There was a tremendous amount of pre-auction mainstream media coverage about the motorcycle put on the auction block by Profiles in History last month, a lot of it generated from an AP story picked up by many news outlets that was titled “‘Easy Rider’ chopper at auction might be phony” (as of this time, that keyword search is resulting in 22,500 hits on Google). The day of the auction, and for a few days following, the most used headline was a variation on proclamations that it sold for $1.35 million. But, as a matter of public record, did it really sell? And if not, why has no media outlet (to my knowledge) reported on the sale falling through? [Read more…]
Review of First Prop Store Live Auction and Profiles in History’s Hollywood Auction 65, 67, 68, The Expendables
The past week has been a significant one for the original television and movie prop, wardrobe, and asset art market, with two of the biggest dealers in the business having their own live auction events. This marked the first big live auction for Prop Store, which held it’s “Auction of Film & Television Artefacts” on the 16th, and Profiles in History had a multi-day event for their “Hollywood Auction 65” and their Expendables Auction (“Hollywood Auction 67 & 68” – yes, the naming/numbering is confusing… see prior article). With over 2,600 lots offered for sale collectively, it provides an opportunity for some analysis of each sale on its own merits as well as comparing and contrasting the different companies and their approach with the marketplace. [Read more…]
Profiles in History ‘The Expendables Auction” (+ More “Hollywood Auction 65”) Movie Prop Catalog Available Online for Sale Event October 20
Profiles in History’s catalog for “The Expendables Auction”, which follows their “Hollywood Auction 65”, is now available in print as well as online, via their official site. This sale is scheduled for 20th at their Calabasas Hills facility. Interestingly, though it is “The Expendables Auction”, lots 1 – 165 are from Expendables 3, and 166 -252 are from other films. The Catalog then transitions back into “Hollywood Auction 68”, with lots 253 – 440 from the Narnia franchise… so 37% of “The Expendables Auction” is material related to The Expendables, though the name of the auction and cover of the catalog would lead one to believe it is entirely dedicated to The Expendables. [Read more…]
Profiles in History ‘Hollywood Auction 65′ TV & Movie Prop Catalog Available Online for Sale Event October 17-20
Profiles in History’s latest auction catalog, “Hollywood Auction 65”, is now available in print as well as online, via their official site. This sale is scheduled for October 17th-20th at their Calabasas Hills facility. While with their last big Hollywood Auction sale they seemed to change course on their reserves/estimates strategy on much of the catalog, and steered away from the hopeful jackpot estimates that have plagued their sales more and more in the past few years, that old philosophy is still somewhat present with this sale (see Gilligan’s Island costume with a $30,000-$50,000 estimate), though on balance, things seem to be more reasonable than not, relatively speaking. But they continue to lead the industry with phonebook-sized catalogs, this one weighing in at 630 pages, with a mix of new material and material that has been up for auction in past sales (some many times). [Read more…]