Actor Russell Crowe has sold two of his motorcycles and a host of movie memorabilia, musical equipment, paintings and more in a #3.7 million auction in Sydney.
The Sotheby’s Australia “The Art of Divorce” auction was part of a divorce settlement between the actor and his former wife Danielle Spencer.
A Rabbitohs chopper built by the Orange County Choppers Teutul family of American Chopper fame was passed in during the auction. It was estimated to fetch up to $45,000.
However, Sotheby’s Australia says it sold after the auction for an undisclosed amount.
The Rabbitohs chopper honours Russell’s favourite football team, the South Sydney Rabbitohs of which he owns 50%.
The bike is powered by a 1647cc S&S 100 engine, coupled to a Baker six speed transmission, with Orange County Choppers custom ‘rabbit ear’ wheels, ‘cross’ motif indicators, handle grips, rear number plate surround, fuel tank, exhaust pipes and front and rear fenders and a custom ‘Rabbitohs’ construction worker hard hat.
The other bike was a 1917 500cc Precision that sold at more than twice the $30,000 estimate at $61,000.
Both bikes were on display at his Museum of Interesting Things which was at the Coaching Station Inn near Grafton in NSW. He has since sold the property and closed the museum.
The Rabbitohs chopper on display in the museumWhile the museum contained a lot of other bikes such as a 1933 BSA Blue Star, 1963 Norton 350 Navigator and 1973 Norton 750 Commando, they were not included in the auction.
Nor was an original Easy Rider poster and the “colours” worn by Dewey Hungerford in the iconic Aussie bike film, Stone.
Highest price paid at the weekend auction was Charles Blackman’s The Suitor (1960) selling for $439,200, over double the low estimate.
A stampede of bids for the replica Roman chariot from ‘Gladiator’ drove the price to $79,300, more than 15 times the low estimate.
