Art auction will benefit Elton John's AIDS charity

NEW YORK, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Works by Jeff Koons, Keith Haring and four other artists are expected to raise more than ${esc.dollar}1 million for Elton John's AIDS Foundation (EJAF) when they are sold at auction in November, Sotheby's said on Friday.

Artists including Jim Hodges, Howard Hodgkin and Tracey Emin will also be represented in the November 10 sale of contemporary art during Sotheby's fall auctions.

"All of us at EJAF are tremendously grateful to Sotheby's and to all of the amazing artists who have so generously contributed truly special pieces," John said in a statement.

Artist Cecily Brown donated "Don't Bring Me Down," an oil on linen that is expected to fetch as much as ${esc.dollar}600,000.

The Keith Haring foundation contributed an untitled work from 1981 depicting three bare-chested men in the trademark graffiti style of the late pop artist, who died of AIDS in 1990 at 31.

Koons' silkscreen "Monkey Train" is estimated to sell for ${esc.dollar}40,000 to ${esc.dollar}60,000, Sotheby's said.

"The works on offer ... have been donated directly from an enticing mix of today's leading contemporary artists," said Tobias Meyer, the auction house's worldwide director of contemporary art.

"Their connection to EJAF is certain to appeal to a wide range of today's collectors and philanthropists," he added.

An art auction featuring works by Koons, Jasper Johns and Chuck Close for relief efforts in Haiti raised nearly ${esc.dollar}14 million earlier this month, setting records for four artists and exceeding the pre-sale estimate of ${esc.dollar}10 million. (Reporting by Chris Michaud; editing by Patricia Reaney; For the latest Reuters lifestyle news see: http://www.reuters.com/news/lifestyle))