Portrait In On-Line Auction

The only portrait Michael ever posed for was entitled ‘The Book’, which shows Michael in medieval clothing with a book on his lap. It was painted by Brett Livingstone Strong at Neverland Ranch and sold originally to a Japanese business man. It was acquired in 1992 by Mark Abrams and his business partner John Gentilly in payment of a debt. Since that time, over seventeen years ago, it has been stored in a warehouse in New Jersey, but when Michael died, it was displayed at the Dance Power Automative Showroom in Harlem.

The painting is now hanging in Abrams home until it is sold on eBay auction site, with a starting bid of $2.75 million. Mr Abrams said the painting has been appraised by Belgo Fine Art Appraisal and Restoration at $5.3 million in 2000, but he believes it is worth more now and he hopes it will fetch over $3 million in the auction, which is scheduled to end April 17th.

Source: Google & MJWN