Buy a 'Gladiator' chariot in Russell Crowe's bizarre divorce auction

Celebrity auctions are a fascinating outlet for popular voyeurism: we long to come into contact with – and, if we have the means, to possess – the private accouterments of the rich and famous. 

Russell Crowe separated from his wife of almost a decade, Australian singer Danielle Spencer, approximately five years ago. Now, the couple is shucking off the debris of their almost-finalised divorce at a public auction at Sotheby’s Australia.

The event, which Crowe has (somewhat facetiously) dubbed The Art of Divorce, is scheduled to take place on April 7 – a date comically fraught with bleakness, as it will coincide not only with the actor’s 54th birthday, but also with the fractured couple’s would-be wedding anniversary.

Apparently, though, there is nothing acrimonious about Crowe’s desire to profit from their marital misfortune; the famous duo is said to be on good terms, and Crowe is reportedly just trying to liberate some space.

The spoils on offer will include luxury watches, artworks, musical instruments, vehicles, and a sampling of film paraphernalia that is likely to lure crazy Crowe fans out of the woodwork. Among a great many other (bizarre) things, a functional Roman chariot from the set of Gladiator and a stable of life-sized model horses will be available for purchase.

And you might be happy to learn that a little fragment of South African history will be represented in the agglomerate by a framed One-Day International cricket shirt from 1995, which bears the autograph of disgraced, deceased cricket player Hansie Cronje. The starting price for this particular relic – one of the cheaper items on offer – is between $1,500 - $2,000 (R17,669 - R23,550), which is a small indication of the financial genius of Crowe’s (slightly vulgar) approach to spring-cleaning.