In a surprising move, tech magnate Elon Musk is spearheading an auction that offers a wide array of Twitter’s former possessions and office assets, shortly after the company’s rebranding as “X”. This auction comprises a whopping 584 lots, encompassing an eclectic collection of items ranging from coffee tables and oversized bird cages to oil paintings depicting iconic viral images.
The lots up for bidding feature an assortment of desks, chairs, musical instruments, and even a complete DJ booth. Musk’s involvement with Twitter has been marked by a rigorous cost-cutting strategy, including significant job reductions, ever since his acquisition of the social media platform last year.
The auction itself bears the title “Twitter Rebranding: Online Auction Featuring Memorabilia, Art, Office Assets & More!” Among the intriguing items being auctioned is a Twitter sign that still graces the exterior of the company’s headquarters in San Francisco. The listing stipulates that the sign “Bird is still mounted on side of the building. Buyer is responsible for hiring an SF Licensed Company with appropriate Permits.”
Particularly captivating are two oil paintings derived from viral photographs that once flooded the Twitter platform. One painting immortalizes the star-studded selfie of Ellen Degeneres at the 2014 Academy Awards, while the other captures the image tweeted by then-US President Barack Obama upon his re-election in 2012—a tweet that once held the title of the platform’s most-liked post.
The auction’s assortment also encompasses a rich array of musical equipment, spanning guitars, drum kits, amplifiers, and even a DJ booth replete with controllers, mixers, and speakers.
With each lot commencing at a minimum offer of $25 (£19.70), bidding for these unique pieces of Twitter’s history will commence on September 12 and conclude two days later. This auction follows in the wake of Musk’s efforts to streamline Twitter’s operations following his $44 billion acquisition.
Musk’s tenure has been marked by significant workforce reductions, including the elimination of roles dedicated to combatting abuse on the platform. The company has also instated changes to its account verification processes.
Earlier this year, Twitter hosted an auction featuring numerous items from its San Francisco headquarters, with a statue of its iconic bird logo garnering the highest bid of $100,000.
The recent rebranding saw the replacement of Twitter’s renowned blue bird logo with a black and white X, ushering in a new era for the company. However, X did not provide immediate commentary upon request by BBC.
