James Brown Auction Nets $800,000
A lot full of items from James Brown's South Carolina home went to auction yesterday at Christie's, under protest from the soul singer's children and business managers. Among the 350-odd items that sold were Brown's medical bracelet, which was bought for $32,500 by Letterman musician Paul Shaffer, and an autographed Snoop Dogg picture that's signed "2 Uncle James Brown." That item got a winning bid of $875. Brown's famed Hammond organ only sold for $10,000, while the Godfather of Soul's embossed black cape got a winning bid of $47,500. The house cleaning continued with a $40,000 sale of Brown's pink leather couches from the home. Also going was his stereo system, clothing and framed photographs. The auction reportedly took in a total of $800,000 (short of the projected two million Christie's was anticipating), with the money expected to be used to pay Brown's outstanding tax bills.