Iconic Hollywood props to fetch $12 million at auction – including a $1.5 million C-3P0

Entertainment

Movie props from some of the biggest blockbusters in history are headed to auction in March, and are expected to fetch US$8 million (AU$12.2 million).
1978: Australian singer and actor Olivia Newton-John and American actor John Travolta dance in a crowded high school gym in a still from the film, ‘Grease,’ directed by Randal Kleiser. (Photo by Paramount Pictures/Fotos International/Getty Images)

Over 1,700 iconic lots are headed under the hammer via Propstore between March 12th and 14th, with a total value of more than US$8 million. It’s the first time the film and TV memorabilia company will be auctioning off its items.

“The auction has a strong showing of the usual crowd-favourite titles such as Indiana Jones and Blade Runner, and also contains a great spread of vintage material from names like Charlie Chaplin, Groucho Marx, Audrey Hepburn, Charlton Heston, and many more,” COO of Propstore, Brandon Alinger, said.

The biggest-ticket item is  a screen-matched Light-up C-3PO from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983), up for a whopping US$500,000 to US$1,000,000 (AU$1.53 million).

“After the huge success of part one of the sale of my collection in London, I’m so pleased that Propstore will offer the remainder of my treasures in Los Angeles,”Anthony Daniels, who plays C-3PO in the Star Wars franchise, said. “I hope these wonderful pieces of memorabilia find new homes where they will be displayed, respected and enjoyed by fans, who now have a chance to own a genuine piece of Star Wars history.”

With price-tags of US$200,000-US$400,000, the second-priciest items are a leather jacket worn by stuntman Vic Armstrong in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and Captain America’s motorcycle in Easy Rider (1969).

The Erlewine Hondo Chiquita Guitar owned by Back to the Future’s Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, is also headed under the hammer, with an asking price of US$100,000 to US$200,000.

You can even buy Sandy Olsson’s drive-in costume from Grease for US$25,000 to US$50,000.

The top pieces will be offered on the first day of the auction, with bidding set to take place live from the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, in addition to being available via telephone and online.

For entry-level collectors, items headed to auction on the third day will be offered in a “no reserve” format, meaning the lots are highly accessible.

Here are the top items up for sale (all in USD):
  • TAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) Anthony Daniels Collection: Screen-matched Light-up C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) Head, est. $500,000 – $1,000,000
  • INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984) Indiana Jones’ Screen-Matched Stunt Leather Jacket, est. $200,000 – $400,000
  • EASY RIDER (1969) “Captain America” Wyatt’s (Peter Fonda) Panhead Chopper Motorcycle, est. $200,000 – $400,000
  • STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) Imperial Stormtrooper Helmet, est. $150,000 – $300,000
  • BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985) Marty McFly’s (Michael J. Fox) Screen-Matched Erlewine Hondo Chiquita Guitar, est. $100,000 – $200,000
  • SABRINA (1954) Sabrina Fairchild’s (Audrey Hepburn) Screen-Matched Embroidered ilk-Organza Gown, est. $100,000 – $200,000
  • THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY (2001-2003) Gimli’s (John Rhys-Davies) Double-headed Axe, est. $100,000 – $200,000
  • STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION (1987-1994) Captain Picard’s (Patrick Stewart) Screen-Matched Light-Up Command Chair, est. $50,000 – $100,000
  • I LOVE LUCY (1951-1957) Lucy Ricardo’s (Lucille Ball) Photo-Matched Master Dress and Dickie, est. $40,000 – $80,000
  • JAMES BOND: YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967) James Bond’s (Sean Connery) Screen-matched Suit, est. $40,000 – $80,000
  • THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) Moses’ (Charlton Heston) Ten Commandments Tablets, est. $40,000 – $80,000
  • GREASE (1978) Sandy Olsson’s (Olivia Newton-John) Drive-In Costume, est. $25,000 – $50,000
  • THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994) Andy Dufresne’s (Tim Robbins) Screen-matched Prison Shirt & Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman) Screen-matched Prison Costume, est. each lot $25,000 – $50,000
  • THE GODFATHER PART II (1974) Vito Corleone’s (Robert De Niro) Screen-matched Pea Coat, est. $20,000 – $40,000
  • THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940) Adenoid Hynkel’s (Charlie Chaplin) Dress Uniform Jacket, est. $20,000 – $40,000
  • X-MEN (2000) Wolverine’s (Hugh Jackman) Leather Jacket and Shirt, est. $20,000 – $40,000
  • BRAVEHEART (1995) William Wallace (Mel Gibson) and Murron MacClannough’s (Catherine McCormack) Wedding Tartan, est. $12,000 – $24,000
  • A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD (1989) Freddy Krueger Stunt Mask, est. $12,000 – $24,000
  • HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (2004) Harry Potter’s (Daniel Radcliffe) Wand, est. $10,000 – $20,000
  • EVEL KNIEVEL Evel Knievel’s Stars-and-Stripes Leather Jacket, est. $8,000 – $16,000

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