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Hot trend alert: Movie memorabilia, Sci-Fi at auction

Robert Eaton
9 min read
Robby the Robot from "Forbidden Planet"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_empty_space][vc_custom_heading text=”‘Forbidden’ fruits”][vc_column_text]Another red-hot market consignors and collectors should be aware of is movie memorabilia. Last week, Robby the Robot – the seven-foot tall robot from the 1956 MGM Sci-Fi classic “Forbidden Planet” – sold at Bonhams New York for a world record price of $5,375,000. This makes it the most valuable movie prop ever sold at auction, according to Bonhams press release.

This out-of-this-world result is just part of a trend of ever more successful auction sales in the category of movie memorabilia, including the titular statuette from “The Maltese Falcon,” which sold for $4 million; Marilyn Monroe’s white dress from “The Seven-Year Itch,” sold for $4.6 million; and the original 1966 Batmobile, which sold for $4.6 million.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text]

Robby the Robot from "Forbidden Planet"
Robby the Robot from “Forbidden Planet.” Sold at auction by Bonhams for a record $5.375 million.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”RR success stories in movie memorabilia”][vc_column_text]RR Auction has a love for movie memorabilia as well. We were proud to curate the Tom Gregory Hollywood Collection for him in 2016:[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVbRKFnmRWs”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Fully one-third of the nearly half-million items we’ve sold at auction are from the category of entertainment. Some of our stand-out items include:

  • Original “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” final working draft manuscript, sold for $313,056
  • Screen-used 2003 Escalade from “The Sopranos”, sold for $119,776
  • Jack Nicholson’s suit from “Chinatown”: $45,987
  • Screen-worn sash worn by Charlton Heston in “The Ten Commandments”: $33,784

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ra_carousel style=”s2″ columns=”col-md-3 col-sm-6 col-xs-12 no-padding no-margin” contain=”yes”][vc_single_image image=”8730″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”8731″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”8732″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”8733″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/ra_carousel][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]With Robby the Robot garnering such a huge payoff for his consignor, perhaps it’s time to sell your own Sci-Fi memorabilia at auction? Learn more here![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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