Music

78 Sketches Purportedly by Michael Jackson Going Up for Auction, Estate Skeptical of Authenticity

The drawings include Martin Luther King Jr., Elizabeth Taylor, and Andy Warhol, among others. However, MJ's estate isn't convinced the sketches are by the King of Pop.

Getty Images: Kevin Mazur / WireImage

A rare collection of Michael Jackson's drawings is expected to be auctioned off on Aug. 3. However, TMZ reports the King of Pop's estate isn't sure the sketches are real.

According to reports by the Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, 78 sketches will go up for auction at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles next month. The artwork includes drawings of Martin Luther King Jr., Marilyn Monroe, Queen Elizabeth II, Andy Warhol, Michelangelo’s David, Peter Pan, and other various Disney characters.

“Get ready to own some of the most coveted pieces of art by one of the biggest music icons in the world,” a description from Kings Auctions stated. “These one of a kind pieces of art aren’t just an investment, they are your chance to own a piece of music history.”

The auction requires an opening bid of $1 million, which will be for the entire collection of 78 pieces.

Hours after the initial reports surfaced, TMZ got a comment from a rep for MJ's estate, who isn't sure the artwork is authentic.

"A rep for the estate tells us they do not accept these sketches as authentic, noting they examined the artwork years ago and upon further inspection, felt even more dubious," the outlet wrote. "They say they've relayed this to the auction house since then, and insist they haven't gotten any evidence that, to them, would suggest these drawings were done by the late icon."

Nevertheless, it appears that the auction will go on as planned at King’s Los Angeles branch in Beverly Hills on Aug. 3. Browse the entire collection of Jackson's alleged artwork here.

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