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Julien's Auctions said on Thursday that the
handprints are tests that were made by Bryant in 2011 when he
became the first athlete to leave his mark alongside some of the
movie industry's biggest stars in the forecourt of the theater
on Hollywood Boulevard.
They have a pre-sale estimate of $4,000-$6,000.
Bryant died at age 41 in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 in the
Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas. His 13 year-old daughter Gianna
and seven other people were also killed.
Demand for Bryant apparel and other items surged immediately
after his death, with sellers on eBay and other sites asking
tens of thousands of dollars for sneakers, jerseys and balls
signed by the star.
Julien's said the Bryant items were being offered by a collector
in Kentucky, and that the sale as part of its annual Sport
Legends auction was already being prepared before the basketball
player's death.
"Celebrities' auction values always increase when they pass away
as they are no longer using or creating new items. It takes them
to another iconic status when they pass away,"Chief Executive
Darren Julien said in a statement.
"Like Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson would always be
remembered, Kobe was young, vibrant because he did not age,"
Julien said.
The top Kobe Bryant item is a full Los Angeles Lakers No. 8
uniform that Bryant wore during the 1999-2000 NBA finals. It
carries a pre-sale estimate of $10,000-$20,000.
A pair of signed game-worn Adidas basketball shoes bearing
Bryant's No. 8 is expected to fetch up to $4,000, along with a
basketball signed by all of the 2009-2010 Lakers team members.
The April 30 auction in Beverly Hills will be preceded by a
public exhibit.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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