Hollywood Memories At Auction

The Calif.-based auction house Profiles in History is putting hundreds of pieces of Hollywood memorabilia on sale July 31-Aug. 1. The auction, expected to garner $3 million, includes rare posters, including a French poster for "King Kong" ($10,000-$15,000), and the AIP genre picture "Reform School Girl" ($300-$500).

They Had Faces Then

Scores of rare portraits at auction show the genius of Hollywood studio glamour photographers, include photos of Greta Garbo (top left, $2,000-$3,000), Teresa Wright (bottom left, $200-$300), Louise Brooks (top right, $300-$500) and Norma Shearer (bottom right, $4,000-$6,000). At center is Olympian Johnny Weismuller, best known as Tarzan ($2,000-$3,000).

Dress Up

Many costume sketches, including Cecil Beaton's from "Anna Karenina" (left, $600-$800), and Travilla's for Jane Russell in "Gentlemen Marry Brunettes" (right, $300-$500), are available. Costumes on sale include Celeste Holm's chiffon dress from "High Society" ($600-$800).

Armaments

You can wield Clint Eastwood's .44 caliber Colt Walker from "The Outlaw Josey Wales ($40,000--$50,000), or Jack Nicholson's axe from "The Shining" (which was constructed from fiberglass so as not to hurt anybody) ($5,000--$7,000). Alas, the Winkie's spear from "The Wizard of Oz" (top, $20,000-$30,000), and the ray gun from "Forbidden Planet" ($30,000--$40,000), are more fanciful than threatening.

Epic Designs

This charcoal-on-vellum concept sketch of the chariot race in the Circus Maximus is among a collection of original renderings used in designing "Ben Hur" ($8,000-$10,000).

Someone Gave A Damn

Margaret Mitchell, who penned the immortal "Gone With the Wind," signed something almost as valuable as her manuscript: a three-page amendment to her contract with producer David O. Selznick. The rare document related to a "motion picture edition" of her novel using stills from the film. The contract was dated Feb. 14, 1940, two weeks before the film was awarded ten Academy Awards ($6,000-$8,000).

Thou Shalt Bid

One of four sets of fiberglass tablets created for Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 epic, "The Ten Commandments," which had (fittingly?) been gifted by Paramount Studios to an Atlantic City hotel/casino! Scholars consulted for the film wrote out the laws in an early Canaanite script that was a precursor of what became the square Hebrew alphabet ($30,000 -- $50,000).

Roar

No home should be without a full-scale male T-Rex head from the "Jurassic Park" sequel "The Lost World" -- just the thing to greet unsolicited visitors! It's constructed of foam latex over a carbon fiber and steel armature and measures 68 in. tall x 98 in. long ($40,000-$60,000).

Mask

This intimidating mask was worn by an "Immortal," the personal guard to King Xerxes, in "300" ($2,000--$3,000).

Art Deco

This beautiful French poster for the 1932 RKO film "The Lost Squadron" features stunning Art Deco design ($1,200-$1,800).

Coming Christmas 2015

A Mattel Hoverboard, great for evading obnoxious blowhards, as Michael J. Fox does in "Back to the Future Part II." The wood prop has the complete fully functional and rear ballbearing-mounted footpad that rotates 360 degrees, as well as the bottom "magnet plates." The hole in the top is where the handlebars were attached ($30,000--$50,000).

Bed Of Nails

Among the TV memorabilia is some of the unique furniture from the home of "The Addams Family," which has previously been displayed at the Hollywood Wax Museum ($2,500-$3,500).

Teddy

This puppet, the robot companion of Haley Joel Osment in "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence," was actually a stand-in, and also used as a guide for computer generated images of "Teddy." It stands 14 inches tall and contains no motorized parts ($15,000-$18,000).

TIE Fighter

If Darth Vader's wingman hadn't crashed into him during their pursuit of Luke Skywalker down the Death Star trench, there might not have been any sequels -- making this a VERY valuable craft. This model from the original "Star Wars" will set you back a mere $150,000-$200,000.