A family dispute has erupted over an auction of George Michael memorabilia, including the guitar in his Faith music video.
Thirty-two lots of the late singer’s memorabilia “from the collection of Siobhan Bailey” are being auctioned off by Sworders auctioneers on Thursday.
Bailey, who served as Michael’s personal assistant for 20 years, died in 2014, and the items were inherited by her estranged husband, Ian Belcher, after her death.
Bailey’s brother Gerard told BBC News on Thursday that she “would be horrified at the prospect of the auction being held in her name and that her personal, cherished possessions are being sold off to the highest bidder”.
Among the items going under the hammer is the Gretsch Synchromatic acoustic guitar Michael played in the 1987 Faith music video. The instrument, which was given to Bailey as a gift, has a guide price of between $80,000 (£60,000) and $160,000 (£120,000).
Other lots include a Filofax from the 1988 Faith tour containing Bailey’s handwritten notes, an official signed Wham! photograph, a note written “with love and admiration” from Michael and his Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley, and an invite to Ridgeley’s 21st birthday party.
Bailey died suddenly and unexpectedly of natural causes in 2014 at the age of 56. She did not leave a will, so her estate legally passed to Belcher, despite the exes being in the process of a divorce.
According to Gerard, his sister started to draw up a will before her death and was planning to leave the memorabilia to her nieces and nephews. The will was not registered.
In a letter to the auction house, Gerard said the rest of the family considers the auction a “breach of (Bailey’s) privacy” and insisted the use of her name in connection with the sale was “disingenuous”, “wholly unethical” and “frankly dishonourable”.
He asked for the auction to be cancelled, or at least proceed under Belcher’s name rather than Bailey’s.
Gerard told BBC News that the auction “breaks my heart” because his late sister “would never have consented” to the sale of the memorabilia. He also accused Belcher of waiting “twelve years after my sister’s death to cash in”.
The Faith & Fame: A Personal George Michael Collection auction is still scheduled to take place at 2pm on Thursday, according to the Sworders website.
Michael died in 2016 at the age of 53.
