£9,000 for a signed photo of Elton? You’re going to need deep pockets, man!
SIR Elton John is selling signed prints of his forthcoming autobiography’s cover shot for an astonishing £9,000.
The Rocket Man singer, 72, put 50 limited-edition prints, autographed by himself and photographer Terry O’Neill, on his official website to mark the launch of the book, Me.
Last night, all but one of them had been sold, making the star a profit of £450,000 simply for penning his name on the black-and-white image that was taken in 1974.
The photograph shows Sir Elton, then aged 27, dressed in a fur coat, oversized sunglasses and a hat, and printed in gelatin silver on fibre-based paper. The prints are described as ‘archival quality’.
Sir Elton’s website says: ‘Used on the cover of Elton’s forthcoming autobiography, Me, the photograph was originally taken by Terry O’Neill circa 1974.
‘Terry O’Neill CBE is one of the world’s most collected photographers with work hanging in national art galleries and private collections worldwide. From presidents to pop stars, he has photographed the front line of fame for over six decades.’
It is not thought that any of profits from the sales will go to charity.
Sir Elton has been marking 50 years in showbusiness, and last month it was revealed that he will be featured on a new set of postage stamps to be unveiled later this year.
Rocketman, the biopic which detailed the trials and tribulations of his career, was released in cinemas in May.
And this week his much anticipated book is set to ‘reveal the truth about his extraordinary life’. Sir Elton, who is currently 12 months into his three-year farewell tour, Yellow Brick Road, has also taken part in several lucrative commercial campaigns. Last Christmas, he was the star of the John Lewis advert which netted him a multi-million-pound payday and took viewers on a tour through his life, with his hit Your Song as the soundtrack.