The priceless Cher, winner of an Oscar, an Emmy and a Grammy and loved by gay men everywhere, put more than 700 of her belongings up for auction and they fetched over $3.5 million, more than double pre-sale estimates. Up for auction at the Beverly Hilton Hotel were more than 700 of her paintings, furniture, works of art, pieces of clothing and jewelry to the highest bidders.
The top clothing item? A rock and roll costume designed by Bob Mackie which sold for $60,000. It had been estimated at between $2,000 and $3,000.
Other big ticket items were Cher's 2005 black Bentley which sold for $204,000 and a "Gothic Revival" brass bed from the star's Malibu home took in $84,000.
The auction was held at Sotherby's and run by Julien's Auctions. Part of the proceeds from the two-day sale will be donated to charity, and Cher will use some of the proceeds to redecorate her Malibu mansion.
"Today every single lot found a buyer, a true testament to Cher's fan base and longevity as a performer and star," says Julien's Auctions President Darren Julien.