Make money through film clothes and props!
A24 auctioned off a mix of props and costumes (indlucing some used by the one and only, Michelle Yeoh), before Everything Everywhere All at Once swept the Oscars. The weeklong event culminated before the award ceremony, with a revenue of over $500k. The proceeds will be donated to three organizations: the Asian Mental Health Project, the Transgender Law Center and the Laundry Workers Center.
- Auction for philanthropic purposes
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Let’s first take a look at Yeoh’s costumes for sale on the auction.
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Remember in which universes these costumes appear?
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Sold at the auction for prices ranging from $4,000 to $15,000, all of them increased in value after Yeoh's historic win at the Oscars. The bidders turned out to be lucky ‘early birds !’
There were also costumes of other actors.
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Props were are also very popular:
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The highest priced item is “Raccacoonie”, a parody of Disney’s “Ratatouille” and was purchased for $90,000.
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Since launching their first auction, A24 has remained committed to their philanthropic motives. In April 2020, admist the pandemic's impact on New York City's workers and their families, A24 Auctions began with the purpose of all proceeds going to charities to support those affected.
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“As a company founded and based in New York City, we want to give back to the city as it weathers the COVID-19 crisis and begins to rebuild.”
(a24auctions.com)
Usually, the props will be thrown into storage and stay there for months or years, until the production manager decides to clear them out. And they will simply wind up in thrift stores or the closest dumpster.
That’s not an option for A24, not even the last resort.
“Many of the props, wardrobe items, and set pieces from our movies are works of art in their own right: hand-made, one- of a kind objects that are the result of countless weeks, months, sometimes even years of labor.”
(a24auctions.com)
A24 auction sells props in films including Midsommar, Uncut Gems, Eighth Grade and The Lighthouse.
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“We built A24 Auctions to give these collectible items the second life they deserves, and to give fans a chance to own a piece of A24 history for good-literally.”
2. Props of sky-high prices
Recently, Prop Store Auction held a Hollywood prop auction, featuring items such as costumes from Better Call Saul and cowboy boots worn by Johnny Depp in 21 Jump Street.
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The most popular item turned out to be Walter’s underpants, which he often wears while cooking in the R.V. Starting at $1,250 and after 29 bids, the slightly yellowed lot was sold for $32,500.
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It’s not as surprisingly expensive as lots in previous auctions with even higher biding prices.
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Mad Men had also once auctioned off 1,400 items in 2015, including Ken Cosgrove's eye patch, Lane's hanging rope, the New York Times featuring ‘Why I’m quitting Tobacco' and others, with starting prices ranging from tens to several hundred dollars.
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It's not hard to explain film buff's passion for these items. Since the props and costumes are the smallest representations of the works of arts of the industry, the possession of any of them seems to symbolize their dreams of lifelong exposure to the world of films.
Besides, the collection of props and costumes is more than just "for art’s sake". It's also a good investment.
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3. Destiny of old props
It's always been a headache for film producers to deal with numerous sets and props. In the early days of the film industry, they were either sealed up or given away, thrown away or buried. Sometimes, odl costumes from previous productions were even cut up and used as rags.
The preservation of early Hollywood costumes and props happened only because electricians, makeup artists, and other behind-the-scenes personnel took them home (or retrieved them from the trash), and passed them down to younger generations.
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1970 marked the beginning of film props auction. The Hollywood giant M.G.M. held its fist prop auction this year, which lasted for three weeks and included a total of 32 auctions.
Before the auction, M.G.M. was facing serious financial crisis. Even after selling off its properties, the company was still struggling to stay afloat, until the auction helped it survive.
Thousands of costumes and props were brought to light, including the ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz" and the spaceship model from "Forbidden Planet".
The top bidder in this legendary auction was none other then the actress Debbie Reynolds, who spent her entire fortune of about $180,000 on hundreds of items, including costumes worn by Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and Grace Kelly, as well as the dress she wore in her own film "The Unsinkable Molly Brown". She thought these precious props and costumes ought to be preserved and cherished.
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"I didn't realize at the time that I was saving that should have been a museum built out of the Fox studio and MGM,"and all the studios should have taken each of their famous articles and preserved the history. But, they didn't do that. They didn't really feel it was very important."
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Are you wondering how she managed to handle the vast array of props and costumes?
Well, the truty is, Debbie had been imporing Hollywood for decades to aid in the preservation and display of these Golden Age costumes. However, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which oversees the Oscars, turned her down on five saperate occasions. Ultimately, as Debbie found herself in debt in her later years, she was left with no option but to put some of her collection up for auction.
Marilyn Monroe's clothes form "The Seven Year Itch" was sold for $4.6 million and the lace gown worn by Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady" for $3.7 million. Other noteworthy pieces included the guitar played by Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music" and the iconic hat worn by Vivien Leigh in "Gone with the Wind".
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The ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, among other collections are inherited by Debbie’s son.
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Time sees that Debbie had made smart investment, thanks to her cultivated taste of films and sharp eyes. How about those purchased items from Everything Everywhere All at Once? Were they good investors as well? The answer should be obvious…
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Among all the props and costumes in Everything Everywhere All at Once, which one would you have purchased? How about those from other films? Why do think a prop worth collecting?
Feel free to share your views below!
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