A collector has sent me photos from the “Superman Celebration 2006″ and Superman Celebration 2008” events, both of which featured live auctions for Superman costumes/costume parts marketed as original and authentic from the Superman films of the 70s and 80s staring Christopher Reeve. Interestingly, these auctions and costume parts relate back to previous OPB articles.
Superman Celebration 2006
These first photos are from an auction at Superman Celebration 2006 (images of individuals obscured):
The reader who sent me these photos said Jim Hambrick opened the auction for this Superman costume for $10,000.00 and it did not sell.
In March 2008, a reader posted the following Reader Comment to an article on the OPB:
batttttman Says:
March 24th, 2008 at 4:51 pm eHi I bought a superman 3 suit from supperhollywood, the belt from Jim Hambric and he aprasied the suit for me, its on ebay now.does any body know how to reach W. Bros. or the Salkinds? I would like to talk to them!. if so please email me at [email protected] Thank you Brent
I reposted his comments in a new article, along with an archive of his eBay auction (see Reader Comment: Collector Seeks Contact with Salkinds, Warner Bros.).
It appears, based on the two accounts (the collector who sent me the photos and the collector with the Superman costume on eBay) that it may be the same suit. In addition to being comprised of the same components of matching appearance, the boots in particular appear to match:
batttttman Superman Boots:
Superman Celebration 2006 Boots:
In particular, in addition to matching bottoms and brand stamp, there is one mark on each of the right foot heels that might match:
This is an archive of “batttttman’s” eBay auction offering his costume for sale from the March article (see eBay Item #120235006516):
High Resolution Archive: batttttman eBay Listing – “SUPERMAN coustume from movie”
Auction Marketing Description:
Superman suit from the 3rd movie it is a flying suit. I bought this years ago from superhollywood . it was apraised by Jim Hambrick for 11,200 then I bought the belt from Jim its real and added the boots they are remakes. it was up for sale at the superman musem in 06 (Jims) and did not sell. Jim said he would sell it for me but he could not send the paper work for it because he was doing a deal with WB and he could not because of that but he would sell it I have the post marked box Jim sent it back to Me in. so I am selling it AS IS. you can call Jim if you want. the tags were cut out when I got this. !!!!!!!!!Iwould be interested in a superman or batman #1 comic.!!!!!!!!!!!!
Auction Photos:
Higher Resolution Archive: batttttman eBay Auction – Superman Costume Photos
This auction has been relisted as recently as last week, ending 06/30/08 with no sale (see eBay Item #120276822227). The revised description is as follows:
Superman suit from the 3rd movie it is a flying suit. I bought this years ago from superhollywood . it was apraised by Jim Hambrick for 11,200 then I bought the belt from Jim its real and added the boots they are remakes. it was up for sale at the superman musem in 06 (Jims) and did not sell. I have the box that jim shiped it to me int and the add from superhollywood use to sell when I bought it Jim said he would sell it for me but he could not send the paper work for it because he was doing a deal with WB and he could not because of that but he would sell it I have the post marked box Jim sent it back to Me in.and the flyer that shows the photo and add from when I bought it so I am selling it AS IS. you can call Jim if you want. the tags were cut out when I got this. !!!!!!!!!Iwould be interested in a superman or batman #1 comic.!!!!!!!!!!!! check out www.orginalprop.com/blog it has info on superman suits and the big ebay sellers of suits! and what they are made of the same as mine..there is also the same suit on this blog for sale fot$84,000 .and a data sheet on suits sold. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I got permisson to sell this from Craig Hoffman at warner bros.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they started keeping there suits in 1992 and before that ,these suits were alowed to be sold. thanks for looking Brent. SOMEONE PLEASE BUY THIS OR TRADE ME FOR IT IM TIRED OF RUNNING THIS ADD!
Auction Listing Archive: “SUPERMAN coustume from movie FLYIING SUIT; NEW LOW STARTING BID (MY LOSS your gain)”
The “batttttman” costume appears to resemble the “Superman III” costume I photographed as a point of reference (see High Resolution Photo Reference Archive: “Original Superman III Christopher Reeve Costume”) – the “Superman III” costume I have on loan does not resemble the confirmed authentic costumes.
Superman Celebration 2008
The second set of photos the collector sent me were described as from Superman Celebration 2008, which was held just a few weeks ago – June 12th-15th. With the event, a cape was auctioned.
Per supermansupersite.com (LINK):
We wrapped up our day with the Superman Auction and Dinner at the Baymont Inn which featured an absolutely delicious meal and many great items up for bids. After dinner, awards were handed out with Superman Homepage webmaster Steve Younis taking home the coveted “George Award”. I couldn’t think of a more deserving individual for Jim Hambrick to choose as the recipient of the award. The auction kicked off next with a few heated bidding wars on items such as a replica green crystal from the Fortress of Solitude and some vintage 1950’s “Adventures of Superman” collectibles. A screen used “Superman: II” cape that was also signed by many cast members took home the highest bid of the night at $2,200.
Per supermanhomepage.com (LINK):
The auction itself featured some magnificent items, chief amongst them being an authentic Superman cape worn by Christopher Reeve, and signed by many of the movie’s cast. The cape sold at auction for US$2,200 by David Olsen, who, already owning three similar capes, sold the cape to the second highest bidder Hugh Troyer who had his heart set on it. The auction, which was attended by Noel Neill and Murphy Anderson, finished after midnight.
Below are the photos:
The tag seen in the photo above is one I have not seen in a Superman wardrobe piece, at least not in its entirety.
Disney MGM Studios Wardrobe Tag
In the OPB article referenced earlier, one of the readers posted a Reader Comment speculating that the cut out wardrobe tag seen on the Superman cape photo owned by “batttttman” might read “Disney Store”. With the new photo from Superman Celebration 2008 cape, with the same photo, it appears to read “Disney MGM Studios” (“batttttman” photo inset):
“Ana Mungia” has signed many of the “Super Hollywood” Certificates of Authenticity (COAs) as a representative of “Wardrobe MGM Studios” (see Superman, Superboy, and Disney’s Creative Costuming).
As noted yesterday, the costumer for the Christopher Reeve Superman films was Bermans & Nathans, and asset tags for authentic costumes have been reflective of that (see Superman Costumes in the Marketplace: Bermans & Nathans Wardrobe Tag Analysis).
Why was the tag cut out of the “batttttman” costume, but left on the cape auctioned a few weeks ago?
Why are there “Disney MGM Studio” tags on Superman costumes/costume parts?
Did Disney make any new “Superman” costumes for some purpose apart from use in the Superman films?
Why does the “batttttman” suit with the “Disney MGM Studios” tag cut out differ significantly from the confirmed authentic costumes in appearance?
Jason De Bord
Additional Related Articles: Market Watch | Superman