Hundreds bid on Sean Taylor’s estate

From bedroom furnishings to a bottle of Febreze, there was no item too insignificant up for auction from the late Sean Taylor’s estate last week in Bealeton.

The former all-pro Washington Redskins’ safety, who was murdered in his Florida home in November, also owned a home in Ashburn. About 200 people — many in Redskins T-shirts and hats — packed into the Brooks Auction House in Bealeton on Sept. 5 for a chance to own a piece of Taylor’s Ashburn estate.

“I’m interested to see his stuff and what it was going for,” said Jimmy Brooks of Locust Grove, nephew of auctioneer Tom Brooks. “And the way he lived, I guess.”

Some came out of curiosity, some came out of Redskins loyalty, others were simply weekly auction regulars who grabbed a juicy hot dog from the snack bar before settling into one of the folding metal chairs. A few items of interest up for bidding included a set of custom Redskins/Cowboys pool balls and a signed Redskins football.

Bealeton resident Jeff Bland said he came specifically for the Sean Taylor items. Bland said he is a diehard Redskins fan, and was really depressed from the opening game, during which the Redskins lost to the New York Giants.

Bland called himself a true fan.

“…I’m really interested in one particular item, which is the cue balls,” he said. 

And how much was Bland willing to bid on the coveted pool set?

“I don’t know, I hadn’t really discussed that with the wife yet,” Bland said. “It all depends on the crowd. I may go as high as 100 bucks.”

Aside from the pool balls, there was not much Redskins memorabilia up on the auction block, though bidders browsing the rows of tables inferred Taylor’s family kept many items of significance.

Other lots — all marked with a “21,” Taylor’s jersey number — ranged from power tools to plastic toys, cologne to kitchen accessories. One lucky bidder won the Febreze, a stainless steel coffee cup and a wooden candlestick, all for $7.50. For $90, another became the proud owner of a wooden statuette of a nude woman, whose exposed breasts the auctioneer modestly covered with his hand while displaying her to the crowd.

One auction regular expected a lavish seven-piece wooden bedroom set to sell for at least $5,000. Redskins fan and Culpeper Middle School student Kyle King said his parents were eyeing a champagne-colored loveseat for their house.

“I’ve never done this before,” said Kyle’s mom Kristi King, who goes to the Redskins’ games every Sunday with her family. “I’ve never been to an auction. We’ve found a couple pieces we’d like to bid on, a couple sofas, some memorabilia that would be fun for the kids to have.”

As the Brooks auctioneer solicited bids in what sounded like gibberish, occasionally pausing to poke fun at the variety of items, clerks marked the lucky bidders’ winnings with masking tape and permanent marker. The proceeds from the auction, minus commission, will go toward Taylor’s daughter’s trust fund.

“So far it’s going pretty good,” said auction clerk Tanya Ring. “It’s pretty packed. It was a big tragedy when it happened — still think it’s a big tragedy. He’d just started his career, so hopefully we’ll make a lot of money for his daughter.”

(staffordcountysun.com)