Three or More...A Perspective on Antiques, Collecting and Pop Culture

Top Celebrity Collectibles at Auction

Recently I read an article in Worth Magazine on the Top 10 Celebrity Relic Sales at Auction.

We all know things celebrities touch can often turn to gold, but these items I think reach platinum status!

(Let's do this ala David Letterman)

The #10 item on the list of Top 10 Celebrity Relics is a guitar Jimi Hendrix used that was sold for Julien's Auction in 2007 for $480,000

#9 - The talisman necklace worn by John Lennon on the cover of his 1968 album with Yoko Ono "Two Virgins". It was sold by GottaHaveRockandRoll.com (how's that for a URL?!) to a private collector in 2008 for $528,000

#8 - George Harrison's Gibson SG guitar. Christie's and Julien's Auctions sold this in 2004 to a private collector for $567,500

#7 - Marilyn Monroe's white baby grand piano.  This was sold by Christies. The lucky bidder? Mariah Carey.  $662,500

#6 - Judy Garlands ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz (oh I wanted those!) - again sold by Christies to a private collector in 2000 for $666,000

#5 - Audrey Hepburn's black Givenchy cocktail dress worn in Breakfast at Tiffany's.  Sold by Christie's to benefit a charity "City of Joy Aid" which serves the poor in India.  This sold in 2006 (purportedly to the House of Givenchy) for $923,187

#4 - A hand painted drum skin shown on the sleeve of the Beatle's album "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" in 2008 for $1.1 million

#3 - The dress Marilyn Monroe wore while singing "Happy Birthday" to JFK (who can remember the dress???)  Christie's again (where is Sotheby's in this mix?)  sold to New York Based GottaHaveIt.com in 1999 for $1.27 million

#2 - The Steinway piano on which John Lennon composed "Imagine" - ahhh here we go - sold by Sotheby's to none other than, George Michael in 2000 for $2.1 million

and finally, the #1 most expensive Celebrity Relic:

John Lennon's hand painted Rolls Royce Phantom V sold by Sotheby's to Canadian businessman Jim Pattison in 1985 for 2.23 million.

Whew....

And I thought people got a lot for my autograph on eBay!

R

Prized Muscle Car Located!

I thought this was a great story. Ron McCoy originally blogged it, and I'm reposting.  Thanks Ron!

The founder of the Papa John's pizza chain has finally reunited with the muscle car he sold years ago to help keep his family's business afloat. John Schnatter sold the gold-and-black 1971 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 for $2,800 in 1983. The money helped save his father's tavern in Jeffersonville, Ind., and he used the rest to start what would become a worldwide pizza business.

But he still missed his beloved Camaro and spent years searching for it. He created a Web site on the search, held promotional appearances and eventually offered $250,000 to whoever found it. It turns out he didn't have to leave Kentucky, where the pizza chain is based in Louisville. The car only changed hands twice from the original buyers, ending up with Jeffery Robinson in Flatwoods, about 165 miles to the east. The original buyers of Schnatter's car heard about the search when he appeared in a TV interview before an NFL game last summer. They followed the search and tipped off Papa John's. Robinson, who bought the car about five years ago for $4,000, recently delivered the Camaro to
Schnatter, earning the $250,000 reward. The original buyers will get $25,000 for their help tracking it down.

Schnatter says it looks very much the same as it did when he sold it in 1983, but with a larger motor and fatter tires for drag racing. The car will be displayed at the company headquarters in Louisville, replacing a replica Schnatter commissioned while he searched for his original car.

Halloween Collectibles!

If you thought collecting vintage Christmas ornaments was a fun family quest, try your hand at collecting vintage Halloween items.

Learn more by watching this video...Happy Halloween!

 

 

And the Oscar Goes To....

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to win an Oscar?
Or just to own one and place it on the mantle for all the world to see.

The Academy doesn't make it easy for the non acting world to acquire one of these beauties.
Not that there aren't plenty given out each year to actors, directors, producers etc - but the Academy decided some time ago that any Oscar given out from 1950 - present would have to be
sold back to the Academy for $1.00 (yes, that is not a typo) should the owner decide they no
longer wanted it.

It's like winning a trophy in high school for running on the track team only to have to give it back
when you graduate.

Alas, a few pre-1950 Oscars turn up on the market. This November, one will be up for grabs at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas. It is Anne Revere's 1945 Best Supporting Actress Oscar.
It is estimated to bring $150,000 or more.

Over the years we've seen these sell anywhere from $100,000 = $1.5 million, depending on the nominee.

If that doesn't wet your appetite for scarce celebrity memorabilia, they also have up for bid a Miles Davis signed trumpet, Greta Garbo's DMW application and a John F Kennedy signed morning edition of The Dallas Morning News, from Nov 22, 1963, the day he was assasinated.

To learn more about this wonderful sale, visit
www.ha.com

Sale date: Nov 6-7th

What's Halloween Without A Little Vampire?

I'm not talking about the pending "Twilight: New Moon" movie (Opening in theaters this November 20th...

(I would have loved to been on board for the merchandising of this series!)

I'm talking about collecting, upcoming auctions, and an authentic piece of vampire history you can acquire this Halloween.

Stevens Auction Company in Aberdeen, Miss is hosting another wonderful antique furniture and decorative arts sale, but with a special item, available to bidders, lurking among the civil war firearms and Confederate Currency...

An authentic Vampire killing kit.

And just what IS a vampire killing kit you ask (you know you did!) - it includes the following:

A Rosewood case with mother of pearl cross inlay, pistol, silver bullets in a coffin case, silver occult dagger and Holy Water vials.

To place your bids, or to attend the sale, please visit their website for more information:
www.stevensauction.com

The Beatles back for an encore?

Just yesterday I heard from a friend that Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney are getting back together.

But with the rest of the Beatles dead, are they really still The Beatles?  Can they still perform their original hits for their fans and the fans still like it?

With that said, it would seem like the perfect time to begin selling Beatles memoribilia.

Christie's recently sold a Sgt. Pepper poster, circa 1967, signed by all four of the band members for $52,500.

With that With that said, would you buy a new CD from Paul and Ringo? Pay to attend a concert? Post your feedback here! Reyne

Barbra Streisand Auctions Personal Items for Charity

Memories....like the corners of her mind.

Babs is at it again! In past years she has cleaned out her closets, selling fine works of art, furniture, and decorative arts to fund new collecting passions. This time she is doing it for charity!

(read more about past sales at Christie's: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art-market--funny-girl-with-serious-tastes-barbra-streisands-passion-for-art-nouveau-and-deco-began-when-she-was-only-16-her-impressive-collection-is-on-sale-this-week-geraldine-norman-reports-1396758.html)

This October, Streisand is auctioning over 400 of her baubles with proceeds going to her own foundation which will divide monies between a few beneficiaries.

Have you always wanted to dress like Streisand? Now you can bid on costumes from Funny Lady, The Way We Were, and Meet the Fockers.

Other pieces of furniture, including a baby grand piano will also be up for grabs.

The sale will take place October 17-18th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The beneficiaries are City Year, which provides resources to youths in local neighborhoods; and Cedar Sinai Women's Heart Health Center.

Preview the upcoming sale here:

http://www.juliensauctions.com/auctions/Streisand/catalog/catalogsale1.html

Is this 6 yr old the next Picasso?

He certainly doesn't paint like Picasso, but he is gaining media attention worldwide with his works of art.

Kieron Williamson, a 6-year-old British boy has talent. Working in watercolor, he paints wonderful scenes of harbors, landscapes, etc.

He began drawing when he was five after a family vacation. His work was noticed by a friend of the family who is an artist. She offered the child lessons.

Art experts have praised his work and look forward to seeing more in the future.

Kieron was quoted saying "I'm going to send one to Prince Charles. I've already sent one to the Queen, but I haven't had a reply yet."

What do you think of his work? Post your comments below.

Attention all shoppers...and collectors

No, its not an advertisement for Kmart

On Saturday, August 22nd at 7am - Rennigers Antique Market will hold American Small Business Stimulus Day. 

If you have an item you are no longer wanting, a duplicate, something that no longer works well with your decor...they are offering you a sweet deal in which to sell them.

Rennigers will waive their normal setup fee for their outdoor and pavilion space - the rate for the day will be $5.00 for a 8ft x 30 inch table.  Pavilion spaces are 10ft x 25ft deep.

They will rent extra tables for $3.oo ea.  Now you can't beat that!

Advanced reservations are suggested.  Please call 610-683-6848 for more information!

www.renningers.com

Keno Twins + Vintage Jaguar = Cha Ching

I had to blog about an upcoming sale that has a consignment by my friends Leslie & Leigh Keno.
You know, the hot, blonde boys from Antiques Roadshow. Yeah, them. You drool over them each Monday night at 8pm.

Now, you have the opportunity to own something very personal to them.
Their family's 1938 Jaguar Ss 100 Roadster.

That's right, they not only touched it, but sat in it, took their picture in front of it, etc....

This August, the family Jag is on the auction block at RM's Sports & Classics.

 

The car has been in the family since the twins were 12 years old. The car has been shown, raced at events, and it even was a chick magnet in college.

 

In 1998, this hot ride was in the 1,000 mile Louis Vuitton China Run.

 

If you are in search of a great investment quality weekend car, you might look long and hard at this one. Ya never know, perhaps the boys will take you for a spin if you are the winning bidder!
VVrrrrroooommmmmm

Pricey Childhood Memories

It's not cheap to bring a piece of nostalgia back into your life these days.

If your mom threw out your old comic books, make sure to share this blog with her...

Everyone loves Spiderman. You read the comics, watched the cartoon, or saw the movie. Face it, at some point in time your probably daydreamed about shooting some webbing out the window of your bedroom and swinging off to places unknown.

Heritage Auction Galleries has a near mint copy of the Amazing Spider-Man up for bid. The actual sale is August 14-15th, but they are accepting absentee bids now. The current bid (just in case you were considering it) is $53,000.

Another highlight in the sale (and one of my favorites) is an original work by Charles Schulz. You know, the creator behind the Peanuts comic strip. They have a few of these showing some of the most recognized scenes from the comic. For example, you can bid on a scene of Lucy pulling the football away before Charlie Brown kicks it. I might have to follow this lot. Two weeks before Mr. Schulz died, I sold a pen drawing by him of Snoopy on his doghouse. Where was my crystal ball then???

They also have additional comic art lots by the following artists:

Jim Steranko - Strange Tales artwork
Prince Valiant
Mandrake The Magician
Tarzan
Flash Gordon

To check out the entire sale (or even place a bid!) go to:
www.ha.com/7009

Happy Hunting!