The shiny glove Michael Jackson wore during his first performance of the moonwalk goes on auction this November - with the current owner hoping to earn 40,000 to 60,000 dollars.

The left-handed glove was part of Jackson's outfit for the 1983 performance of Billie Jean during a television special marking the 25th anniversary of Motown.

It goes on the block on November 21, five months after Jackson's death, at a "Music Icons" sale run by Julien's Auctions at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York's Times Square.

Julien's estimates fans will bid as high as 60,000 dollars for an item that started life as a regular leather golf glove labelled "Made in Korea."

Unlike Mr Jackson's usual single gloves, which he wore on the right hand, this is for the left and was hurriedly decorated with rhinestones instead of the characteristic hand-sewn crystals.

What the glove lacks in artisanal quality, it makes up for in pop history.

Mr Jackson wore it along with a fedora during his first performance of the legendary backwards dance known as the moonwalk.

The owner, Walter "Clyde" Orange, was a member of the Commodores group when Jackson gave him the glove at the Motown tribute.

"He stole the show that night during his solo performance of 'Billie Jean,' in what has now become the famous night he debuted the moonwalk and changed the face of music and dance, catapulting him to superstardom," Mr Orange says in a letter accompanying the glove.

"When I once again asked him for his autograph, Michael gave me the glove he wore that night instead."

The glove headlines an auction featuring other Jackson memorabilia and items once belonging to Madonna, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and other music big names.