The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.
- Malcolm Forbes
Time was, most any kid in a region with snow owned a sled. It was a right-of-passage on those all-too-infrequent school “snow days.” Some kid’s sleds were better than others. Growing up in Ohio, it’s a safe bet Steven Spielberg had a sled. He now lives in sunny California but has another one. The difference is, his current sled cost $60,000....
Spielberg’s sled is an exception because it is the famous one from the classic movie “Citizen Kane” starring Orson Wells. Spielberg purchased the sled as an homage to the movie considered by many to be “the best film of all time.” He has since loaned it to the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
When it comes to Hollywood memorabilia, Spielberg is no different than the rest of us. There’s something about owning items touched by a star or that appeared in a film or on a TV show.
As much as the Covid pandemic has impeded business and other aspects of our daily lives, it has actually bolstered hobbies. Special envelopes bearing stamps with a Hollywood cachet or saluting a star is a favorite area of topical collecting. The first stamp showcasing the film industry was released in 1944. It featured a group of US soldiers in the jungles of the South Pacific enjoying a movie projected onto a makeshift screen made from a bedsheet. Since then, countless Hollywood luminaries have appeared on stamps. Envelopes signed by stars is a popular area of collecting.
To go a step further, while most actors admit to taking a favorite item from a TV or movie set once production is wrapped, few of us get that opportunity. Early in November, the public will have a chance to own a coveted piece of Hollywood when The Prop Store in London holds an unprecedented auction laden with iconic movie memorabilia.
A few sneak preview items from the auction are more than enough to whet the appetite of even casual moviegoers. These include: a “proton pack” from the 2016 remake of Ghostbusters; a Spiderman costume from the film Spiderman 3; and a Stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars’ 1983 Return of the Jedi. That last one is estimated to bring between $150,000 and $200,000.
Also for sale is a hoverboard ridden by Michael J. Fox in Back To The Future II signed by Fox himself. So too for the helmet worn by Russel Crowe in Gladiator; a razor glove worn by Freddy Krueger in the 1987 film A Nightmare On Elm Street 3; and a complete costume worn by Will Farrell in the 2009 movie Elf. The glove and Elf costume are expected to fetch over $40,000 each.
Surely, the auction – which can be viewed at: https://ukm.propstoreauction.com/m/view-auctions/info/id/299/#catalog-section – is bound to have something of interest to most everyone. Though some of the estimates may appear high, they don’t hold a candle to some of the Hollywood props of the past.
Luke Walker’s lightsaber from the Star Wars franchise sold in 2017 for $450,000. Judy Garland’s gingham dress from The Wizard of Oz brought $480,000 in 2012. (From that film, a pair of her ruby slippers are now worth well north of one million dollars and on display at the Smithsonian). The drapery garments worn by the Von Trapp children in The Sound Of Music brought $1.3 million in 2013. At the same time, Charlie Chaplin’s ubiquitous cane sold for $350,000.
In the truly stratospheric category, the piano played by Sam in Casablanca sold at Bonhoms New York for $3.4 million. The Maltese Falcon statue from the film of the same name sold for $4 million. Also, at Bonhoms was “Robby the Robot” from the campy classic Forbidden Planet bringing $5.3 million. James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 car from the film Goldfinger brought $4.6 million. Topping them all was the white pleated dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in the 1955 classic The Seven Year Itch. That dress was hammered down for an eye-popping $5.6 million when sold by Debbie Reynolds in 2011. (It was estimated to bring just $2 million.)
It all makes Spielberg’s sled purchase seem a veritable bargain. What’s to come at the November sale as well as others in the future? That will depend on our fascination with the silver screen and, naturally, who has the deepest pockets.
For more collecting advice, visit www.peterexford.blogspot.com