The contents of Sir Elton John's London home are being auctioned on September 30, 2003 in a sale expected to raise £800,000.

Hundreds of items are under the hammer, including fake leopardskin sofas, art and his double bed.

One of the first items to sell was a 16th Century painting selling for £54,000.

The portrait of Elizabeth Honeywood, from the Circle of William Larkin and thought to have been painted between 1580-1619, is one of 400 lots up for grabs at the sale at Sotheby's in London.

Sir Elton is auctioning off the items so that he can redecorate his home. The house, in Holland Park, has played host to actor Kevin Spacey and former US President Bill Clinton.

One buyer paid £31,200 for an enamel miniature of Thomas Howard, third Duke of Norfolk, which was expected to sell for about £5,000.

Another buyer picked up three wooden photo frames designed by Royal furniture maker David Linley for £540. He has crammed every surface in his home with photo frames, and all are up for sale - although the photos, featuring him with partner David Furnish and various celebrity friends, are not.

The furnishings are relatively restrained for the flamboyant star, except for the faux-leopardskin upholstery in the bedroom.

It is not the first time Sir Elton has had a mass clear-out of one of his homes. In 1988 he auctioned nearly 2,000 lots of memorabilia, jewellery and works of art from his Windsor estate.

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