The next auction of items from Marvel is quickly approaching.  The London and Los Angeles-based Prop Store, one of the five best sources for screen-used entertainment memorabilia, is readying for its next auction, only a month away, just releasing its catalog of items used by the cast and crew of Netflix’s short-lived but critically acclaimed spin through adaptations of Marvel characters for the small screen.  Will these lots sell remotely in the range of Profiles in History’s 2012 auction of Marvel Cinematic Universe costumes in props, which netted a high of just south of a quarter of a million dollars for a Chris Pine Captain America costume and shield?  Probably not, but some have some high starting estimated auction values.

Only covering three of the Marvel Television series, Marvel’s Daredevil, Marvel’s Luke Cage, and Marvel’s Iron Fist, you’ll find 893 items for sale that were featured in these TV series.  These are the actual props and costumes, worn or handled by either the actors or their stand-ins or stunt people, including what amounts to some of the series’ supersuits, some recognizable and some only background, prop weapons and focal objects, and set decoration items created or collected specifically for the shows.  Sorry, fans of Jessica Jones, The Punisher, and Defenders will have to wait out this auction–no items from these shows are included in this catalog.  But a big highlight is Lot #623, Misty Knight’s prop cybernetic arm.  It carries an auction estimate of $10-$12,000.

You really get an understanding of how little the Netflix Marvel series looked liked superhero stories after flipping through the new Prop Store auction catalog available online for viewing at the Prop Store website here.  Compare this catalog to the above-mentioned auction catalog (discussed back in 2012 here at borg) where Marvel Studios sold off Captain America: The First Avenger pieces, plus a few other Iron Man, Hulk, and Thor movie costumes and props.  There’s little to compare.  More suits and street clothes that appear off-the-rack (but probably aren’t, as often costume designers can spend as much work creating items to look like common clothing) can be found in this auction than helmets, hammers, and shields.

From Marvel’s Daredevil, you’ll find Matt Murdock aka Daredevil’s first supersuit (Lot #116), which has a $30-50,000 estimate, and other Murdock supersuit variants: Lot #151 ($25-30,000), Lot #205 ($30-$50,000), two impersonation costumes (Lots #346 and #390), a special effects cowl (Lot #131) with a $6,000-$8,000 estimate, a second iteration and stunt cowl each with a $6,000-$8,000 estimate, and another Daredevil costume without the cowl.  Plus lots of prop katanas, Elektra’s sais weapons, and more, all down to custom-tailored Foggy Nelson and Wilson Fisk suits and prop newspapers.

From Marvel’s Luke Cage, there are plenty of Cage’s hoodie outfits, all with estimates around $3,000-$5,000, Pop’s swear jar (several copies, with estimates of $1,000-$1,500), Pop’s barber chairs each with a $2,500-$3,500 estimate, Diamondback’s battle costumes, and several custom-tailored Mariah and Cottonmouth suits.

From the less popular Marvel’s Iron Fist, the auction estimates are far less.  Danny Rand’s first costume carries only a $500-$700 estimate.  His mask, Lot #676, has an estimate of $2,000-$3,000.  A light-up effects Iron Fist is estimated to sell at $1,500-$2,500 (#726).  And a Colleen Wing katana is expected to net $1,200-$1,800.

Bidders should read descriptions carefully and check out the auction terms posted with the catalog, as some items may be used by the principal actor, but many were used by stand-ins, stunt actors, or other characters.

The studio appears to be holding some back–actors often have several versions of each costume available per season on series like these, and many costumes and props likely didn’t make it to this Prop Store auction, presumably held back by Marvel or Netflix for future studio displays or other use.

Bidding is available now at the Prop Store website here.  The live auction will be held August 12, 2019, at 10 a.m. Pacific time.  See the Prop Store website for more information, and for photographs and descriptions of each lot.

C.J. Bunce
Editor
borg