Auction of Frank Sinatra memorabilia fetches $7.8M

Personal items belonging to Frank Sinatra and first wife Barbara went up for auction Thursday - some of which quickly fetched more than a half-million dollars Buyers at Sotheby's Upper East Side venue and online around the world vied for the chance to own a piece of Ol' Blue Eyes, with the biggest bidder shelling out $687,000 for a Norman Rockwell painting of Sinatra that the legendary crooner commissioned directly from the legendary artist in 1973 Among other items that went under the gavel was a baseball signed by members of the 1980 LA Dodgers, a concert poster from Sinatra's historic two-week run of shows at The London Palladium in 1950, and a "USA Drinking Team" jacket that he had made for him and his closest friends.

The one Sinatra wore had the word "Coach" stitched in The collection raked in $3.1 million Thursday, and $7.8 million in total following the sale of Barbara's items Wednesday, including the 20-carat diamond engagement ring he gave her Sotheby's said a portion of the proceeds would go to the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center in California.

The Sinatras founded the nonprofit in 1986 to help victims of physical, sexual and emotional child abuse. . Source