As we assessed the cinematic and televisual treasures available in our second Los Angeles-based Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, it occurred to us just how much history was contained in our lots.
From the 1960s to the 2010s, we have six decades’ worth of memorabilia. So let’s go on a journey, decade by decade, through some truly iconic props – all of which will be open for bidding July 1st – which all made a mark on the eras in which they graced the screen.
The 1960s
Jeannie’s Stunt Bottle, from I Dream of Jeannie (1966-69)
The ’60s were a time of social upheaval and sexual revolution. While beloved sitcom I Dream of Jeannie is not quite a feminist clarion call, it did represent a new world where major TV shows could have a female central protagonist. The show also aired during a televisual revolution, switching from black-and-white to color for its second season. This striking piece of glassware well represents that epochal moment. While Jeannie’s season one abode, originally a Jim Beam’s Choice bourbon bottle, was only sparsely painted with a simple leaf pattern, the move to color gave the prop a vivid, eye-catching upgrade. Bright and psychedelic, you could almost say the new version is the ’60s… bottled!
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The 1970s
Statler and Waldorf Puppet Heads, from The Muppets (1975)
The decade of Nixon, Watergate, and the fallout of the Vietnam War was cinematically characterized by gritty, edgy dramas which brought escapism down to earth and rolled around in the dirt. But, while the world grappled with its conscience and the corruption of its leaders, a small band of puppeteers hit the airwaves and made the viewing public believe in the kindness behind their Antron felt creations. As Kermit the Frog led the misfit troupe’s antics on stage, lifelong critics Statler and Waldorf hurled heckles at them all from their theater box. A testament to these eternal curmudgeons’ longevity, this pair of original Muppet heads were constructed by Ha! Henson Associates in 1998.
The 1980s
Indiana Jones’ Fedora, from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
As the Star Wars trilogy went to hyperspace and “movie brats” George Lucas and Steven Spielberg brought eye-popping, jaw-dropping flights of fantasy to our screens, the ’80s became defined by a new brand of visual-effects-driven action. And if a single item could represent the decade’s sense of big-budget adventure and new-school derring-do, what is more appropriate than a certain brown rabbit-felt fedora?
Sure, Indiana Jones was a heartfelt throwback to the adventure serials and pulp magazines of the ’30s, but Spielberg’s modern vision and Lucas’ groundbreaking effects house ILM reinvented the genre through Raiders of the Lost Ark and its sequels. And with such style, too: every iconic hero should be recognizable by their silhouette, and thanks to his hat (one which he can never leave behind), Indy will forever be recognized worldwide, in an instant
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The 1990s
Jim Carrey-Signed Hero Mask of Loki, from The Mask (1994)
As the 1990s dawned, summer blockbusters became as spectacular as they were commonplace, with the stumbling rise of superhero action romps and actors with more star power and personality than their films to contain. Enter: Jim Carrey. Carrey’s star rose from relative obscurity to worldwide sensation in 1994 with the release of Ace Venture: Pet Detective, Dumb and Dumber, and The Mask.
An adaptation of the Dark Horse comic of the same name, The Mask earned an incredible $351 million at the box office, placing it at the time as the second-most profitable comic book film of all time, behind Superman (1978). And while the star’s green, grinning face brought people to the theaters, it was the wooden Mask of Loki that gave Carrey’s Stanley Ipkiss his cartoonish trickster powers.
Imbuing this piece with even more personality is Carrey’s inscription along the ridge to the film’s prop master, “To Tom, now leave me alone.”
The 2000s
Harry Potter’s Wand, from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
Much as the wand chooses the wizard, the era chooses its hero. Arriving in 2010, the hugely ambitious, and successful, films of J.K. Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel transported us away from normalcy to the magical, often sinister, world of witchcraft and wizardry.
All the magic of that journey is symbolized by the instrument of Harry’s power: his wand. This example is from the young wizard’s penultimate appearance at the close of the decade, though he used the same style of wand since his third year at Hogwarts. This auction lot and Harry’s glasses represent the first time these particular props have ever been offered at auction by the Warner Bros. Archive. 100% of the Hammer Price proceeds from these sales will benefit Lumos, an international charity founded by J.K. Rowling and dedicated to fighting for every child’s right to a loving family. Learn more about Lumos HERE.
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The 2010s
Framed Cast-Autographed Clapperboard, from The Avengers (2012)
The past ten years of Hollywood filmmaking have been dominated by one name above a fury of competitors: Marvel. Starting in 2008 with the introduction of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, four years of standalone superhero stories led to an unprecedented silver screen crossover in The Avengers. Collected on this “gift slate” clapperboard are autographs from the entire SHIELD team, including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard, and the creator of many of the film’s characters, Stan Lee. Consider these Avengers assembled.
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These pieces and over 1300 more lots of iconic props and costumes will be open for bidding in our Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction – Los Angeles starting June 1st. Click the banner below to view our preview gallery and don’t forget to register for bidding.
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