Phil Legate from Canada, had the surprise of his life when he purchased a storage locker on auction for $200.
In the back of the locker he discovered a portrait of Michael Jackson all made of jelly beans and at first he thought to took it to the dump to make more space but when he turned to the back of the wooden piece, he saw “1984 Peter Rocha”.
In the early 1980s, after hearing that President Reagan was a devotee of jelly beans, Mr. Rocha got the idea of creating a portrait of Reagan using beans as mosaic pieces. That was the beginning of a long association with the Jelly Belly Candy Co., which operates a large factory in Fairfield that is popular with visitors. Featured prominently on factory tours are many of Mr. Rocha’s mosaics.
Over the years, Mr. Rocha made jelly bean portraits of Queen Elizabeth, Laurel and Hardy, Benjamin Franklin, Elvis Presley, Amelia Earhart, Larry King and Minnie Mouse. He toured the United States and Europe on behalf of the company, displaying his mosaics at candy conventions and stores.
Rocha passed away in 2004 and his art has been rising in prices since so when Phil got an estimation for the Michael Jackson jelly bean portrait, he was surprised that he could get at least $20,000!
Phil is obviously looking to put it on auction but boy I would love to find such items in my garage!
