Top Ten Hollywood Auction Sales
Top Ten Hollywood Auction Sales at Nate D Sanders Auctions
We at Nate D. Sanders Auctions have sold items from some of the most iconic names in Hollywood, ranging from the Silent Era to the Blockbuster Age of Hollywood. Take a peak at our top ten Hollywood auction sales:
10. James Dean Signed Warner Bros. Contract for ”East of Eden”, ”Rebel Without a Cause” and ”Giant”
James Dean is the only actor to receive two posthumous Academy Award acting nominations for his performances in “East of Eden” (1955) and “Giant” (1956). We had the opportunity to feature the estate of Jimmy Dean’s agent, Jane Deacy, where we auctioned several signed photos, contracts, handwritten letters and other personal belongings. A highlight from the auction was the Warner Bros. film contract from 1954 that made Dean a Hollywood legend. It realized $22,958.
9. Joan Crawford’s Dress from ”Mildred Pierce”
Joan Crawford is remembered as one of the most glamorous and enigmatic actresses of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Her film career spanned from 1925 through 1970 and she currently ranks in the American Film Institute’s top ten actresses in the history of cinema. We sold this unique polka-dot A-line dress worn by Crawford in her Oscar winning role for $27,500.
8. Marilyn Monroe Personally Owned Crystal Necklace
Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe is remembered for her timeless and sophisticated style. Some of her most notable jewelry items include chandelier earrings and diamond chokers. This exquisite crystal necklace from her personal collection sold for $29,136.
7. Bruce Lee Autograph Letter Signed on Gung Fu Martial Arts
Bruce Lee single-handedly popularized the rise of martial art movies in the 1970s. Some of his most famous titles include Enter the Dragon and Game of Death. We sold a Bruce Lee handwritten letter from 1964 to an aspiring martial arts student about to be deployed to Vietnam. This one-of-a kind letter sold for $37,500.
6. Batsuit Worn by Michael Keaton in “Batman Returns”
Tim Burton’s second installment of the Batman series, Batman Returns, was released in 1992 and featured an all-star cast consisting of Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer and Christopher Walken. We sold an elaborate Batsuit on display worn by Michael Keaton complete with bodysuit, cape, cowl style mask, leather gloves, boots and belt for $41,250.
5. ”Mary Poppins” Costume Sketch from the ”Flying Umbrella” Final Scene
Julie Andrews originally turned down the role of Mary Poppins as she was pregnant, but Walt Disney insisted that production would be postponed for her. The film was released in 1964 and became the highest grossing film of the year as well as Disney’s highest grossing film at the time. The film also was nominated for 13 Academy Awards and won five, including Best Actress. We sold a costume sketch, created from watercolor, pen, crayon and fabric swatches, from the Mary Poppin’s final “Flying Umbrella” scene for $50,000.
4. The Three Stooges Signed Agreement With Columbia From 1944
The Three Stooges were a comedy trio who were active for five decades and amassed an impressive resume of 190 short films and five feature films with Columbia Pictures. We had the privilege of handling Moe Howard’s estate and auctioned a variety of items including personal letters, signed contracts and film posters. One of the featured agreements was with Columbia Pictures from 1944 signed by Moe, Larry and Curly that realized $53,926.
3. Kate Winslet Screen-Worn Coat From ”Titanic”
With a budget of $210 million, Titanic was the most expensive film produced at its release in 1997. It was the first film to gross $1 billion and today it remains one of the top four grossing films. We sold a stunning pink coat with silk lining worn by Kate Winslet for the scenes where the ship beings to sink for $164,520.
2. Captain Kangaroo’s Bunny Rabbit & Mr. Moose Puppets
Captain Kangaroo, which aired between 1955 and 1984 and starred Bob Keeshan, was the longest running children’s series on CBS. We had the honor of featuring Bob Keeshan’s estate and realized $224,579 for original puppets of the beloved Mr. Moose and Bunny Rabbit characters.
1. Orson Welles Screen-Used Trophy From ”Citizen Kane”
Orson Welles was only 25 years old when he co-wrote, produced and starred in Citizen Kane. The American Film Institute voted the it the greatest American film of all-time by and and it has appeared in the number one spot of the British Film Institute’s Sight & Sound poll between 1962 and 2002. Sold for $275,544.
Top Ten Hollywood Auction Sales – Honorable Mentions
Marlene Dietrich Personally Owned Diamond Necklace
The outspoken Marlene Dietrich had a career that spanned seven decades and made her one of the leading ladies of the silver screen during the 1930s and 1940s. Dietrich’s legacy also involves her politics beliefs as she used her fame to support the war efforts of the U.S. during WWII. We sold a diamond and emerald pendant necklace from her personal collection for $18,700.
Shirley Temple Screen-Worn Dress From ”Just Around the Corner”
Shirley Temple appeared in her first movie at age three and by the age of six had already won the Academy Juvenile Award and starred in Stand Up and Cheer!, Bright Eyes and Baby, Take a Bow. Time magazine reported in 1936 that Temple was the most photographed person in the world. We sold an adorable blue pleated dress from her 1938 film Just Around the Corner for $15,625.
Steve McQueen Signed Passport From 1970
Some of Steve McQueen’s most well-known films include The Magnificent Seven and The Thomas Crown Affair. “The King of Cool” was paid $1 million his role in The Towering Inferno (1974) and became the world’s highest paid actor by the mid 1970s. We sold McQueen’s personal passport from 1970 for $12,076.
That concludes our top ten Hollywood auction sales! Please feel free to reach out to us if you have Hollywood memorabilia you’re interested in selling.