Hello Orgers!

I just read that Yoko Ono sold a photo of John Lennon's blood stained glasses at auction 4 $13,000.

It made me sad.

I read further that she took six pictures of his blood stained glasses in various "poses", but used only one 4 her "album" she released 8 months after his death titled, "Season Of Glass". The photo that sold was of his blood stained glasses behind a glass of water on a table set against a window overlooking Central Park, with the Manhattan skyline in the background.

I wonder, why does she feel it neccessary 2 continue selling personal items of his, (or images) that would seem 2 b very sentimental 2 her, if not his children, Julian and Sean.

I know she meant alot 2 him, and he her, but WTF is going on here???

Not 2 long ago, a traveling "museum" of his original drawings & doodles were on display at our local shopping mall. They were available 4 purchase in prices ranging from the low $100's 2 way up there in the high $1,000's...

Some of the works included the handwritten lyric sheet 2 the song "Beautiful Boy", (one of my faves). In it, John is expressing what he felt taking care of Sean, and how he couldn't wait 2 see him grow in2 a man. I couldn't believe it was 4 sale, yet there it was.

And now this...

So...what has this got 2 do with anything at a Prince site? Nothing really, it just seemed 2 me that alot of us who r in2 music probably have much 2 say regarding John Lennon.

I loved his work, I still do, perhaps more now than when it was 1st written. I was a 15 yr. old kid when he was murdered, and really didn't understand what his passing meant 2 music back then. I do now. I miss his musical contributions, but I am so glad that he was here 2 do what he did.

George Harrison wrote "All Those Years Ago" in tribute 2 John, as did Elton John (Godfather 2 Sean) when he wrote "Empty Garden". The sentiment in those 2 works alone r breathtaking.

What's going 2 happen when Mr. Nelson gets called home 2 God, who's gonna "sell him out"?

Something 2 think about...

YOKO OH-NO!!!!!SCREECHING HAG

To be fair, most of what Yoko has done, in regards to "selling" Lennon's things, have gone to charitable causes. Your post implies that Yoko is liquidating John's legacy for her financial gain, which is not the case at all. She maintains tight control over his creative work - something that will keep her wealthy forever (and something she's very much entitled to do) - so she has no need to sell things for her own gain. The photo you mentioned was sold at auction by another party - not Yoko. Yoko gave the photo, many years ago, to someone with the stipulation that he could not sell the photo unless money gained from its sale went to a Japanese art organization (I'm sorry, I can't find the article online where I read about this yesterday). Anyway, the photo (a very striking and moving photo, BTW) was sold by someone else, not Yoko, and the money earned by it went to benefit an organization.

I'm sure that, by this point in his life, Prince has his affairs all lined up and in order (something John never had the chance to do). Without any real close family, Prince probably has ceded control of his affairs to lawyers and everything will be divided up as per his wishes.

Ugh....my bad! Boy...when I'm wrong...I"M WRONG! And I'm not afraid 2 admit it.

Here's the article in it's entire form:

LONDON - A photograph of John Lennon's spectacles, bloodstained from when he was fatally shot outside his New York apartment building, sold at auction on Wednesday for about $13,000.


The image was taken by the musician's wife, Yoko Ono, and is one of only six such prints.

It shows Lennon's trademark round spectacles beside a glass of water on a table set against the window of the couple's apartment in the Dakota building near Central Park, revealing a blurred view of the Manhattan skyline in the background.

Lennon was shot and killed outside the apartment in December 1980.

Ono used the photo as the cover illustration for her album "Season of Glass," which she released eight months after Lennon's death.

The buyer was anonymous.

The seller was Johnnie Walker, a fund-raiser for Artist Residencies of Tokyo, or ART, a nonprofit organization that helps support Japanese artists.

Walker originally bought the photo from Ono in a private sale and agreed to abide by her wish that he would only ever sell it to raise funds for ART.

The sale of show business memorabilia by London auction house Bonham's included previously unseen footage of the Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour" film, which sold for about $7,600.

Still, u gotta wonder, what's left 4 the kids. George Michael bought John Lennon's white "Imagine" Grand Piano for something like 2 million...I would think they would like some of their dad's keepsakes, especially the big famous ones, no?

Oh well...show's how much I know. Thanks kdavis 4 keepin' it real!

the actual blood-stained glasses, along with a bag containing the bloody clothes Lennon was wearing at his death, are on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the temporary John Lennon exhibit.

she sells items when she needs some MO' money....
....sad, sad....

Yes, June7, that's the article I read but couldn't find again last night when I initially replied.

Vashti - kind of a non-constructive post from you, no? What exactly is "sad, sad" about Yoko selling something in order to benefit a good cause? Again, in this specific case, SHE wasn't even the seller. Heck, even if she was selling stuff for money to buy heroin, it's well within her right to do so - it's her stuff. Like I said in my earlier post, when she does sell stuff, it's most often done to support some cause. She's got enough income from rights and royalties to keep the rent paid.
Many of John's things were "given away" over the years (before he was murdered). I don't believe that Yoko was in any way associated with the sale of the "Imagine" piano (and, yes, while G. Michael bought that, it was promptly donated and put on display somewhere).
The kids are well taken care of, too (well, Sean much more than Julian). Julian's mother (John's first wife, Cynthia) has exploited her past connection to John many times over the years.
Truth be told, John really had squandered the value of his own creative work in the final years of his life. Yoko has worked tirelessly (and fiercely) to secure and administer the rights to John's work. John's work, and his image, are worth far more now than they were back in 1980, and Yoko deserves credit for that. Sure, she benefits, but isn't she entitled to?

the only thing sad about Yoko is her music...

betra said:

her voice...(sorta the same)

If you look beyond the pop-culture designation of Yoko Ono as a screeching dragon lady, you'd see someone very witty, spiritual and positive. I know this isn't as fun as making fun of the screaming Oriental lady, but if you set your mind free, baby, maybe you'd understand.

Read a book about her art. Read a good long interview with her. She says and does amazing things. Do I sit around listening to Yoko warbling on CD all day? No. I admit, it's not my thing either....EXCEPT for the RISING album, which was completely amazing, and perhaps one of the most spiritual albums I've had the pleasure to come by. And the RISING REMIXES EP is fantastic too - Tricky, Ween, Thurston Moore, Cibo Matto, Mike D...they're all there. Good stuff. To paraphrase a famous songwriter, give it a chance.

As for Yoko's decision to auction John's glasses - well, think about it. They're a symbol of loss and violence. They're broken and bloody. This isn't how I'd want to remember my mate or my father. And if I can make tons of money off some collector who can find a purpose for them, I can use that money to give to an organization my loved one would have believed in.

I don't know if that's really her rationale, but it's a possibility. Not everyone assigns emotional value to material things. Those glasses were an object. I understand the meaning behind the object, but those glasses weren't John, and they won't bring him back (cloning notwithstanding, of course...hmmmm...).

Anxiety said:

I agree, anxiety. I went to an exhibition of her art in london, and i was pleasantly surprised, it was very interesting. Their relationship was obviously very close and i dont think she has exploited john lennons legacy at all.

I'd love to hear Prince do "Instant Karma"

Weird. My brother was born on Prince's birthday and died on Dec. 8th the same day Lennon did.

OMG Carrie, that's so sad...

My grandmother died last year, she was 95! She died on May 5, (Cinco de Mayo), and was buried on Mother's Day... just strange how things like that happen.