Profiles in History’s “Hollywood Auction 33” was held today, which offered a number of original movie and television props, costumes, and other memorabilia. The auction was held on site at the Profiles in History offices in Calabasas Hills, with off-site bidding available over the Internet via eBay Live Auctions and LiveAuctioneers, as well as direct via mail, fax, and by phone.
Based on a review of the results, I would offer the opinion that this is perhaps the first of their regularly scheduled auction events which reflects the downturn of the global economy. Having said that, for marquee pieces, as has been the consistently been the case, Profiles continues to be the venue that realizes benchmark values for the original prop and wardrobe hobby. On balance, it appears to have been another success.
Of the approximately 494 lots, it appears that about 21% of the lots went unsold (eBay records show 377 sold, 117 unsold). As a point of reference, “Hollywood Auction 32” in August included nearly 1,200 lots and only about 10% went unsold.
Foremost among the pieces that received the most mainstream media attention was the prop lightsaber (Lot 347) attributed to use by Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in both Star Wars: A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. This piece included a letter of authenticity from Producer Gary Kurtz. While highly unusual that anyone from the production would have come to possess not one but two such props (Kurtz signed a document with one sold by Profiles in History in their “Hollywood Auction 22” event in June 2005 for $200,600 including Buyer’s Premium*), the lightsaber today sold for $236,000 including premium. This was the highest price realized in the event.
*Note: Buyer’s Premium for the purpose of this article is calculated at 18%, though it can range from 15%-20% based on how bid is placed and form of payment.
Other Star Wars pieces included the C3P0 mask/helmet from Return of the Jedi (Lot 348), which fetched $118,000 including premium, the pair of hands attributed to the same character as used in the same film (Lot 349) realizing $35,400, and a section of surface from the Death Star (Lot 346) attributed to A New Hope selling for $23,600 including premium.
The other two items which have received an extraordinary about of mainstream press were the fedora (Lot 369) and the bullwhip (Lot 370) attributed to Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom. Both were assigned estimates of $40,000-$60,000 and both failed to sell at auction. I monitored several online discussions which raised questions about the provenance of these pieces, as reported in a related article this week (see ABC News Interviews LiveAuctioneers CEO About Profiles in History… With No Mention of Profiles in History).
The machete assigned to the same film (Lot 371) also did not sell, though it did have a hefty $80,000 starting bid amount.
The Mercedes German staff car from Raiders of the Lost Ark did sell for the opening $60,000 bid (thus realizing $70,800 including premium).
The auction catalog cover featured a flying saucer miniature from Forbidden Planet (Lot 324), which sold for $76,700 including premium.
As discussed earlier this week (see James Bond Original Movie Memorabilia Values Continue To Soar), items offered at auction from the 007 franchise are in high demand, a trend reflected in the results of this event, though high starting bids seemed to stall the sale of some of the items.
A first edition copy of You Only Live Twice (Lot 103), signed by Ian Fleming and including the message “[t]o the real James Bond from the thief of his identity“, sold for $82,600 including premium.
A heavily annotated and handwritten 100-page manuscript from Robert Dahl for You Only Live Twice (Lot 104) realized $94,400 including premium.
A first edition of From Russia With Love (Lot 95) sold for $32,450 including premium and a signed first edition of Casino Royale (Lot 94) fetched $20,060 including premium.
Also sold was the original artwork for the Moonraker one-sheet poster (Lot 110), which realized $29,500 including premium.
However, not all Bond memorabilia sold, with four signed first editions (Lots 96-98 and 102) failing to register any bids at their respective $30,000, $20,000, $25,000, and $40,000 starting amounts. A few of the lower cost lots also failed to sell.
Also among the books realizing high prices was a set of first editions of The Lord of the Rings (Lot 86), signed by J.R.R. Tolkien. The $106,200 (including premium) realized marked the lot as one of the highest for the day, just behind the Threepio mask and the lightsaber.
Below is a summary of the lots with the highest prices realized:
- 347: Luke Skywalker lightsaber from Star Wars and ESB – $200,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 348: Star Wars Return of the Jedi C-3PO droid helmet – $100,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 86: The Lord of the Rings signed by J.R.R. Tolkien – $90,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 376: Full-Sized Animatronic “Joe” from Mighty Joe Young – $80,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 470: Wolverine black leather battlesuit from X-Men – $75,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 103: Ian Fleming sgd 1st British ed You Only Live Twice – $70,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 324: Orig flying saucer miniature from Forbidden Planet – $65,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 366: Mercedes German staff car Raiders of the Lost Ark – $60,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 104: You Only Live Twice manuscript sgd by Roald Dahl – $80,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 333: Marlon Brando Jor-El costume from Superman – $60,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 519: Orig. Santa Jack sled – Nightmare Before Christmas – $55,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 244: Roland Hill drawing of Sleeping Beauty’s castle – $42,500 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 167: Josephine Baker Die Konigin Von Paris Poster – $40,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 252: Bruce Lee notebook for The Tao of Chinese Gung Fu – $40,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 405: Little Green man maquette from Men in Black – $35,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 114: Orig. art Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – $32,500 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 448: Jim Carrey complete Riddler costume Batman Forever – $32,500 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 349: Star Wars Return of the Jedi C-3PO droid hands – $30,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 95: First British Edition Of From Russia With Love – $27,500 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 110: James Bond Moonraker one-sheet poster artwork – $25,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 323: Original set design for Conquest of the Pole – $25,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 295: John Wayne costume from Fort Apache – $20,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 326: Storyboard art from The Incredible Shrinking Man – $20,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 346: Original Death Star sectional piece from Star Wars – $20,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 431: Arnold Schwarzenegger T-800 Terminator costume – $20,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
- 518: Complete Jaffa costume from Stargate SG-1 – $20,000 (plus Buyer’s Premium)
The Jor-El costume worn by Marlon Brando in Superman: The Movie (Lot 333) included an official studio Warner Bros. Certificate of Authenticity, and as such, realized $70,800 (including premium). This illustrates that there is a true market starving for proven authentic original Superman costumes and wardrobe, and that collectors have become more and more discerning, willing to pay a significant premium for the few important pieces with proven provenance.
Of the lot of Gremlins consigned by Academy Award-winning artist Rick Baker, I found the prices to be lower than I expected, given the classic 80s status of the films and the impeccable provenance.
The Gizmo puppet (Lot 382) went for only $18,880 (including premium), which I would say is probably the best buy of the show. The rest sold in a range between $4,425-$18,880 (including premiums).
However, the full-size Mighty Joe Young from Baker’s Cinovation Studios (Lot 376) clocked in at the hefty $94,400 (including premium). Having said that, the 9 ½ foot high, 8 foot wide,15 foot long animatronic likely cost much, much more than that to produce for the film.
Another trend continues – very high prices on pieces and wardrobe from the X-Men films – with the Wolverine costume (Lot 470) realizing a record-breaking $88,500 (including premium). This would put key wardrobe from this character and comic franchise in league with Batman, Superman, and (if a costume were ever made available for sale) Spider-Man.
Of the Back to the Future hoverboards, offered were the entire set (sans the Marty McFly “Mattel” board sold last auction). Only the “Pitbull” (Lot 423) used by antagonist Biff sold, realizing $22,420 (including premium). The balance of the “gang” boards failed to sell at their opening $4,000 and $6,000 bid amounts.
Among items not sold is the tricycle used by Damien in The Omen (Lot 316), which had an opening bid of $30,000. A very important piece, it came from the collection of the actor Havey Stephens, who played Damien in the film.
Also not feeling the love at auction today was the Dean Cain TV Superman costume (Lot 272), the Marlon Brando coat from Apocalypse Now (Lot 322), wardrobe from Buckaroo Banzai (Lots 416-417), some Batman & Robin pieces, items from less successful genre films such as Van Helsing, The Chronicles of Riddick, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and The Fifth Element, and a mix of pieces from various movies and television programs.
There were definitely a number of relative “bargains” at various price points, compared with past events, which is always in the eye of the beholder.
Overall, given the current global economic trends, the sale appears to have been successful. But, in contrast to the prior auction, it would seem that on balance, there was less bid activity per lot and more lots passed with no bids.
Jason De Bord