The controversial former broadcaster Alan Jones reportedly didn’t quite get the $17.5m he wanted for his farm in the New South Wales southern highlands. Now, he’s auctioning off some of its contents.
While his 2006 silver Bentley (estimated to fetch up to $90,000) is among the headline items, the jumble sale also includes plastic pedestal fans, fake flowers, a range of men’s trousers and a presentation plaque he was given by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for his radio work at 2UE – his station before he switched to 2GB.
There are several pieces that include “blackamoor” figurines, Venetian sculptures which depict African people. In 2017 Princess Michael of Kent was forced to apologise for wearing a blackamoor brooch to the Queen’s Christmas lunch.
Blackamoor works are widely available but generally seen as insensitive, “racially charged” and as objectifying black people.
Also among the 600 personal objects for sale is Arthur Boyd’s painting Bird at Shoalhaven (with a price guide of up to $300,000), alongside a 2-metre tall “faux tree” in a blue planter (up to $300). So far just $20 has been bid for the tree.
Other objects that, at the time of writing, have low bids include a collection of empty wine bottles, fake flowers in a glass vase with a broken base, and a pottery sculpture depicting a bush toilet.
There are “untested kitchen electricals” including espresso machines and an ice-cream maker, some old eskies, napkins, and crockery.
There is a pair of RM William boots (expected to fetch up to $250) and collections of men’s slip-on shoes, including velvet slippers. “A large quantity of trousers” is up for grabs, as are other clothes such as pyjamas and new socks.
The author Peter FitzSimons said he was “hurt” that a bookshelf full of books that included his work (Kokoda) was only expected to fetch between $200 and $300.
I am hurt.
— Peter FitzSimons (@Peter_Fitz) January 2, 2023
Alan Jones selling a job lot from his Fitzroy Falls home - a book shelf filled with books - for as low as $200, INCLUDING my book on Kokoda. Harrumph!https://t.co/NJirYxiNFK
Part of an overall sale, selling stuff for as low as $40.https://t.co/sSmRSA9JtT
Very odd?
As well as the farmhouse auction lots, Jones is selling off a range of sporting memorabilia. These include piles of VHS tapes, a Wurlitzer jukebox and a “golden hoodie” from an unknown artist.
There’s a Diana, Princess of Wales commemoration plate (hoping to get $60), and a bevy of pics of Jones with celebrities including Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and John Howard.
More than $1,000 has already been put up for a signed Donald Bradman bat, while just $160 has been committed to a Bradman “garden fence”, which is being sold as a bedhead.
Jones retired from 2GB in 2020. In 2021 he was dumped from his Sky News show amid low ratings (he says he has a higher Facebook engagement rate than the company).
He then began his own livestream show, Direct to the People. He has been facing health issues, and the latest episode is from October last year.
The Lawsons Auctioneers online-only auction closes on 14 January.
