這批從未曝光的作品原本是留給傑克遜三個孩子的，但在一次意外中，這批作品被以8770萬美元的“低價”賣了出去。
傑克遜遺產管理委員會的律師現在正試圖阻止這批作品賣給一個秘密的國際商人，迫切想把這筆無價之寶歸還給13歲的普林斯（Prince）、12歲的帕麗斯（Paris）、8歲的毯毯（Blanket）和他們的監護人、傑克遜的母親凱瑟琳（Katherine）。
據《明星》雜志所掌握的資料估計，這182副“罕見完整的主要藏品”價值高達9億252萬美元，在“全球藝術市場的未來銷售中有不可估量的純正血統。”
“邁克爾一生的神秘色彩加上這次曝光的精彩絕倫的藝術作品再加上他悲劇的離世將提升這些作品的價值和他在全球範圍內藝術眼光的流行度。”國際鑒定師協會（International Society of Appraisers）注冊會員艾瑞克·芬齊（Eric Finzi）在一份文件中寫道。
“我認為我們還沒開始見識到這份藝術珍品真正的價值呢。
”
這批作品的價值甚至超過傑克遜其他資產的總和，包括他的經典歌曲和1998年以4750萬美元買下的披頭士樂隊（Beatles）樂庫的版權。
傑克遜曾以“百萬富翁卻過著億萬富翁生活”的生活方式聞名於世，廣泛收藏雕像和他畫的素描，他曾師從密友、澳大利亞畫家佈雷特·埃文斯頓·斯特朗（Brett-Livingston Strong）。
據《明星》雜志報道，斯特朗及其顧問最近策劃了這筆交易。
傑克遜最後一任商業經紀人兼發言人托梅托梅醫生（Dr. Tohme Tohme）為這次出售鋪平了道路，在一封他寄給斯特朗的信中寫道免費轉讓這些畫作，“保留、出售、復制、展覽，以任何你希望的方式使用。”
“邁克爾想讓你知道，他真的對你這麼多年來對他的忠誠感激不盡，他把這視為感謝你們之間長期友誼和藝術合作的小禮物。”托梅博士在一封落款日期為2008年11月17日的親筆簽名信中寫道。
但如今法律專家正在核實檔的有效性，他們懷疑這是偽造的。
他們還對傑克遜傳聞中的同意有疑問。
“邁克爾的首字母簽名沒有出現在這份據說要把價值幾億美元的禮物送給斯特朗的文件中，當時邁克爾正深陷債務。”一位與傑克遜家族關系密切的消息人士透露。
“他沒理由就這麼拱手送人。”
消息人士還說：“邁克爾的母親和他的孩子是他一生中最愛的人，不可能他不想讓他們從這些藏品中受益。”
這位與傑克遜家族關系密切的消息人士還說，托梅博士拒絕宣誓保證這封信的真實性。
據《明星》雜志所瞭解的情況，是多倫多備受爭議的博彩業大亨、凱瑟琳現在的商業夥伴霍華德·曼恩（Howard Mann）叫他這麼做的。
曼恩拒絕對這筆交易發表評論，他曾與太陽馬戲團（Cirque du Soleil）的創始人、億萬富翁蓋·拉利伯特（Guy Laliberte）競拍這些藏品，但都失敗了。
這批藏品就像傑克遜後期混亂的生活一樣奇怪，其中包括了椅子、大門、雕塑和他夢想在夢幻莊園（Neverland）裝的精美大門的詳細設計圖。
每件物品都述說了一段關於傑克遜的故事，並揭開了困擾歌迷幾十年的謎團。
傑克遜正在跳來自《比莉·珍》（Billie Jean）裏標志性太空步 —— 當今世界上最有名的舞蹈技巧之一 —— 的雙腳素描。那些原畫每張價值60萬美元。
他對數字7的癡迷。在一個系列畫中，傑克遜素描了數字7（和傑克遜三張銷量最高的專輯《顫栗》（Thriller）、《真棒》（Bad）和《危險》（Dangerous）都有巧合，因為每張專輯都產生了7首前40金曲。）傑克遜本人在9個孩子裏排行老7。
重畫了米開朗基羅（Michelangelo）文藝復興時期經典雕塑《大衛》（David）和《垂死的奴隸》（Dying Slave）的素描。
他在總統檔案紙上畫的第一幅畫《我們人民》（We the People）。據鑒定師評估價值300萬美元。
一件有趣的政治遺物：羅納德·雷根（Ronald Reagan）總統簽名的美國總統印章。傑克遜曾於1984年5月16日參訪白宮。
那次參訪之後，傑克遜素描了《白宮大門》（The White House Doors），鑒定師估價300萬美元。
馬丁·路德·金（Martin Luther King）、亞伯拉罕·林肯（Abraham Lincoln）總統和喬治·華盛頓（George Washington）總統的素描。總價值預計超過810萬美元。
一副掛在夢幻莊園劇院入口匾額上的自畫像，還有一副傑克遜題名為《彼得·潘魔法門》（Peter Pan Magic Gate）的畫。
親筆簽名棕色畫《書》（The Book），被認為是他唯一擺好造型的肖像畫。在這幅畫裏，傑克遜穿著紅色天鵝絨，拿著一本記著創意和素描的日記。
萊特兄弟（Orville and Wilbur Wright）發明的飛機的素描。據說，傑克遜對萊特兄弟如何起飛很好奇。2007年在參觀史密斯森協會（Smithsonian）的美國國家航空航太博物館 （National Air and Space Museum）和美國印第安人博物館（American Indian Museum）時，他流連於1903年萊特兄弟發明的飛機前久久不肯離去。
藏品中還包括約翰·甘迺迪（John F. Kennedy）總統時期白宮一名職員為總統在辦公室做的一把搖椅。這把椅子後來被沃爾特·迪士尼（Walt Disney）的弟弟羅伊·迪士尼（Roy E. Disney）送給了邁克爾。
如今，這筆交易尚無結果。
“競拍成功者花3770萬美元保護這些作品，並同意再付5000萬美元獲得遺產管理委員會的收據。”瞭解交易的消息人士說。
“那是一個危險的信號 —— 還沒開始，而拉鋸戰已經打響。”
現在，傑克遜家族和遺產管理委員會正對托梅博士的文件提出質疑。如果成功的話，這將是美國歷史上最大的訴訟案件之一。
斯特朗最近聯系上了凱瑟琳，向傑克遜家族提供了經濟補償。但凱瑟琳宣稱她要使這些藏品可以讓邁克爾的歌迷們看到：“我認為他的歌迷會想看到，因為這是他的一部分。”
“邁克爾一直在畫畫或做藝術。現在人們告訴我們這些藏品價值幾億美元，所有這些人都想買到手。”
Michael Jackson’s Forgotten Fortune: Secret Art Collection Uncovered & Valued At $ 900M
Posted on Jul 06, 2011 @ 09:00AM
By Dylan Howard - Senior Executive Editor, Star magazine
Michael Jackson secretly left behind an almost billion-dollar secret art fortune that is now at the centre of an international tug of war, Star has exclusively learned.
The never-before-seen collection would have insured the King of Pop's surviving children were looked after for life. But in a startling twist, the secret vault has been sold out from underneath them, at a 'bargain basement' price, relatively speaking.
Lawyers running the late Thriller singer are moving to block the $87.7 million sale to an undisclosed international businessman, in a desperate attempt to return the incredible treasure to Prince, 13, Paris, 12, and Blanket, 8, and their guardian, Jackson's mother Katherine.
In an astonishing appraisal of the 182-pieces, obtained exclusively by Star, the “rare intact major collection” was valued at a whopping $902.52 million, with “an invaluable pedigree for future sales in the international art market.”
“Michael’s mystique in life combined with this exposure of his wonderful fine art creations following his tragic death will escalate the value of these works and the popularity of his artistic vision worldwide,” appraiser Eric Finzi, a certified member of the International Society of Appraisers, wrote in a document obtained by the magazine.
“I do not think we have begun to see the true value of this fine art yet.”
The loot is so valuable that it’s worth almost more than Jackson ’s other assets combined, including copyrights to his pop hits and the Beatles' catalog, which he purchased in 1998 for $47.5 million.
Jackson, who was once famously called “a millionaire who lived like a billionaire,” built the extensive collection of sculptures and sketches that he drew while being taught by an Australian artist, Brett-Livingston Strong, who was a close friend.
Strong and his advisors orchestrated the deal recently, Star has learned.
In a letter sent to the artist, Dr. Tohme Tohme, Jackson’s last business manager and spokesperson, paved the way for the sale, transferring over the collection of artwork -- free of charge -- "to keep, sell, copy, exhibit and to use in whatever way you wish."
"Michael wants you to know he is truly grateful for the loyalty you have shown him over the years, and he views this as a small token of appreciation for your continued friendship and artistic partnership," Dr. Tohme wrote in the hand-signed letter, dated November 17, 2008, obtained by Star.
But now legal experts are now examining the validity of the document concerned that it could be a fake.
They also have questions over Jackson ’s knowledge of the purported agreement.
"Michael's signature nor his initials are inked on the document that purports to gifts hundreds of millions of dollars to Strong, at a time when Michael was swamped in debt," a source close to the Jacksons told Star.
"It doesn't make sense that he would give it up."
The insider added: "Michael's mother and his children were the dearest thing to him in his life, so it beggars belief that he would not want them to benefit from this collection, financially."
Complicating matters, the source close to the Jacksons said Dr. Tohme has refused to swear an affidavit confirming the letter was true.
He was asked to do so by Howard Mann, the controversial Toronto gambling entrepreneur who is Katherine Jackson's business partner, Star has learned.
While Mann refused to comment when contacted about the deal, it's emerged he was bidding for the collection against Guy Laliberté, the former street performer who founded Cirque du Soleil and went on to become a billionaire. Neither man successful.
The collection is as bizarre as the rest of the singer's turbulent life and includes intricate designs for chairs, gates, sculptures and elaborate doors he dreamed of installing at Neverland, Jackson’s former home (and amusement park and zoo), located 125 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
Each item tells a story about Jackson and throw light on mysteries which have puzzled fans for decades.
Star uncovered:
* Sketches of Jackson’s own feet doing his signature move from 'Billie Jean', the Moonwalk, now one of the best-known dance techniques in the world. Those original drawings have been valued at $600,000 each.
* His fascination with the number 7. In a series of artworks, Jackson sketched the numeral -- which coincided with the star's three biggest albums -- "Thriller," "Bad" and "Dangerous" -- each producing 7 top 40 hits. Jackson was also the 7th of 9 children.
* Recreations of the Statue of David and Dying Slave, the masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo.
* His first work of art, "We the People," on Presidential archival paper. It’s said to be worth $3 million, according to the appraisal.
* An interesting political relic: The U.S. Presidency Seal signed by President Ronald Reagan. Jackson had visited the White House on May 16, 1984.
* After that visit, Jackson sketched ‘The White House Doors’ -- a drawing appraisers have estimated is worth at $3 million.
* Sketches of Martin Luther King, President Abraham Lincoln and President George Washington, worth in all, more than $8.1 million, it’s suggested.
* A self portrait emblazoned on a plaque to be the feature of an entrance to a theater at Neverland. There’s also an image of what Jackson titled the ‘Peter Pan Magic Gate.’
* Hand-signed sepia prints of ‘The Book,’ reputed to be the only portrait he ever posed for. The portrait depitcs Jackson dressed in red velvet holding a journal of thoughts and sketches.
* Sketches of the plane with which the Orville and Wilbur Wright achieved controlled flight. Jackson was said to have been fascinated with how the Wrights were able to fly. In a 2007 visit to the the Smithsonian's National Air and Space and American Indian museums, he lingered over the actual 1903 Wright Flyer.
The collection also includes a rocking chair made by one of President John F. Kennedy’s White House staffers for the president’s use in the oval office during his term in office.
The chair was presented to Michael by Walt Disney’s brother, Roy E. Disney.
The art was created at a top secret and inconspicuous airport hanger at Santa Monica Airport in California , Star has learned.
“The successful bidder put down a payment of $37.7 million to secure the art and agreed to pay a further $50 million upon receipt of a release from the estate,” an insider close to the deal told Star.
“That’s what raised the red flag — the release has not been forthcoming and it’s ignited this tug of war."
As Star reports, the Jacksons and the estate are now working on a challenge against the document. See the disputed document -- along with sketches of the amazing art collection -- in the latest edition of Star, which is on newsstands now.
Plus -- read what Jackson matriarch Katherine tells Star, in an exclusive interview, about the secret treasure trove!
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