Michael Jackson – the chess connection 10.07.2009– On June 25th the iconic pop star died in Los Angeles of cardiac arrest. While the world stopped to mourn and millions followed his memorial service, we discovered an interesting factoid: Jackson owned a very luxurious gold-and-marble chess set, which he actually used, back in 2000, to teach his son Prince Michael, then aged three, the first steps in the game.
Here is video evidence.
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Nigel Davies:
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Julien's Auctions – The Collection of Michael Jackson
Earlier this year Julien's Auctions showed an array of treasures from Michael
Jackson's Neverland Ranch. The very well presented exhibition is worth a virtual
visit. Amongst the rich array of memorabilia we discovered a chess set owned
and used by Jackson.
In the main section of the Julien's Auction behind the piano there is an...
...intricately sculputred chess set that was owned by the pop king [photos:
Shaan Kokin/Julien's Auctions]
Virgin
Media has a picture of the chess set with the caption: "We wonder who
Michael Jackson played chess with on this magnificent set, complete with a spectacular
gilded egg-timer." Well, here's the answer: with his son Prince Michael,
whom he taught the first steps in the game back in 2000, when Prince was three
years old.
So how much is this chess set worth? Martin Bashir, who in 2003 made a documentary
called “Living With Michael Jackson” (it's available as a ten-part
video in DVD quality on YouTube) said that the singer was a big shopper.
During the Nineties he reportedly spent an average of $35 million a year. Bashir
saw him "shell out $6 million for marble chess sets, 10-foot urns and other
expensive art objects." By 2006 Jackson was was hundreds of millions of
dollars in debt, and looking to sell his Neverland Ranch. Apparently the April
auction of more than 1,000 lots of memorabilia from Neverland was
canceled after an agreement was reached between Jackson and Julien’s
Auctions. Jackson was about to embark on another tour and looking forward to
full financial restitution.
