Michael Jackson "Thriller" Single Master Up For Auction

Bonhams & Butterfields is set auction off the original master recording of the single version of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" on December 20, 2009.

The tape, which includes the album version and an instrument-only version, has been provided by Grammy Award-winning engineer Bruce Swedien.

Proceeds from the sale will benefit scholarships for the students at California State University Summer Arts, which includes an award-winning performing arts program.

Guitar From Final Elvis Performance In Vegas Fetches $106,200

Just when you think the economy has stifled the market… some cool stuff comes roaring back. This past weekend, a bidder at the Profiles in History auction paid $106,200 for a Martin D-28 guitar played by Elvis Presley during his last Las Vegas performance. The expected range was $60-80,000.

The guitar (serial number 361827) was used by Elvis at the Las Vegas Hilton from December 2-12, 1976. In January, 1977 Elvis presented it to his bodyguard, Sam Thompson. Following Elvis’ death, Thompson sold the guitar in 1978 to The National Enquirer to fund his college education. The National Enquirer presented “The Elvis Guitar” to Cheryl Schmerr who won a national contest of over 60,000 entries in a well-publicized event hosted by the tabloid.

Other Hollywood and the music memorabilia sold included a bullwhip used by Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" for $56,050 and a full-scale Velociraptor model from "Jurassic Park" which sold for $76,700.