Inside Kelly Clarkson's Wildest Shopping Sagas — From $198,000 Ring Dispute With Jane Austen's Estate to Explosive Feud Over $15,000 Singing Bird
A $15,000 singing bird sparks a viral dispute for Kelly Clarkson, echoing her Jane Austen ring saga
Oct. 15 2026, Published 1:41 p.m. ET
Kelly Clarkson’s latest shopping dispute with Brooklyn novelty store Art of Play has revived memories of another unusual purchase involving the singer: the 2012 auction of a gold-and-turquoise ring once owned by Jane Austen. RadarOnline.com can reveal what happened.
Clarkson’s current disagreement with Art of Play began after she visited the Brooklyn shop and later claimed on X that an employee treated her as though she could not afford an item she wanted.
She compared the experience to Julia Roberts’ character in the 1990 film Pretty Woman and accused the employee of losing a “huge sale.”
At the center of the dispute is Molly, a mechanical singing-and-dancing bird automaton. Clarkson said she was told the bird cost $15,000, while Art of Play maintains that Molly is a one-of-a-kind store fixture that was not for sale. The shop later said a nearly identical bird owned by its creator, Seattle artist Bliss Kolb, could be purchased for $15,000.
What Happened At Art Of Play Brooklyn Store
Kelly called her Brooklyn store argument a moment from Julia Roberts' Pretty Woman.
The disagreement began after Clarkson posted about her visit to Art of Play on Oct. 10, saying she had driven to Brooklyn intending to buy several items. She said she felt she was being judged financially and was offered something comparable instead.
“Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale,” Clarkson wrote, urging people to visit the store if they wanted to experience the kind of treatment depicted in Pretty Woman.
Her post quickly attracted millions of views and prompted Art of Play to respond publicly.
The store disputed Clarkson’s account, saying Molly is permanently attached to the wall and plays a role in its magic shows. Art of Play characterized the encounter as a misunderstanding and said it reached out to Clarkson to try to resolve the dispute.
Store Says Bird Wasn't For Sale
Kelly Clarkson called out the store over misbehaviour but Art of Play clarified reaching out to the singer for clarification.
Art of Play later offered a more detailed explanation. According to the store, employees told Clarkson that Molly was not available but that Kolb owned a nearly identical automaton and was willing to sell it for $15,000.
The shop also said it offered to show Clarkson another singing-bird automaton made by a German clockmaking company that was priced at about $2,000. The store said she left before seeing it.
Clarkson rejected that explanation and shared a photo showing a $15,000 price tag beside Molly. She accused the store of being dishonest about what happened and maintained that an employee had told her the bird was for sale for $15,000.
Security footage released by journalist Pablo Torre showed Clarkson inside the store for roughly five minutes, but the recording has no audio and therefore does not establish what was said during the exchange. Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin has since said Clarkson is welcome back at the store.
The controversy has also produced an unusual postscript: Rubin said the store has since raised Molly’s displayed price to $15 million because of the surge in interest.
Kelly Clarkson's Battle Over A Jane Austen Ring
Clarkson missed the opportunity to wear Jane Austen's ring due to export ban.
The Art of Play dispute is not Clarkson’s first high-profile shopping saga involving a rare object. In 2012, she bought a gold-and-turquoise ring that belonged to Jane Austen at a Sotheby’s auction for £152,450. Eight bidders competed for the piece, which had carried a pre-sale estimate of £20,000 to £30,000.
The ring was one of only three surviving pieces of jewelry known to have belonged to Austen. Clarkson, an Austen fan, reportedly planned to wear it as an engagement ring.
In 2013, British Culture Minister Ed Vaizey imposed a temporary export ban to allow a U.K. buyer to match Clarkson’s purchase price and keep the historical piece in Britain.
The Jane Austen’s House Museum launched its “Bring the Ring Home” campaign, and an anonymous donor contributed £100,000 toward the effort.
About Museum Brings Ring Home Campaign
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Kelly Clarkson outbid the Jane Austen’s House Museum at a Sotheby's auction.
The fundraising campaign ultimately succeeded. Jane Austen’s House purchased the ring from Clarkson in 2013 for the same £152,450 she had paid at auction. The museum put the piece on public display in 2014.
Clarkson agreed to the sale and later had a replica made. After learning the museum had raised enough money to acquire the original, she called the ring a “beautiful national treasure” and said she was happy Austen fans would be able to see it.
