The Frank Zappa family has been through quite a bit of late, and the tensions between the Zappa children don’t appear to be easing any time soon. In fact, with financial troubles plaguing the Zappa Family Trust, both Ahmet and Diva Zappa have announced the sale of numerous items from the family’s archives.
According to the LA Times, the auction will take place on November 4th, and feature memorabilia and gear that was stored in the family’s Laurel Canyon home. Hundreds of items are set to be auctioned, including exotic and rare antiques that the Zappas collected while traveling the world, in addition to specific items used by Frank Zappa during his music making.
“There are a lot of things that he would spend a lot of money on, but then he’d take it a step further and have it professionally modified,” said Darien Julien, who will be organizing the auction with his Julien’s Auctions company. “It would be unlike anything else anybody else has. Some of them were crude, but it made the sound or did what he wanted — and we kept it exactly as he built them.”
Naturally, the other two siblings – Dweezil and Moon – are not in support of this venture. “I do not agree with the auction,” said Moon Zappa during a conversation in the spring. “I don’t want my childhood photos and my baby teeth and my Christmas ornaments and the furniture I grew up with sold to the public. That’s weird.” Dweezil has also commented that he doesn’t want Frank’s guitars being sold, as he feels they belong to him. However, the auction house has yet to release an itemized list, and there’s no guarantee that these items will be sold.
The press release lists the following items: exotic furnishings, fine antiques, salvaged architectural pieces, unique collectibles and whimsical items that appealed to their panache for colorful and non-conformist eye, a Venetian gilt metal chandelier, an Italian Baroque console table, and a carved gilt wood bookcase. Contemporary fine art including a still life by John Alexander, a nail relief sculpture by Robert Harley, and a large painting by Ashley Laurence titled ‘Angel Pig’ (painting name given by Gail Zappa) are also included in the auction.
For more specific information about the auction, you can head here.
[H/T JamBase]