From Athlone to Neverland

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Ken Sweeney Entertainment Editor

'Lonely' pop star Michael Jackson employs Irish auctioneer to sell off Neverland contents

Auctioneer Martin J Nolan poses in one of the singer's thrones

Crystal Gloves

Jukebox from his collection

A carriage from his collection

The Neverland ranch where he lives

Jackson pictured last year

Michael Jackson has employed an Athlone auctioneer to sell off the entire contents of his vast Neverland estate.

The self-styled King of Pop has hired Julien Auctions, run by Martin Nolan from Kiltoom, Athlone, for one of the world's most eagerly awaited sales in Beverly Hills on 22 April.

"I feel like I'm closing a chapter in Michael Jackson's life by getting rid of Neverland and helping him to put it behind him so he can continue with his life," said Nolan, known to his friends as MJ. "Once this is over, it will mark the end of one era in Michael's life and the start of another."

Former Teagasc civil servant Nolan (45) said he could not believe his luck when his company, known in the US as "auctioneers to the stars", was first approached for the job back in July
2008.

"We were working on the sale of Bob Hope's estate when we got the call from Michael and his management. At first I thought it might be a few items he wanted to sell off but when I realised it was the entire contents of his Neverland estate, I couldn't believe it," said Nolan.

Now living in a Bel Air mansion, Jackson vacated his vast estate four years ago after he was acquitted in a child-abuse case.

"After Michael's trial in 2005, he never went back to Neverland. He just walked away," said Nolan. "It was hard because it was his Xanadu, his wonderland, but he felt betrayed and it became a sad place for him so the only way he could deal with it was by getting as far away as he could. I couldn't believe it when I first visited Neverland because it was just as if Michael had just left. I found his coat still hanging on the back of one of the doors."

Neverland is located two hours north of Los Angeles in Santa Barbara's wine region. Nolan says the recording star couldn't have found a more remote location to escape fans.

"Neverland is off the sort of little country road you'd find anywhere in Ireland. You pass a little security hut and then about a mile down the road you see these big gates. That's Neverland and for me it was like walking into another world. It was like nothing I had ever seen. The first thing I saw going in was this huge ferris wheel and fairground rides. Michael even had his own mile-long railway running through the estate with stations where his train stopped."

Amongst the items for auction in April is a range of Waterford Crystal products. "Michael bought a lot of Waterford Crystal," said Nolan. "I don't know whether he got it in Ireland or had it shipped over but at Neverland he had Waterford Crystal salt and pepper shakers, glasses and goblets. Michael bought the best of everything and never looked at a price tag."

Other items found at Neverland gave Nolan a feel for Jackson's mental state.

"We came across over 100 life-sized characters. Security guards, chefs and waiters. All life-sized models looking like real-life people. It seemed to me like Michael was trying to fill a void and maybe was a lonely person."

Over 2,000 items will be up for sale in the auction when it takes place in a disused former department store in Beverly Hills from 22 to 25 April. Irish fans of Jackson will be able to see some of the items when they are exhibited at Newbridge Silver's Museum of Style in Kildare from 6 March to 2 May.

"We've had a lot of interest from Ireland, with people from Donegal, Longford and Cork ringing up to buy the catalogue, which is made up of five books in a box set," Nolan said. "I think what we are doing is very liberating for Michael. We've committed everything about Neverland and its contents to history. Now we hope Michael Jackson can move on."

February 22, 2009