ATA Auctions

On occasion, ATA will host an auction of celebrity memorabilia to raise funds supporting our mission: curing tinnitus through the development of resources that advance tinnitus research. These auctions are held at times when ATA has a sufficient number of items to generate interest from the broader community.

Auction Items

ATA accepts donations directly from celebrities, as well as from ATA members and supporters who have items they wish to donate. Donated items are eligible for tax deductions, but need to be discussed with your tax advisor, as well as ATA staff, to determine what portion of the donation is eligible. If you have any items that you feel would be appropriate for such an auction, please contact Wes Breazeale, Development Director, at wes@ata.org for further discussion.

ATA also works with individuals who have connections within the music and film industry and who have opportunities to approach celebrities for donations. If you feel that you would be able to help in this way, please let us know!

Sample Items - Past and Present

Autographed instruments are certainly some of the most alluring items of any auction.  Jazz legend, and tinnitus sufferer, Al Di Meola has provided us with a signed Paul Reed Smith SE limited guitar, which will be part of our next auction.	William Shatner, an honorary ATA Board Member, has helped ATA with signed items. We currently have an autographed CD to be auctioned.	ATA has had a variety of other collectible pieces of memorabilia - including this original watercolor painting by Stan Sakai, provided by Dark Horse Comics.	Yes, we really do have an autographed stapler! It is signed by cast members from the movie Office Space, and will be part of our next auction.

Members of our Memorabilia Committee

Dr. Jonathan Gording - Optometrist to the Stars

After 9 years as a contact lens specialist for a large corneal specialty practice, Dr. Gording went into private practice. In addition to seeing private patients, he has been designing and prescribing special effect contact lenses to the motion picture industry for 20 years. Dr. Gording has worked on numerous films and television shows, including: True Blood, The Lord of the Rings, ER, The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Being John Malkovich, and many more. 

Chris Kew - Professional Musician

After 14 years of continuous touring with his bands, Chris - like many musicians - suffered from tinnitus.  He was able to learn to cope with it, and eventually acclimated to the noise. Using in-ear monitors he was still able to play over 300 shows a year. Sadly, his tinnitus returned this past year after surgery to repair an arterial veinous malformation in his brain. Ever the musician, Chris hopes to begin touring again as soon as he is fully recovered.  In addition to his own bands, Chris has performed with members of the Allman Brothers, Jefferson Airplane, and Hot Tuna, as well as Peter Rowan, Michael Franti, and the String Cheese Incident, to name but a few.