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In the Entertainment Memorabilia auction community, today is day one of the biggest auction weekend in years.  Following up on their second auction of Debbie Reynolds’ collection costumes, props and camera equipment from Hollywood’s Golden Age, Profiles in History pulled out all the stops and has accumulated props and costumes from sci-fi, fantasy, action TV and films, and an entire day devoted to original animation art.  It begins with the Icons of Hollywood Auction today and tomorrow, December 15-16, 2011, and continues Sunday, December 17, 2011, with the Icons of Animation Auction.

As reported here December 6, 2011, one item on the block is a special effects arm used for Lindsay Wagner as Jaime Summers as the original Bionic Woman.  But that just scratches the surface of great stuff available.  And based on recent auctions, there is no global economy problem, as props and costumes are breaking past records.  On eBay recently a Matt Smith Doctor Who costume sold for $75,000.  With a franchise as popular as Star Trek, and as old and with a similar fan following, this kind of price reflects fan loyalty and what really loyal fans are willing to shell out to hold a piece of TV or silver screen magic in their hands.

The auction starts today with original studio marketing photographs of various actors and actresses over the past 100 years, as well as lobby cards, posters and one of a kind costume sketches by the likes of Edith Head and other early designers.  Then lots of scripts and logo art from TV and film credits.  Here are some key items from Day One:

• Billy Mumy shirt for his role as Will Robinson from Lost in Space, with an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000.
• One of the 1969 Dodge Chargers used as the General Lee in The Dukes of Hazzard has an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000.
• Dalek from a 1985 episode of Doctor Who, estimated at $10,000 to $12,000.
• Mork from Ork costume from Mork and Mindy, estimated at $40,000 to $60,000

Some key items from Day Two:

• Bela Lugosi screen-worn cape as Count Dracula from Dracula, estimated at $1,500,000 to $2,000,000.
• Longbow from The Adventures of Robin Hood, estimated at $15,000 to $20,000.
• Judy Garland gingham dress as Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz, estimated at $200,000 to $300,000.
• One of four known pairs of ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, estimated at $2,000,000 to $3,000,000.
• Bert Lahr’s Cowardly Lion costume from The Wizard of Oz, estimated at $2,000,000 to $3,000,000.

• A variety of items from The Planet of the Apes and Back to the Future franchises.
• The DeLorean from Back to the Future III that was at Comic-Con this year, estimated at $400,000 to $600,000.

• Steve McQueen driving suit from LeMans, estimated at $200,000 to $300,000.
• Steve McQueen U.S. Navy uniform from The Sand Pebbles, estimated at $30,000 to $50,000.

• Gene Wilder Willy Wonka hat from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, estimated at $20,000 to $30,000.
• Sean Connery Marko Ramius Russian naval uniform from The Hunt for Red October, estimated at $6,000 to $8,000.

• The “Red October” submarine model from The Hunt for Red October, estimated at $20,000 to $30,000.
• Michael Keaton batsuit from Batman Returns, estimated at $30,000 to $50,000.
• Endo-skull from Terminator 2, estimated at $12,000 to $15,000.
• Bruce Campbell Ash costume from Army of Darkness, estimated at $12,000 to $15,000.

• Peter Weller Robocop costume from Robocop, estimated at $10,000 to $12,000.
• James Marsden Cyclops costume from X-Men 2, estimated at $30,000 to $50,000.
• PreCrime stunt jetpack from Minority Report, estimated at $4,000 to $6,000.
• Bob Newhart Papa Elf costume from Elf, estimated at $8,000 to $12,000.
• Will Farrell Buddy the Elf costume from Elf, estimated at $8,000 to $12,000.
• Star Trek Original series wooden hand phaser, estimated at $30,000 to $50,000.
• Patrick Stewart Captain Jean-Luc Picard tunic from Star Trek: The Next Generation, estimated at $4,000 to $6,000.
• Jonathan Frakes Commander Will Riker tunic from Star Trek: The Next Generation, estimated at $3,000 to $4,000.

• Collection of six costumes from bridge crew of Star Trek Voyager, estimated at $15,000 to $20,000.
• Original NASA Gemini spacesuit, estimated at $150,000 to $250,000.
• Russian spacesuit worn by first Russian woman to walk in space, estimated at $200,000 to $300,000.

On Day Three, every lot is a masterwork of animation history.  Lots include original art from Little Golden Books like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Smokey the Bear and The Night Before Christmas, Charles Schulz art from The Pumpkin Patch and Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, original work from production studios from Hanna Barbera to Walt Disney.  Major highlights include:

• The earliest known color cel of Mickey Mouse, estimated at $80,000 to $120,000.
• Cels of the Queen and Snow White from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, estimated between $12,000 and $20,000.

• Giant pan cel from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, estimated at $80,000 to $120,000.
• Original Dumbo, Bambi, Lady and the Tramp and Cinderella cels, estimated at $4,000 to $8,000.

• Several cels from Song of the South.
• Several stunning cels of Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, estimated from $300 to $80,000.

More information is available at the Profiles in History website.

C.J. Bunce

Editor

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