John Lennon's Tooth Sells for More Than $31,000 at Auction
Michael Zuk, a Canadian dentist, has reportedly bought John Lennon’s tooth for more than $31,000, at an auction in England on Saturday.
Zuk's bid on the discolored molar was capped at $31,200, almost twice the anticipated $16,000 figure the U.K.'s Omega Auctions had predicted when the item was announced last month.
An interview with the CBC revealed that Zuk himself was surprised at how much he spent on the item, but felt he needed it.
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"It's a fair chunk of coin for a tooth," he said. "It's pretty ugly, most people are quite appalled by it. “
Rolling Stone reported the late Beatles singer gave the tooth to Dorothy "Dot" Jarlett, his former housekeeper, to dispose of it sometime between 1964 and 1968, but she keep the tooth and gave it to her daughter who was a big fan of the pop group.
Jarlett's son, Barry Jarlett, told CNN that his mother, who is now 90, said it was the right time to pass the tooth on rather than risking losing it.
"She was very close with John, and one day whilst chatting in the kitchen, John gave my mother the tooth - he had been to the dentist to have it removed that day - and suggested giving it to my sister as a souvenir, as she was a huge Beatles fan," said Jarlett’s son. "It has been in the family ever since."
Karen Fairweather, the owner of Omega Auction House, told CNN last month that the tooth is too fragile for DNA testing but she has no doubt about its authenticity.
Jarlett said Lennon gave his family many gifts over the years. He plans to keep a leather wallet, and his mother still has a pearl necklace Lennon gave her when he returned from Japan.
