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November was Big for Pop Culture Auctions
fter a few slow months, recent activity in the pop culture sphere of Multiple James Bond items sold for above their estimates, including
collecting offered enough intriguing material to fill a column twice Robert McGinnis’ hand-painted poster art for Thunderball that ham-
Athis size, but we’re happy to review these chunks of information. mered for $335,500. M’s (Robert Brown) red telephone from various
James Bond movies went for $183,000, James Bond’s (Daniel Craig)
tuxedo from No Time to Die brought $91,500, and the Ocean Club
Harry Matetsky Collection Goes Big at Hake’s
An author and lifelong collector, whose passion and work inspired poker table, chips, and cards from Casino Royale topped $183,000.
at least two generations of fellow enthusiasts, has passed away, and Top results continued with A New Hope screen-matched hero TIE
portions of his collection are already producing significant results for Fighter pilot helmet for $655,750 and an Aliens light-up remote-
one auction house. controlled photo-matched 1/12th scale APC model miniature and
Harry Matetsky became interested in character toys, premiums, and collection of production materials for $228,750. Angel Eyes’ (Lee Van
comics when he was a child, and kept that passion throughout his life. Cleef) hat from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly sold for $167,750,
This author of the 1988 book The Adventures of Superman Collecting, Marty McFly’s (Michael J. Fox) “Mattel” hoverboard from Back to the
passed away in October. Hake’s Auctions Auction #239 on November Future II and III reached $152,500, and the Pirates of the Caribbean:
14-15, 2023, offered many rare and desirable items from On Stranger Tides, Jack Sparrow stunt costume went for $129,625.
the Harry Matetsky Collection. The Captain America (Chris Evans) hero shield
The incredibly rare Captain Marvel play cape from the from Captain America: The First Avenger brought
Harry Matetsky collection nearly tripled its $10,000 $122,000, Iron Man’s (Robert Downey Jr.) hero
estimate to sell for $28,556. During his heyday, Captain light-up Mark 46 helmet realized $122,000, and
Marvel was very popular and had many pieces of Commodus’ (Joaquin Phoenix) screen-matched arena
merchandise and premiums for comic readers, but a costume from Gladiator hammered for $99,125. Honey
Captain Marvel costume playsuit was never produced. It Ryder’s (Ursula Andress) bathrobe from Dr. No nabbed
is one of the rare—if not the rarest—pieces of vintage $106,750, Don Vito Corleone’s (Marlon Brando) coat
Captain Marvel merchandise. from The Godfather realized $57,188, and Pennywise
The Captain America Comics #10 framed cover make-up display from It Chapter Two sold for $49,562.
recreation original art by Joe Simon showing Captain
America rescuing Bucky reached $7,528. Simon eMoviePoster’s November 2023
co-created Captain America with Jack Kirby, and
Tops $325K
produced the original cover in 1942. The art is signed During the month of November, eMoviePoster sold
by Simon and is housed in a large, impressive frame. The Captain Marvel play cape signed items, standard US posters, international examples,
A rare high-grade example of the “Supermen of from The Harry Matetsky bulk lots, and more bringing in a total of $325,847.
America – Member” first Superman ring and 1940 Collection sold for $28,556 at Their Tuesday, November 21 auction of 301 signed
contest prize brought $7,009. The ring was one of 2,000 Hake’s on November 15, 2023. items, plus 1,699 US and international posters, lobby
Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions.
prizes given to children who wrote the best letters to cards, and more realized $162,026. Three surprising
Action Comics about what they would do if they had Superman’s powers. results from the auction were a Louis B. Mayer signed contract for
The Superman Fleischer Studios cartoon storyboard original art for $1,050, The Empire Strikes Back one-sheet for $1,050, and a Private
The Mad Scientist nabbed $6,295. The 13” x 16” sheet of animation Lives of Elizabeth & Essex lobby card for $781.
paper with graphite art shows Superman punching a death ray. It was The Thursday, November 23 auction was filled with 1,000 US and
used as a rendering guide and storyboard for the 1941 Superman cartoon, international movie posters and non-movie posters that totaled
which was the first of nine shorts produced by Fleischer Studios for $87,201. Three top results were a Chinatown insert for $1,750, an Air
Paramount Studios. Production art from those shorts rarely comes up for France Paris French travel poster for $1,251, and a Lawrence of Arabia
sale, let alone a great Superman action image from his very first cartoon. half-sheet for $585.
In all, the auction realized $2.4 million in sales. The Sunday, November 26 auction of 990 bulk lots with 26,460
items brought in $76,620. Highlights included a lot of 93 Mexican
horror/sci-fi lobby cards for $807, a lot of 29 kung-fu one-sheets for
Propstore Hits $11.4M with Film &
$626, and a lot of 17 restrike stills of top Hollywood stars for $560.
At press time, we’re already actively watching the company’s
TV Memorabilia
Propstore’s four-day Entertainment Memorabilia Auction began on
Thursday, November 9, with the film and TV material. In just the first December Major Auction, which they report is their best one of the
day of the auction, they saw $11,429,418 in sales. year, based on content. It is packed with hundreds of items that they
have never auctioned or only auctioned once or twice, led by The Gold
The event was led by Anthony Daniels’ screen-matched light-up
C-3PO head from Star Wars: A New Hope sold for $838,750. Similar Rush linen-backed one-sheet, which is considered one of the most
important movie posters in existence.
results were Indiana Jones’ (Harrison Ford) bullwhip from Temple of
Doom which grabbed $350,750 and Maximus Decimus Meridius’ Amanda Sheriff is the Editor-Digital for Gemstone
(Russell Crowe) arena armor from Gladiator which realized $183,000.
Publishing. J.C. Vaughn is Gemstone’s President.

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