Bruce Lee's iconic jumpsuit goes under the hammer
Hong Kong (CNN) -- A yellow jumpsuit worn by martial arts legend Bruce Lee in one of his final fight scenes goes on sale in Hong K...
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Hong Kong (CNN) -- A yellow jumpsuit worn by martial arts legend Bruce Lee in one of his final fight scenes goes on sale in Hong Kong on Thursday.
Lee commissioned the famous outfit, which features black stripes, for the movie "Game of Death."
It's one of only two
jumpsuits worn by Lee during filming, and has inspired tributes in
popular culture ranging from Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" to the
ninth video game in the "Grand Theft Auto" series.
The jumpsuit is one of 14
items in a collection of the actor's personal belongings and props
expected to fetch at least HK$1 million (US$129,000) at the auction.
The sale marks the first
time these pieces have been offered in Hong Kong, according to Anna Lee,
vice-chairperson of Spink auction house, which is selling the items on
behalf of an unnamed collector in the U.S. film industry.
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Wooden nunchaku (also
known as nunchuks) and a green bamboo whip used in the central fighting
sequence in "Game of Death" are expected to fetch around HK$250,000
($32,000) and HK$75,000 ($9,700), respectively.
All the lots come with a
certificate of authenticity signed by members of Bruce Lee's family and
friends, who inherited the items in 1973 after Lee's sudden death at the
age of 32.
Lee gave most pieces to
his former student, Taky Kimura, and to George Lee -- a close friend who
made many of the actor's fighting props.
A jade pendant featuring
two opposing dragons in white and yellow gold, came from his brother,
Robert. Bruce Lee designed and ordered the piece from one of Hong Kong's
oldest jewelers just months before his death.
"He didn't get to see it because he passed away," Spink's Lee said.
After the kung fu star's
death, his brother went to the jeweler, Chow Sang Sang, and paid for
the piece, taking it into his possession.
While Lee is known as
one of the world's greatest martial arts practitioners, he had many
artistic talents including drawing, poetry and cha cha dancing.
Two hand-drawn pieces
are part of the Hong Kong sale, including a sketch of Chinese master
monk believed to be a conceptual character for 'The Green Bamboo
Warrior', a movie project Lee was working on at the time of his death.
Spink expects the work to fetch between HK$20,000 and $30,000 ($2,500 -$3,800).
The other is an
illustration of his teachings on water's flexible nature as an
underlying principle of his martial arts philosophy -- jeet kune do.
Signed copies of a
karate training book and a commemorative brochure, as well as a pair of
Lee's kung fu shoes are up for auction.
"Bruce Lee is such an
icon in Hong Kong. He personally kind of started this kung fu frenzy in
the world way before Jackie Chan," said Lee at Spink.
"Although he was born in the United States, his roots were definitely in Hong Kong."
"He loved to write
poems, he loved to draw; he was so cultural apart from being a kung fu
star. He is definitely a legend," she said.
Bruce Lee was born in
San Francisco in 1940 but spent most of his childhood in Hong Kong after
his parents returned to their hometown while Lee was an infant.
He died after suffering
an allergic reaction to pain medication in July 1973, while filming of
"Game of Death" was still underway.
A version of the film was released five years later.
The Spink auction is one of a series of events being held this year to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the star's death