Serge Gainsbourg’s cigarette butts and nail clippers to go up for auction

Other items belonging to the French singer include his old shoes, a box of matches, photographs and a telegram to Jane Birkin

A collection of Serge Gainsbourg’s belongings will go up for auction this month (October 31).

Some 100 items in total will go under the hammer at the Tamla auction house in Nantes, The Guardian reports.

The bizarre list of items up for sale include four cigarette butts smoked by the French singer-songwriter in a cassette case and a box of matches (guide price €500-€700, £425-£600). Also up for grabs is a pair of the artist’s nail clippers (guide price: €50-€80, £40-£70).

Advertisement

Other lots include photographs, books and a telegram to his wife, the British actress Jane Birkin, with whom he recorded their controversial Number One single, ‘Je T’aime … Moi Non Plus’.

Last year, the artist’s handwritten shopping lists were sold for €7,700 (£6,540).

“Gainsbourg was very controversial during his life and the myth has continued since his death,” David Richard, a spokesperson for the auction house said. “When we sold his shopping lists last year we realised there was a great interest in items from his everyday life.

“Quite a lot of the bidders were women and they were prepared to go quite far but it’s always difficult to know how much people are prepared to pay for these things.”

Serge Gainsbourg died on March 2, 1991.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories