Neil Young is to sell select pieces from his lifetime collection at Julien’s Auctions on December 9.
Unusually for a rock star, the highlight looks set to be a selection of pieces from his vast collection of Lionel trains.
Neil Young is one of the most distinctive voices in popular music
Young has been a passionate Lionel collector since the 1970s. In the 1990s, he developed a new system of remote controls, known as the Trainmaster Command Control, so that his son Ben (who has cerebral palsy) would be able to operate the train set more easily.
Since then, Young has acquired a controlling stake in Lionel.
He explained to David Letterman in a recent interview that he found the hobby “relaxing”.
The star lot looks set to be a Lionel Hudson Factory Prototype, valued at $4,000-9,000.
There’s also a pair of Studer A800 Mark III Master recorders that Young has used in his studio for decades.
They’re expected to achieve $10,000-12,000 when they sell as a single lot.
Young told Billboard magazine: “Collecting all of these items have been my great joy.
“They have provided a source of inspiration, fun and creativity throughout my life. Now it is time to share them with others in the world whom I hope will enjoy and love them as much as I have.”
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