[2013.10.13] ERIC TSANG SAVES ANITA MUI'S "DIGNITY" THROUGH HER FAN CLUB

The auction program has Anita Mui's autograph

Anita Mui's funeral photo

courtesy of on.cc

Anita Mui International Fan Club president Ms. So won bids for herself and Eric Tsang

Mr. Lam won his bid of HK$ 600,000

Eric Tsang and friends won the bids for Ah Mui's awards through the fan club

Ah Mui's platinum and gold records are the day's highest bid lot

Some of the winning bids

Andy Lau's calligraphy for Ah Mui went for HK$440,000

Fans and Mainland buyers bid passionately

Uncle Ng won his bid of HK$500

Ah Mui's dinner room set went only for HK$ 500
courtesy of mingpao.com

Over 1,000 of Anita Mui Yim Fong's items were auctioned yesterday. After the 8 hour long bidding, 401 deals were made for a total sum of HK$ 5,310,100. Items included her furniture, stage costumes, gold records and awards. Eric Tsang Chi Wai along with Jacky Cheung Hok Yau, Michael Miu Kiu Wai and others in the name of the fan club successfully won the bid with HK$1.01 million for Ah Mui's 67 awards. Chi Wai said, "Awards are an artist's dignity, they absolutely cannot fall to outside hands." A fan Mr. Lam won the bids for Ah Mui's 11 platinum and gold records as they became the day's highest bid item.

Although Mui Yim Fong's awards were saved, other items were divided up. Among 405 lots, 4 had no bid. The total sum passed HK$ 5.3 million as the auction rate reached 99.5%. Because the auction lasted 8 hours, some fans left temporarily for food. Whenever a deal was struck, applause and cheer could often be heard. Some fans complained that for 100 spots, over 300 people were present and made the venue very crowded.

Chi Wai who just returned from Vietnam yesterday admitted that "taking action" to save Ah Mui's awards. He said that he received calls from many of Ah Mui's friends and fans who were somewhat worried and hoped to stop the auction. Yet the auction was a legal procedure and could not be stopped. He too felt helpless. "Awards are an artist's dignity, they cannot fall to outside hands. Otherwise it would be quite disrespectful to Ah Mui. They must be the goals of our bid, originally everyone intended on bidding on the awards themselves, later after I met with Cheung Hok Yau, (William) So Wing Hong, Miu Kiu Wai and others we decided that the fan club president would bid for them all at once. Everyone's understanding was to get back all of Ah Mui's awards, platinum and gold records. Finally all 67 awards were saved as was Ah Mui's dignity, which put everyone more at ease. As for how the awards would be saved, whether they will be at the Performing Artist Guild or on display elsewhere, we will meet one week later and decide." Chi Wai revealed that the 10th anniversary of Ah Mui's death will be at the end of the year, memorial events will be planned and he hoped the awards will be on display then so everyone would remember Ah Mui's achievements.

Winning the bid with HK$ 600,000 for Ah Mui's 11 gold and platinum records, Mr. Lam claimed to be a fan but not a fan club member. He said, "The auction atmosphere was pretty heated. Fans were very thoughtful, I only bid when I saw fans held back. I will consider donating them for display purposes as needed in the future." The gold and platinum record was the "lost treasure" that the fan club did not win. Anita Mui International Fan Club president Ms. So said that for now those records were her regret, but she already received the contact information of the bid winner and hoped in the future that she would be able to donate him to donate the items for display.

Ms. So said that Chi Wai called her in hopes of bidding of their behalf, but they did not set a price. They only said that the awards were must have and they were also interested in old photos or stage costumes. She said, "I bought accessories and glasses myself. The stage costume competition was more fierce, especially costumes that appeared in concerts. For now the biggest headache is the items have to be picked up in 3 days. A Mainland fan won the bed and I have to find a way to store and transport it to the Mainland. (Eddie) Lau Pui Kei's heart ached over the bed being auctioned off? Of course, but it is better for a fan to win it than other people."

The calligraphy that Andy Lau Tak Wa personally wrote for Mui Yim Fong yesterday was auctioned. Originally a priceless treasure of friendship, it went for HK$ 440,000 in the end.

When Mrs. Charles Heung Wa Keung learned that Andy Lau Tak Wa's calligraphy had a base bid of HK$ 500, her heart ached. She asked a friend to bid for her but in the end was unable to win it. However she was happy that the calligraphy went to someone who was destined to have it. Mrs. Heung at first only did not want it to be undervalued, now it is in the collection of someone who would cherish it, she already felt at ease.

Every bidder who entered the auction had to pay a HK$ 50,000 down payment. Among the 405 lots, 4 went without a bid. The auction rate was 99.5%. The entire venue was filled with bidders, most were Mui fans. Some were Mainland buyers and business people.

The bidding was rather fierce. Ah Mui's concert costumes and photos, awards became the main targets. Yet most of the accessories went only slightly higher than the bottom bid.

What made Ah Mui's friend Eddie Lau Pui Kei's heart ached the most was even the bed had to auction, because it was his final birthday gift to Ah Mui. The bed went for HK$ 12,000. Ah Mui also liked the Beckham autographed soccer ball, which went for HK$ 90,000. A sofa with Ah Mui and Beckham pillows went for HK$ 10,000. The dinner table including six chairs only went for HK$ 500.

Uncle Ng who won a bid said about his idol's items being auctioned everywhere. "Ah Mui was a singing and performing art superstar, I really want to preserve her items to remember her by. When I hear Ah Mui's songs, it's like she is still here."