chaplin, Albert Einstein, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.  

Some of the storied and exotic items from Pickfair up for bid include rare artworks such as two oil-on-canvas still life paintings by Paul de Longpre and Philip Mercier.

If you can’t make it to Los Angeles for this event, you can get a front-row seat on the Auction Network. Be sure to register now for this event. It’s free, and easy to Watch, Bid, and Win on Auction Network!

To register for this auction, click here.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (Nov. 13, 2008) — Pickfair in the 1920s was the social focal point for not only Hollywood celebrities, but for the world’s nobility and notable personalities. Pickfair was referred to as the West Coast White House. An invitation to Pickfair meant you had arrived in the closed social community of Hollywood.

If Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were Hollywood royalty, then this was their court, where they accepted visits from fellow actors and actresses as well as the most interesting minds of the day.

Amelia Earhart, Albert Einstein, George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells, Charles Lindbergh and The Duke and Duchess of Windsor all visited the fabled Pickfair.

A dinner could include Einstein, who used the flatware to explain his theory of relativity, a discussion of world politics with a prince, or the rehashing of Hollywood gossip with Charlie Chaplin and Greta Garbo. The table was always set for a crowd, and dinner was a multi-course affair.

Lot 275 features an international silver Trianon monogrammed sterling flatware set. Comprised of 131 pieces, the setting is monogrammed “DMF” and weighs approximately 140 troy ounces.

Between lot 272 (Victoria Elkington Epergne centerpiece) and lot 323 (sterling silver Alvin bowl stand), you’ll find plenty of opportunities to grab glasses, cups, tankards, coffee services, decorative utensils and presentation plates that were used during the entertaining at Pickfair.

Fairbanks was known to invite guests to dinner at the last minute so those attending never knew with whom they may be dining.

Pickfair Estate Auction: They were the Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes of early 1900s Hollywood. Now you can own one of more than 700 pieces of fine art, furnishings and jewelry that graced the home, dubbed “Pickfair, owned by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks.  

This amazing two-day auction, conducted by Julien’s Auctions, and broadcast live on Auction Network (auctionnetwork.com) will be held at the Beverly Hilton, Saturday, Nov. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 23, starting at 10am/8c both days.

Pickford was known as “America’s Sweetheart” during Hollywood’s Golden Age of silent films. Dinners there were legendary with guests including Charlie Chaplin, Albert Einstein, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.  

Some of the storied and exotic items from Pickfair up for bid include rare artworks such as two oil-on-canvas still life paintings by Paul de Longpre and Philip Mercier.

If you can’t make it to Los Angeles for this event, you can get a front-row seat on the Auction Network. Be sure to register now for this event. It’s free, and easy to Watch, Bid, and Win on Auction Network!

To register for this auction, click here.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (Oct. 20, 2008) — For seven decades the world invited Bob Hope into their homes like he was family. "Audiences are my best friends," he liked to say. "You never tire of talking with your best friends."
 
And those friends, both famous and private, turned out in Beverly Hills, Calif., this weekend to pay respects bidding on 680 lots of the entertainer's memorabilia, including costumes, clothing, sports, presidential and movie related items, as well as furniture and decorations.

In two days of the Julien’s auction at the Beverly Hilton $601,000 was raised for the Bob and Delores Hope Charitable Foundation.
 
During the preview party on Friday night (Oct. 17), Jane Russell recalled stories of working with her Paleface co-star while Bob Hope Desert Classic host and funnyman George Lopez ogled Hope's putters and golf caps.

"They were both fanatical golfers," said producer Ann Lopez, George's wife, in an interview with The Associated Press. "George hosted the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic for two years. He wants to wear the hats on the course to keep Mr. Hope out there in spirit, still golfing."
 
The Lopezes were but two of hundreds of fans and dealers who bid from the floor and online through auctionnetwork.com.

Hosting with Tava Smiley and joined by Worthpoint.com's Christopher Kent, we watched repeatedly as bidding wars broke out in cyberspace. Every item sold, a tribute to Hope's continued relevance five years after passing away at age 100.
 
As seen in past celebrity auctions, the items that represented the most important and/or unique moments of Hope's career and the ones that were most intimate to his personal life also tended to be the items that bidders sought out and brought the highest prices. And, as also seen in prior sales, estimates were only a loose guideline because each individual item had it's own "celebrity factor" which could only be determined in the final bidding.
 
Named Entertainer of the 20th Century, Hope performed and socialized regularly for presidents and royalty. Therefore, it was no surprise that a personally inscribed photo of occasional golf partners Duke and Duchess of Windsor sold for $27,500 (estimate $300-$500) and presidential cufflinks (lot 101) gifted to Hope with a personal letter his from close friend Richard "Dick" Nixon (who appreciated Hope's continued loyalty after his 1973 presidential resignation) reached $10,000 ($1,000-$1500). A photo of Nixon and Hope putting in the White House (lot 95) and another (lot 98) inscribed by Nixon ("To Bob Hope / Like Me, He Nose All!" / From Dick Nixon) settled at $5,000 ($400-$600).
 
Hope first met Dwight D. Eisenhower when he was a general leading the Allied Forces in North Africa in 1943 and Hope's USO tour stopped in Algiers to entertain the troops. Terrorized by a 10 1/2 hour bombing raid plus their unbounded passion for golf bonded the two together for life. While Eisenhower signed photos have generally sold at auction in the mid-hundreds, this one-of-a-kind World War II vintage photo (lot 86), inscribed to Hope, rose to $5,500 ($800-$1,200).
 
Hope's paneled personal executive power desk (lot 550), which he sat behind for 50 years, sold for $18,750 ($5,000-$7,000). "Presidents sat in front of it and Mr. Hope conducted countless meetings from behind it," said Darren Julien. "Everyone cheered when it sold. It wasn't the most expensive item, but it was the most exciting sale."

A Louis Saphier oil on canvas portrait of Hope that hung in the office (lot 546) found a new home at $16,300  ($1,000-$1,500).

While our used suitcases would be handed down or thrown out, Hope's well traveled Gucci travel bag rolled to $7,500 ($200-$300), many times for what it sold for new!
 
In 1932 Hope first met Bing Crosby when they played a bill at the Capitol Theater together. Hope later said, "It was love at first sight. We started to insult each other from the moment we met."

When Hope moved to Los Angeles in 1937, the duo’s impromptu shows at Crosby's Del Mar Turb Club prompted Paramount producers to pair them for first Road To … movie, igniting a partnership that lasted through seven movies and innumerable golf matches.

A 1951 Crosby handwritten letter that addressed Hope as "Dear Flab" jiggled to $5,000 ($600-$800); a gold tone money clip gift to Hope (lot 486) finished at $3,750 ($1,000-$1,500) and a 1962 script for the Bing Crosby Show (lot 490) exited at $4,800 ($200-$300).
 
Fans bid on more than 150 lots of Hope sports memorabilia, possibly hoping that some magic would rub off on them.

A Tiffany sterling silver putter (lot 177), given to Hope on his 95th birthday by NBC dropped at $9,100 ($2,000-$3,000) while a special putter featuring a paper mache caricature head of Hope (lot 170) reached $11,950 ($700-$900).
 
Lot 423, a Johnny Carson Friars Club Roast program from 1974 signed by a who's who of stars (Jimmy Stewart, George Burns, Dinah Shore, etc.) estimated at $500-$700, rose to $10,800. Signed photos of Lucille Ball generally sell in the $50-$300 range, but this photo (lot 347), with blacked out teeth, sold for $6,562, thanks to this unique inscription: "For Rapid Robert / Because he appreciates beauty." A giant photo of Hope in top hat and tails (lot 466), signed by dozens of stars and gifted to Hope in 1992, hoofed to $7,500 ($500-$700).
 
The flip side is that in large sales such as this, there is always something for everyone. Here fans could find many items to win in the $200-$700 range including lots of teaching golf clubs, putters, hats, shoes, shirts, ties, decorations, fan gifts, signed college team and All-America footballs, fishing poles and even pairs of Hope's USO Army boots!
 
In this sale, a 1970s era Nudie designed rhinestone cowboy suit worn by Hope in an NBC special with Barbara Mandrell (lot 407), sold for only $4,800, which is probably what it cost new. Granted, the wagon wheel motif was a little over the top, but Nudie designed iconic outfits for Hank Williams, Elvis and Johnny Cash and it was a featured item in the sale, so it was surprising that it didn't receive more interest.

Likewise, with most of the cufflink lots selling in the thousands, I thought that the pair of record shaped cufflinks gifted by Tony Bennett to Hope in 1951 as a thank you gift (lot 348) would far exceed the selling price of $4,650, particularly since Hope discovered the young Joe Bari in a Greenwich Village club, convinced him to shorten his name from Benedetto and took Tony on the road with him.
 
It is the unpredictability that makes auctions exciting. Bidders fight to get what they want and sometimes they also get souvenirs of their favorite stars for less than dinner at a fancy restaurant. No one knows exactly what is going to happen until it's all over and when it's all said and done, it's the bidders who decide the market.
 
In the end, this weekend sale was a great celebration of fans saying to Hope … "Thanks for the Memories."

Behind the Byline: Through her auctions at Sotheby's and her own business, collectibles specialist Leila Dunbar has rumaged through the closets, attics and cellars of some of the most famous entertainers and athletes ever, including Katharine Hepburn, Johhny Cash, Cher, Wilt Chamberlain and Billy Martin selling more than $75 million in memorabilia. Currently Leila, when she is not doing color commentary for Auction Network, handles appraisals, consults with private clients and institutions, and offers management and auctioneering services for all types of collectibles. Like Hope, Leila grew up a sports fan, rooting for her native Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins. Also, like Hope, Leila fell in love with golf, and has three-putted at historic courses such as Merion and Pinehurst. Leila can be reached at leiladunbar@aol.com.