Sunday, June 22, 2008
By Van Darden
Tribune-Herald staff writer
When rock stars have garage sales, their junk looks a lot like anybody else’s: tacky furniture, outdated clothing, years’ worth of accumulated knickknacks and bric-a-brac.
One slight exception: transplanted Detroit rocker Ted Nugent and his menagerie of expensive animal trophies.
Nugent hosted an open estate sale Friday and Saturday in the Creative Arts Building at the Heart O’ Texas Fairgrounds.
Apparently, the Nuge is on the move — again.
From Detroit, the Nugent family moved to Central Texas several years ago, first finding a home in China Spring. From there, they moved to Crawford and then into Waco.
Now the Nugents have decided that “the simpler life back on SpiritWild Ranch (in China Spring) is the way to go,” he wrote in his “Texas Wildman” column in the Tribune-Herald.
To make life truly simpler, the Nugents decided to sell some of their possessions to make the move easier — which is where the Volkswagen Beetle-sized rhinoceros head and zebra stallion mounts come into play.
Stuffed stuff
The bulk of the estate sale was comprised of the trophies — the rhino alone was priced at $9,900 and a Barbary sheep mount started at $1,900 — and furniture.
“(The Nugents) are moving back to the ranch,” said James “Big Jim” Brown, who ran the sale. “They’re going to get some country.”
Brown, who describes himself as the Nugents’ property manager and general manager of “all things Nuge,” was quick to allay any fears of a future departure from the area.
“Hey, he’s still in Texas,” Brown said. “He’s not going anywhere except on tour.”
It was unclear Saturday how much merchandise was sold — the time and site of the sale changed from when it was first advertised — but those involved said they were pleased with the results.
“We’ve probably sold up into the thousands,” Brown said.
Other items for sale included bleached deer skulls, all signed by the Motor City Madman ($395-450); a dining table and six leather chairs ($1,550); couches and sectionals; camouflage jackets, animal print dresses and skirts; shoes; and bicycles.
Brown said items left over from Saturday’s sale will be listed on the TedBay store at TedNugent.com.
vdarden@wacotrib.com
757-5743
