As one of the most famous athletes of the past half century, Michael Jordan has received countless personalized artifacts, with many artists, musicians, writers and other celebrities sending signed copies of their greatest works to Jordan.One such example, a to kill a mockingbird Signed by author Harper Lee and now for sale.
Gary Zimet, CEO of Los Angeles autograph dealer Moments in Time, said he purchased the item just last week from a small bookseller in Michigan, noting that it was more than just a 1960 logo Any copy of a sex novel.
“It’s the 35th anniversary edition, and there’s a lot of interest,” Zimet said, noting that there’s an identical copy with Gregory Peck’s name engraved on it. Gregory Peck is a legendary actor who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Atticus Finch in the 1962 film. Edition – sold at auction earlier this year for $35,000.
“This is a fixed price sale for $24,000 – first come, first served,” Zimet said.
The NBA superstar received the book in 1995, when the author sent signed copies to people with whom she had some connection. (It’s unclear how Lee and Jordan were connected; Lee died in 2016 at age 89.) At the time, Jordan (who was playing for the Chicago Bulls for the second time) kept the book in his library along with his then-wife In the library, Juanita Vanoy. When the couple divorced in 2006, Vanoy received the book as part of their $168 million divorce settlement, then sold it to a private collector in 2021.
“It was in really good condition. After the divorce, they got rid of some of the books in the library, and luckily the book eventually found its source and stayed in good condition,” Zimet said.
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This special edition features a new introduction by the author and an easy-to-digest hardcover format. The personalized message in the book simply reads “To Michael Jordan, Best Wishes – Harper Lee.”
Both Lee and Jordan were considered giants in their respective fields, and both received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. George W. Bush bestowed the honor on Lee in 2007, and Barack Obama bestowed the same honor on Jordan in 2016.
Since retiring in 2003, Jordan, 60, has embarked on a series of successful business ventures. Jordan recently sold his NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets, for $3 billion. With an estimated fortune of $3.5 billion, Jordan is by far the richest player in NBA history and the most successful athlete of all time in the world. one.
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The Jordan memorabilia market has remained strong over the past few years, in part due to the popularity of recent Jordan-focused shows like Amazon Movies Air and last dance Documentary series, a Netflix/ESPN co-production.
In April, the Air Jordan 13 shoes worn by Jordan in the 1998 NBA Finals were sold by Sotheby’s for $2.2 million, becoming the most expensive pair of sneakers ever sold.
Interest also remains strong in Lee’s timeless novel, which tells the story of a young girl in 1930s Alabama whose lawyer father defends a black man accused of raping a white woman. (Lee has published only one other book, the 2015 novel Go set up a caretaker.)
In early February, Dallas-based Heritage Auctions sold Peck’s personalized leather-bound work. to kill a mockingbird The script sells for $84,375.