Wikipedia
List of film memorabilia
This is a list of film memorabilia.
Film memorabilia can include: autographs, collectibles, original concept art, costumes, lobby cards, magazines, posters, press kits, pressbooks, props, scripts, slides, still photos, and storyboards, as well as promotional material (e.g., t-shirts).[1]
Props and equipment
| Film | Memorabilia |
|---|---|
| Aliens (1986) | One of the "hypersleep chamber" props sold at auction in 2012 for $65,000.[2] |
| Back to the Future trilogy (1985–1990) | In 2011, one of the seven DeLoreans used in the trilogy sold for $541,000.[3] Some of the proceeds went to The Michael J. Fox Foundation.[2] |
| In 2012, the brain-wave analyzer from the first Back to the Future (1985) sold for $70,000.[2] | |
| In 2018, the hoverboard—made by Mattel—that Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) uses in Back to the Future Part II (1989) sold for $28,800.[2] | |
| Casablanca (1942) | In 1988, the piano played by Sam in the Paris flashback went to Japanese trading firm C. Itoh & Co., whose winning bid of $154,000 was on behalf of an unnamed client.[4] It was sold again in New York City on December 14, 2012, at Sotheby's for more than $600,000 to an anonymous bidder.[5] |
| On November 24, 2014, the piano on which Sam plays "As Time Goes By" in Rick's Café Américain (and in which Rick hides the letters of transit) was sold for $2,900,000 (the buyer's premium bringing the total to $3,413,000) by Bonhams in New York City.[6][7] | |
| In the same auction, the only known surviving copy of the letters of transit, though apparently not used onscreen,[8] went for $118,750 (including buyer's premium). | |
| The 1940 Buick Phaeton driven by Captain Renault, with Rick Blaine, Ilsa Lund and Victor Laszlo as passengers, to the airport in the final sequence was sold by Bonhams in November 2013 for $380,000[9] ($461,000 with the buyer's premium).[10] | |
| Bullitt (1968) | The two Ford Mustang GTs used in the film disappeared for nearly four decades. The one in better shape was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 14, 2018,[11] coinciding with the unveiling of the 2018 special edition Mustang commemorating the 50th anniversary of the movie. The other one, missing some parts, resurfaced in a custom car paint shop in Mexicali, Mexico.[12] |
| Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) | The only fully functional car of the six made for the film was authenticated by the star, Dick Van Dyke, and put up for auction by Profiles in History. However, the initial price of $950,000 failed to attract any bids. It was later sold to an unnamed buyer for $800,000.[13] |
| Citizen Kane (1941) | Steven Spielberg paid $60,500 (including 10% commission) for the only remaining balsa "Rosebud" sled used in the Orson Welles film. It was auctioned June 9, 1982, by Sotheby's in New York.[14][15] Welles stated in a telephone interview that there were three sleds made of balsa, which were intended to be burned in the final scene, and one hardwood sled that was used earlier the film. |
| The painted pine "Rosebud" sled used in the earlier part of the film was sold for $233,500 at auction December 16, 1996, by Christie's in Los Angeles. The purchaser was not identified.[16] It was from the estate of Robert Bauer, an Army retiree who in early 1942 was a 12-year-old student in Brooklyn and a member of his school's film club. He entered and won an RKO Pictures publicity contest and selected Rosebud as his prize.[17] Bauer's son told CBS News that his mother had once wanted to paint the sled and use it as a plant stand. "Instead, my dad said, 'No, just save it and put it in the closet.'"[18] | |
| Forbidden Planet (1956) | Robby the Robot's price was $5.375 million in November 2017, making it the most expensive prop ever sold at auction.[19][20] |
| Indiana Jones series (1981–2008) | Indiana Jones' bullwhip, used in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, cost the winning bidder $216,000 in 2014.[21] |
| James Bond series (1962–) | Two Aston Martin DB5s are said to have been driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965). (Another two were used for promotion.[22]) One of the screen-used ones was reported stolen in 1997.[22] The other was purchased by Harry Yeaggy at an October 2010 auction for £2,600,000 ($4,600,000 with auction fees included).[22] A fully restored promotional DB5, with all the Bond modifications working, sold for $6,400,000 in a 2019 auction.[23] |
| "Wet Nellie", the Lotus Esprit sports car / submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), was bought by Elon Musk at a London auction for £616,000 in September 2013.[24] | |
| Jurassic Park (1993) | One of Stan Winston's velociraptors sold for $77,000 at a 2009 auction.[2] |
| King Kong (1933) | £121,250 ($200,305), including buyer's premium, bought an armature/skeleton of the largest of the miniature models of Kong in November 2009.[25] |
| The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–03) | Frodo (and Bilbo) Baggins' sword, Sting, was sold for $156,000 in December 2013.[26] |
| Gimli's battle axe fetched $180,000 in the same 2013 auction.[26] | |
| £245,500 was the winning bid for Gandalf's staff in an October 2014 auction.[27] | |
| The Maltese Falcon (1941) | There were several statuettes made of the Maltese Falcon—two lead ones weighing 47 pounds (21 kg) each, and a 7-pound (3.2 kg), more finely crafted, resin model—all handled by Humphrey Bogart. Christie's auctioned off one of the lead ones, a gift from Warner Bros. studio head Jack Warner to William Conrad, on December 6, 1994, for $398,500 to Ronald Winston, president of Harry Winston, Inc.[28][29] A lead falcon, the only one confirmed to have appeared in the movie, was sold at auction to an unidentified buyer for $3,500,000 ($4,085,000 including buyer's premium) on November 25, 2013.[30][31] It was later revealed that the Falcon was bought by a representative of Steve Wynn.[28] Documentary director Ara Chekmayan (Children of Darkness) and "Internet entrepreneur" Hank Risan each claimed to have the resin version.[28] Chekmayan's was sold at auction in 2000 for $92,000; ten years later, a group that included Leonardo DiCaprio bought it for over $300,000.[28] |
| Modern Times (1936) | The Tramp's cane was sold at auction for $350,000 in July 2013, according to Profiles in History.[2][32] |
| The Seventh Seal (1957) | The chess set used in the match between the knight and Death, missing the white king (which was damaged during production), sold for one million Swedish krona ($143,000 at the time).[33] |
| Star Wars franchise (1977–) | In 2005, the hilt of Darth Vader's lightsaber from The Empire Strikes Back (1980) sold for $118,000.[2] |
| A still-functioning Panavision PSR 35mm camera used to film Star Wars (1977) went for $625,000 in the December 2011 Reynolds auction, breaking records for Star Wars memorabilia and vintage cameras.[34] | |
| In June 2017, an R2-D2 droid "compiled from parts" used during filming of the trilogy sold for $2,760,000, setting the record for Star Wars memorabilia.[35] | |
| In that same 2017 auction, the lightsaber used by Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in Star Wars (1977) and The Empire Strikes Back (1980) was sold to Ripley Entertainment for $450,000.[35] In December that year, the lightsaber made its public debut at Ripley's Believe It or Not Odditorium, where it was set to be on display until mid-January 2018.[32] | |
| The lightsaber of Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) from The Phantom Menace (1999) was auctioned off for $66,710.[2] | |
| In June 2018, Han Solo's blaster from Return of the Jedi brought in $550,000.[36] | |
| The Time Machine (1960) | The time machine was sold at the 1970 MGM auction. |
| Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) | Five Willy Wonka candy bars sold for $17,000 as of 2019.[2] |
| Only two Everlasting Gobstopper props are known to exist. The first was sold for $42,500 at auction in May 2011; the second was kept by Julie Dawn Cole, who played Veruca in the film, and was sold from the Dreier Collection in July 2012 for $40,000.[2] |
Costumes
| Film | Memorabilia |
|---|---|
| Alien (1979) | The puffy, white space suit—designed by John Mollo—that Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) wears in the film sold at an auction for $204,800.[2] |
| Ben-Hur (1959) | Charlton Heston's tunic, robe, and accessories from the film were put up for bid in Debbie Reynolds' 2011 Profiles in History auction.[37][38] |
| Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) | Audrey Hepburn's "little black Givenchy dress", plus a few other minor items, fetched £467,200 ($923,187) for the City of Joy Foundation in 2006.[39][2] |
| Casablanca (1942) | Captain Renault's white uniform sold for $55,000 in the June 2011 Debbie Reynolds auction.[38] |
| Cinderella Man (2005) | Russell Crowe's jockstrap was purchased by the HBO television show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and then donated to a Blockbuster Video shop. |
| Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) | Marilyn Monroe's red-sequined dress was auctioned off for $1.2 million in the June 2011 auction of Debbie Reynolds' collection.[38] |
| Gilda (1946) | The two-piece costume worn by Rita Hayworth in the "Amado Mio" nightclub sequence was offered as part of the "TCM Presents ... There's No Place Like Hollywood" auction on November 24, 2014, at Bonhams in New York. It was estimated that the costume would fetch between $40,000 and $60,000; it actually sold for $161,000.[40] |
| In April 2009, the black dress worn by Rita Hayward in the "Put the Blame on Mame" scene was planned to be sold at an auction of the Forrest J. Ackerman estate, but was withdrawn before the auction. The initial estimated price was between $30,000 and $50,000. | |
| Indiana Jones series (1981–2008) | Indiana Jones' trademark fedora hat sold for £320,000 (around $425,000)—£393,600 (about $520,000) with the 23% buyer's premium—in a September 2018 auction.[41][2] |
| Le Mans (1971) | Steve McQueen's racing suit was auctioned off for $984,000 in 2011.[3] |
| My Fair Lady (1964) | Audrey Hepburn's Ascot dress sold for $3,700,000 ($4,551,000 with additional fees and taxes) in the June 2011 Debbie Reynolds auction.[38] |
| Saturday Night Fever (1977) | The white suit worn by John Travolta was purchased by film critic Gene Siskel in a charity auction for about $2000.[42][43] He sold it for $145,000[43] (or £93,000)[44] to an anonymous bidder at a Christie's auction around 1995. |
| The Seven Year Itch (1955) | Marilyn Monroe's "white dress", the one whose skirt was raised by the updraft from a passing subway train, brought $4.6 million, not including an additional 20% buyer's premium, in the June 2011 Debbie Reynolds auction.[38] |
| The Sound of Music (1965) | In July 2013, the outfits worn by Julie Andrews and the children during the "Do-Re-Mi" scene were auctioned off for $1.3 million at Profiles in History.[2][45] |
| Star Wars franchise (1977-2013) | In 2003, a costume worn by Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) sold at an auction for $83,000.[2] |
| In 2010, bids for a Vader costume used in Empire failed to meet the reserve price, stopping at £150,000.[46] | |
| In June 2017, Vader's helmet sold for $96,000 at an auction.[35] | |
| In September 2018, bidding for Han Solo's jacket from Empire stalled at £450,000 ($630,742), below the reserve price of £500,000 ($700,825), so it was not sold.[41] | |
| Superman original series (1978–2006) | Christopher Reeve's costume from the 1978 Superman film brought in $115,000 at a 2007 Hollywood auction,[47] while his Superman III costume sold for $200,000 in 2018.[36] |
| Tarzan the Ape Man films (1932–1948) | The loincloth of Johnny Weissmuller's Tarzan was sold at the 1970 MGM auction.[48] |
| The Tramp films (1914–1940) | One of Charlie Chaplin's trademark bowler hats was put up for bid in Debbie Reynolds' 2011 Profiles in History auction.[37][38] |
| 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) | In July 2020, a silver space suit was sold at auction in Los Angeles for $370,000, exceeding its estimate of $200,000–300,000. Four layers of paint indicate it was used in multiple scenes. The helmet of the suit had been painted green at one stage, leading to a belief that it may have been worn during the scene where Dave Bowman disconnects HAL 9000.[49] |
| Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) | In 2012, the entire outfit worn by Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder)—including his purple suit coat and frilled shirt—sold for $73,800.[2] |
| The Wizard of Oz (1939) | Four pairs of Dorothy's ruby slippers in the style familiar to viewers are known to have survived.
|
| Actress Debbie Reynolds purchased a much more fanciful Arabian-motif pair of slippers that was used only in costume tests before being rejected. It was sold in the first of a series of 2011 auctions of her extensive collection, going for $510,000, with the buyer's premium and taxes raising the total to $627,300. | |
| Judy Garland's blue cotton dress, used in test shots[38] or during the first two weeks of filming,[50] was sold in the 2011 Debbie Reynolds auction for $910,000.[38] | |
| Garland's "blue and white gingham pinafore with a fitted bodice and a full skirt", believed to be one of two she wore on-screen, went for $1,565,000 (including buyer's premium) in 2015.[51][52] | |
| Two sets of Cowardly Lion costumes exist. The question of which was worn by Bert Lahr is disputed. One set, initially part of the MGM auction, was sold by sculptor Bill Mack in 2006 for $826,000.[53] The other costume, supposedly rescued from the trash bins at the MGM auction, was in the possession of noted collector James Comisar until November 24, 2014, when it was sold at a Bonhams auction in New York for $3,077,000 (including buyer's premium).[7][54] According to Comisar, the "unique fur swirls" confirm that his costume was the one worn in key scenes.[55] | |
| The Scarecrow costume, less the mask (which had to be replaced repeatedly during filming), is held by the National Museum of American History.[56] | |
| The Wicked Witch of the West's black hat went for $197,400 in 2008.[57] | |
| $115,000 was paid for a Winkie costume in 2007.[47] |
Costumes
Marilyn Monroe in a pink dress in the "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" number from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Rita Hayworth wearing a black dress in the "Put the Blame on Mame" number from Gilda
Audrey Hepburn's Ascot dress from My Fair Lady
Marilyn Monroe posing for photographers in a white dress during production of The Seven Year Itch
A pair of ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz on display in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History
Other
| Memorabilia type | Film | Memorabilia |
|---|---|---|
| Oscars | Cavalcade (1933) | The film's Best Picture Oscar statuette fetched $332,165 at auction in 2012.[58] |
| Citizen Kane (1941) | Herman Mankiewicz's Oscar was sold at least twice, in 1999 and again in 2012, the later price being $588,455.[58] | |
| Orson Welles' Oscar was sold at auction in 2011 by an anonymous seller to an anonymous buyer for $861,542.[59] | ||
| Gone with the Wind (1939) | Michael Jackson paid $1.54 million for the Best Picture Oscar at a 1999 Sotheby's auction; after his death, the Oscar could not be found.[60] | |
| How Green Was My Valley (1941) | The Academy Award for Best Picture statuette went for $95,600 in 2004, then $274,520 in 2012.[58] | |
| Posters | Metropolis (1927) | An original poster set a record by selling for $690,000 in 2006.[61][62] The third most expensive poster is also for this film, going for $357,750 in 2000.[62] |
| The Mummy (1932) | A movie poster for The Mummy was auctioned off for $453,000 in 1997,[63] making it the second most valuable poster.[62] | |
| Scripts | Casablanca (1942) | Producer Hal B. Wallis's "working copy of the shooting script" sold for $68,750, including buyer's premium, on November 25, 2013.[64] |
| Citizen Kane (1941) | A working draft script for Citizen Kane was sold for $11,000 by Christie's in December 1991. The second-draft script is marked "Mr. Welles' working copy" in pencil on the manila cover. The Christie's lot also included a working script from The Magnificent Ambersons.[65] The working draft alone was sold at auction by Sotheby's on March 5–6, 2014. Expected to bring between $25,080 and $33,440, it sold for $164,692.[66] |
See also
References
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "The Most Expensive Movie Collectibles". Collider. March 24, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ a b "Steve McQueen's 'Le Mans' Driving Suit Sells for Nearly $1 Million". The Hollywood Reporter. December 27, 2011.
- ^ Nikke Finke (December 17, 1988). "Sam's Instrument--at $154,000--Is Star at Memorabilia Sale / A Piano's Value Soars, as Time Goes By". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Casablanca piano sold at auction". BBC News. December 14, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ "The Piano From Casablanca On Which Sam Plays "As Time Goes By"". Bonhams. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
- ^ a b James Barron (November 24, 2014). "'Casablanca' Piano Sells for $3.4 Million at Bonhams". The New York Times.
- ^ "The Production-Made "Transit Papers" From Casablanca". Bonhams. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- ^ Ernst, Kurt (October 22, 2013). "Here's looking at you, kid: 1940 Buick phaeton from "Casablanca" to cross the block". Hemmings Motor News.
- ^ "Bonhams : The 1940 Buick Phaeton automobile from Casablanca". www.bonhams.com. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
- ^ Rich Seppos (March 2018). "Steve McQueen's Bullitt-Movie Mustang Suddenly Reappeared: This Is How It Happened". Car and Driver.
- ^ Larry Edsall (March 24, 2017). "Authenticity of Bullitt Mustang in Mexico Confirmed; Drivetrain and Much Bodywork Not Original". Car and Driver.
- ^ Hollywood Treasure episode aired August 5, 2011
- ^ "Newsmakers". Newsweek, June 21, 1982, page 51.
- ^ "Hidden Treasures: Prop Art"; The New York Times, June 13, 1982
- ^ "Clark Gable's Oscar and 'Rosebud' sled sold"; Associated Press, December 15, 1996
- ^ Lot 59, Sale 7927, Christie's Los Angeles auction catalogue, Film, Television & Pop, December 15, 1996, page 31.
- ^ CBS News Transcripts, December 14, 1996
- ^ David Carnoy (November 22, 2017). "Robby the Robot sells for record $5.38 million at auction". CNET.
- ^ "The world's most expensive film props and costumes – in pictures". The Guardian. November 27, 2017.
- ^ "Indiana Jones prop whips up auction bidders". Daily Express. October 28, 2014.
- ^ a b c Dave Kinney (October 28, 2010). "James Bond Aston Martin DB5 Sells for $4.6 Million". The New York Times.
- ^ "Aston Martin DB5: James Bond car sells for $6.4M". CNN. August 16, 2019.
- ^ Stuart Dredge (October 18, 2013). "Tesla founder Elon Musk buys James Bond's Lotus Esprit submarine car". The Guardian.
- ^ "King Kong, 1933". Christie's. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- ^ a b Liz Ohanesian (December 6, 2013). "The Story Behind the Auction of a Massive Lord of the Rings Memorabilia Collection". LA Weekly.
- ^ Steve Doohan (October 31, 2014). "Gandalf's staff from Lord of the Rings sells for £245,500 at Hollywood memorabilia auction". Daily Mirror.
- ^ a b c d Bryan Burrough (February 2016). "The Mystery of the Maltese Falcon, One of the Most Valuable Movie Props in History". Vanity Fair.
- ^ "Maltese Falcon Prop Sells For $398,500 At Auction". Orlando Sentinel. December 7, 1994.
- ^ "'Maltese Falcon' statuette sells for nearly $4.1 million in N.Y. auction". Reuters. November 26, 2013.
- ^ Mark Memmott (November 25, 2013). "At Auction, Maltese Falcon Goes For $4 Million, Dreams Included". NPR.
- ^ a b "The Most Valuable Movie Memorabilia Ever Sold". ca.finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "Chess pieces from Bergman film sell for $143,000". Reuters. September 28, 2009.
- ^ Ben Child (6 December 2011). "Star Wars camera breaks auction record". guardian.co.uk.
- ^ a b c "R2-D2 droid used in Star Wars films sells for $2.76m". The Guardian. Associated Press. June 29, 2017.
- ^ a b "Han Solo 'blaster' fetches $550,000 in New York". BBC News. June 24, 2018.
- ^ a b Jay Stone (February 27, 2011). . Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h . Reuters. June 19, 2011. Archived from the original on June 21, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
- ^ "Audrey Hepburn Breakfast At Tiffany's, 1961". Christie's. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
- ^ "Print Results, TCM Presents ... There's No Place Like Hollywood". Bonhams, sale 22196, lot 244, November 24, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
- ^ a b "How much!? Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones hat fetches $520,000 at auction". Digital Trends.
- ^ Roger Ebert (March 7, 1999). "Saturday Night Fever (1977)". rogerebert.com. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
- ^ a b "The Collector". genesiskel.com (official Gene Siskel website).
- ^ "John Travolta's Saturday Night Fever suit is found". The Daily Telegraph. August 7, 2012.
- ^ "Julie Andrews' 'Sound of Music' costumes sell for $1.3M at auction". Toronto Sun. July 29, 2013.
- ^ "Darth Vader costume fails to sell at auction". CBC News. November 25, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
- ^ a b "Superman suit soars at US auction". BBC News. April 7, 2007. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
- ^ "Collecting Entertainment Memorabilia". Julien's Auctions. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
- ^ "Hollywood: Legends and Explorers, Lot 897". Julien's Auctions. 17 July 2020. from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ . Profiles in History. Archived from the original on July 2, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011. p. 61
- ^ "Judy Garland's sweat-stained Wizard of Oz dress sells for more than $1.5m". The Guardian. Reuters. November 24, 2015.
- ^ "A Judy Garland-worn 'Dorothy' dress from The Wizard of Oz". Bonhams.
- ^ Chuck Haga (December 19, 2006). "King of Forest rules at auction; Somebody put up $826,000 to buy the Cowardly Lion costume from a Twin Cities artist". Star Tribune.
- ^ "Bert Lahr's Cowardly Lion Costume From The Wizard of Oz". Bonhams. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- ^ Lewis, Andy (November 24, 2014). "Cowardly Lion Costume, 'Casablanca' Piano Sell for More Than $3 Million at Auction". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "Treasures of American History: The Wizard of Oz". National Museum of American History. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
- ^ Monte Burke (December 3, 2008). "Inside The Search For Dorothy's Slippers". Forbes. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Oscars Auction: Statuettes From '30s, '40s Sold In Los Angeles". Huffington Post. February 29, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2013.
- ^ Barnes, Henry (December 21, 2011). "Welles's "Citizen Kane" Oscar sells for $860,000". The Guardian. London.
- ^ Belloni, Matthew (February 24, 2016). "Michael Jackson's $1.5M 'Gone With the Wind' Oscar Is Missing". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ Judith Miller (July 3, 2011). . The Sunday Telegraph. Archived from the original on August 10, 2010.
- ^ a b c Andrew Pulver (March 14, 2012). "The 10 most expensive film posters – in pictures". The Guardian.
- ^ "'Mummy' Poster Sets Auction Record". The Los Angeles Times. March 2, 1997.
- ^ "Lot 104: Producer Hal Wallis's working copy of the shooting script for Casablanca". Bonhams.
- ^ "Orson Welles Working Scripts (Sale 7269, Lot 208)". Christie's New York, East. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
- ^ "Working draft script for Citizen Kane, here with its original title, 'American'". 1000 Ways of Seeing: The Private Collection of the late Stanley J. Seeger, Sotheby's. Retrieved 2014-03-11.