by Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies recently held a movie props auction called Icons and Idols: Hollywood, and the results of this auction have been revealed. As you will see some movie fans paid a lot of money for some of these props!
The mechatronic model from ET Steven Spielberg‘s ET the extraterrestrial sold for a whopping $2,560,000! I just think it’s insane that there are people out there who have so much money for a movie collectible. Some of the other props sold are:
Charles Hestonis iconic The Ten Commandments “Holy Staff” sold for $448,000, twenty-two times its original estimate.
Marilyn Monroe‘s famous 1950s wardrobe as worn in photographs with Arthur Miller and Yves Montand – her classic black wool dress and white sleeveless summer dress sold for $256,000 each and the pearl gray silk dress coordinated with photos sold for $224,000.
Marilyn Monroe’s Personal Handwritten Documents – black “journal” diary with handwritten personal notes sold for $87,500, Gucci personal brown leather address book sold for $64,000 and her only known communication with father, greeting card by Stanley C. Gifford, sells for $31,250, fifteen times its original estimate.
Harry Potter‘s Nimbus 2000 Hero Prop Broom Sells for $128,000 and Ralph Fiennes’ “Lord Voldemort” hero Elder Wand netted $76,800
Chris Hemsworth‘s Thor: The Dark World “Mjolnir” Hero Hammer Prop Sold for $115,200
Chris Evans‘s Captain America: The First Avenger Hero Prop “Vibranium” Shield Sold for $102,400
Pedro Pascal‘s The Mandalorian Helmet from the Star Wars Disney+ series Sold for $75,000
Hayley Atwell‘s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Captain Carter Shield Prop Sold for $64,000
Don Cheadle‘s Iron Man 3 Original Iron Patriot helmet sold for $51,200
Bruce Lee‘s privately owned and used pair of black nunchucks sold for $64,000 and Enter the dragon Signed drawing in pen on paper Sold for $51,200
Robert DeNiro‘s wild bull Everlast boxing gloves and shorts grossed $44,800
Darth Maul‘s Dueling Lightsaber by Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Sold for $44,800
There were over 1,300 artifacts from the biggest films of Hollywood’s Golden Age and today’s biggest and most popular contemporary films, spanning sci-fi, action and fantasy classics and beyond. Here is the press release with more details:
The most anticipated moment of the auction was the sale of the headline item, the ET the extraterrestrial Hero “#1” “Actor” mechatronic film model that brought the eponymous character to life in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 classic “ET the Extra-Terrestrial” which sold for an amazing $2,560,000. Predating modern CGI technology and effects, the unique cinematographic relic (built in 1981) features 85 points of motion and is considered a technical masterpiece created by “the father of ET”, Carlo Rambaldi, an Oscar-winning Italian Special effects master, designer and mechatronics expert. Another highlight of the 1982 masterpiece sold this weekend was the original ET Maquette model, made for Steven Spielberg to approve the ET design, which sold for $125,000 times its original Estimate of $30,000.
Another exciting moment of the auction was the reappearance of an original “Holy Wand” from the classic by Cecille B. DeMille The Ten Commandments, which was used by Charlton Heston in his portrayal of Moses and fetched a staggering $448,000, more than twenty times its original estimate of $20,000. Heston used this prop in the iconic division of the Red Sea scene, a special effects marvel of the era.
Over 175 rare and unique items from Marilyn Monroe’s personal archive entered Saturday’s auction block, including wardrobe, personal care items, receipts, documents and beauty products. Among the many iconic items sold was a black wool dress with spaghetti straps and a back zip that was worn in several photos taken by her friend and business partner Milton Greene on January 28, 1955, which fetched a staggering $256,000. Another significant piece, a sleeveless sundress made of white textured cotton that Marilyn wore in the series of photos she and Arthur Miller took in New York City in 1956, sold for an impressive $256,000. A pearl gray silk dress that belonged to Marilyn personally and was a prototype for the dress made for her film Let’s Make Love, with a matching spot on the right breast as seen in a photograph of Marilyn next to hers Co-star seated Yves Montand grossed $224,000. Marilyn Monroe’s Mae West-inspired black cellophane-effect gown from her classic film The Seven Year Itch also sold for $56,250.
A stunning highlight uncovered at this auction of Marilyn Monroe’s personal archives was the discovery of a get well card from Marilyn Monroe’s father, Stanley C. Gifford, which sold for $31,250, fifteen times its original estimate of $2,000. The card is the only known note the star’s long-lost parent wrote to his famous daughter of their first and only known meeting. Marilyn’s other personal handwritten documents that have been sold include her black “notebook” journal with handwritten personal notes, which sold for $87,500, four times its original estimate of $20,000, and a brown leather Gucci personal address book, which sold for $64,000.
Some of the most iconic relics of 21st-century pop culture come from today’s biggest film franchises. Props from the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been sold for numbers as legendary as their heroes, including: an original “Mjolnir” heroic hammer prop used by “Thor”, played by Chris Hemsworth in Thor: The Dark World, which rocked the auction podium at $115,200; Chris Evans Captain America: The First Avenger the “Vibranium” hero shield, which sold for $102,400, as well as his other prop shield in the film, which sold for $38,400; Hayley Atwell’s shield prop used as her character, Captain Carter Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness which sold for $64,000; Don Cheadle’s original Iron Patriot helmet used in Iron Man 3 which sold for $51,200; a repulsor gauntlet hero prop worn by Iron Man, played by Robert Downey Jr. in iron man 2 which sold for $32,000; and more.
Fly in from the magic and the imagination Harry Potter Film Series was the hero prop “Nimbus 2000” broom for “Harry Potter” in the movie Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban which sold for a staggering $128,000. Other top highlights included Ralph Fiennes’ heroic staff Lord Voldemort, which sold for $76,800; a pair of glasses procured for the star of the film Daniel Radcliffe for the movie Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold for $35,200 and an original Gryffindor wool coat and iconic red and yellow Gryffindor scarf worn by Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets sold for $32,000.
“It is always a privilege to put together our annual year-end Hollywood auction and this year’s was one of our best and most spectacular yet,” said Martin Nolan, Executive Director of Julien’s Auctions. “This weekend was truly a career-defining chapter in our house auction history, with a marquee lineup curated with TCM from over 1,300 Hollywood props, artifacts and memorabilia from the greatest films of all time, and especially this first and one-off sale of the Original film “ET the Extra-Terrestrial Hero” #1 “Mechatronic film model.”
