LOS ANGELES – This summer, Julien’s Auctions, reaches for the stars and rockets into space with Hollywood: Legends & Explorers, the record-breaking auction house’s blockbuster Hollywood and space exploration memorabilia event to take place on Friday, July 17 & Saturday, July 18, at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills. This two-day extravaganza offers a marquee collection of over 900 items from Hollywood entertainment film lore to cult classics to next and now iconography from television’s past and present golden ages. A special category to this year’s edition is an exclusive collection of some of the most significant and historical Space artifacts and treasures. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.
The highlight of the auction is one of the most iconic spacesuits from the Hollywood science fiction masterpiece that captured the imagination of filmgoers unlike any before: Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. The suit (above) features a helmet that was repainted throughout production for many scenes, and is believed to have been worn by the film’s star, Keir Dullea, as mission pilot and scientist Dr. David Bowman, as one layer of paint is the iconic green, only worn in the film by Dullea in the most memorable scene in the film. The backstory of the suit is one of great discovery, importance and value in Hollywood history and in the collector’s world as items from the film’s production rarely come to auction. Legend has it that most of the production props and wardrobe were destroyed after the film’s production wrapped thus, screen-used props and costumes from the film are among the rarest and most elusive to acquire by high-end collectors and museums and institutions alike.
The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and won for visual effects, due to its use of pioneering cinematic techniques as well as its accurate depiction of space flight. 2001: A Space Odyssey is widely regarded as one of the most influential and culturally significant films of all time and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1991. This spacesuit, which has been in controlled storage for the past two decades since it was first purchased at auction in 1999, has an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000.
Julien’s Auctions presents a historic collection of some of the most important pieces used in space exploration including the actual pilot control stick used by Neil Armstrong on the Apollo 11 flight to the moon (estimate: $100,000-200,000); an Apollo-era spacesuit glove designed for Armstrong (estimate: $10,000-20,000); a complete original tool kit flown on Apollo 17 during the last mission to the moon (estimate: $20,000-30,000); and a baseball signed by the Apollo 11 flight crew, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins (estimate: $1,000-2,000).
One of Hollywood’s most beloved 1980s pop culture artifacts, the KITT Knight Rider 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, will rev up the auction block (photo above). The vehicle created by Universal Studios and used in tours and appearances promoting the popular Knight Rider (MCA TV, 1982-1987) television series starring David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight and was also on display at the Siegfried Marcus Automobile Museum in Stockerau, Austria through 2005.
In addition to the hit series, the “talking” AI automobile was the star of the Knight Rider franchise which spawned three television films, computer and video games, and novels. This splendid piece comes with great provenance including a certificate of authenticity signed by Hasselhoff. The car’s estimate is $100,000 to $200,000.
An original cape worn by Christopher Reeve in his iconic role as the Man of Steel in the Superman (Warner Bros., 1978) film franchise, Superman I, II and most likely III as well, takes flight again to the auction block estimate: $20,000 to $40,000).
A rare collection of original prints and photographs taken on the set Star Wars will be seen for the first time in over forty years and offered for the first time at auction (photo right). Jack Warford, a Magnum photographer, was hired by producers George Mather and Gary Kurtz to photograph all of the principal starship models on set during the production of the film and was given permission to make prints of his work. Since 1977, his prints used for the film’s marketing, promotion, and merchandise have been in dark storage with some never before been published. Five lots of Warford’s Star Wars work are being offered including, his most personal and complete lot consisting of 19 16×20 prints with several that are one of a kind from his estate. Academy award-winning composer John Williams’ original film score sketches to The Empire Strikes Back is another exceptional lot for Star Wars fans and collectors including his sketches to “The Asteroid Field” and the “Finale” believed to have been production used (each estimate: $10,000-$20,000).
“Property from the Estate of Nolan Miller” features an amazing collection of 127 lots representing his work. Nolan Miller’s life and designs epitomized Hollywood glamour. He not only designed garments for the original leading ladies of cinema; he also developed close friendships with Barbara Stanwyck, Ginger Rogers, Lana Turner, Susan Hayward, Bette Davis, Jane Wyman, Lucille Ball, Sophia Loren, Joan Crawford, and Elizabeth Taylor, to name a few, including work from the iconic series, Dynasty, The Love Boat, Charlie’s Angels, Hotel, The Colbys and more.
Hollywood’s most legendary leading ladies of film and television will make a grand appearance on the auction block with personal items and memorabilia from the lives and careers of Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Valerie Harper, Greta Garbo, Katherine Hepburn, Doris Day, Mae West, Judy Garland and more. Highlights include a tan corduroy shirt with cuffed short sleeves worn by Marilyn Monroe in many famous photographs taken by Milton H. Greene (estimate: $10,000-$20,000) and a pair of simulated diamond, fringe earrings worn by the star to the 1955 world premiere of The Seven Year Itch in New York City (estimate: $50,000-$70,000).
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