Lot 373 - John Chambers Collection John Chambers Briefcase with Real-World Argo and CIA Documents

Sold Stock #160031 | Sold Jul 12 2023

JOHN CHAMBERS COLLECTION

Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction: Los Angeles 2023

Lot #373 - John Chambers Collection: John Chambers' Briefcase with Real-World Argo and CIA Documents

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Bidding for this lot will end on Wednesday, June 28th. The auction will begin at 8:00AM PDT and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Thursday, June 29th or Friday, June 30th.

John Chambers' briefcase with Real-World Argo and CIA documents from the 1970s and 1980s. Chambers was commissioned by the CIA to create "disguise kits" that assisted in the escape of six American hostages from Iran.

This lot comes from the personal collection of John Chambers.

CIA officer Tony Mendez recruited Chambers as part of the 1980 "Canadian Caper" during the Iran hostage crisis. As a well-established Hollywood makeup artist, Chambers participated in the clandestine operation under the guise of producing a fictional science-fiction film called Argo, whose script required exotic locales, such as those in Iran. His efforts led to the escape of six American embassy personnel and his reception of the CIA's Intelligence Medal of Merit. Following the 1997 declassification, director-producer Ben Affleck led the 2012 Academy Award winning film Argo, where Affleck portrayed Mendez and John Goodman portrayed Chambers.

This lot consists of a 16mm miniature camera; 58 transparency films; a phone handset microphone marked "J.C."; a brown vinyl 1980 daily diary with handwritten notes; a gold-color 1975 calendar booklet marked "1975" with handwritten notes; five black-and-white photos; 36 "Argo" related Polaroids; 19 photos in a manila envelope marked "CIA"; three "The Hollywood Reporter" magazines from 1980; a 1980 Variety Daily article with "Argo" hand-annotated in red; eight pages of Studio Six Productions' tax returns; two Studio Six Productions folders with 38 pages and nine photos; five newspaper pages; a four-page Studio Six Productions tenant agreement; 538 pages of miscellaneous documents and receipts; and one gray briefcase labeled "John Chambers" with his mailing address. This lot exhibits discoloration, tape residue, grime, and sticky and folded pages from age. Dimensions: 17" x 12.5" x 4" (43.25 cm x 31.75 cm x 10.25 cm)

Estimate: $10,000 - 20,000

View all lots from JOHN CHAMBERS COLLECTION

View all lots from STAR TREK FRANCHISE (1966-PRESENT)

Size

Item size: 17" × 12.5" × 4" (43.18cm × 31.75cm × 10.16cm)

This item comes with a Propstore Certificate of Authenticity

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This item is located in London.

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