How many times have you watched a film and thought, “I can’t even imagine what it would be like to own that?” If you’re a collector, probably pretty often. Screen-used film props are by far the rarest and most sought-after collectibles in pop culture and, soon, a few are becoming available that are almost too wild to imagine. Items from the estate of Stanley Kubrick.
Kubrick, of course, made some of the most unforgettable and discussed films in history. And, starting next week in New York, hundreds of items from Kubrick’s personal collection will begin a tour leading to an auction early next year at Bonhams in London. The Guardian broke the news.
So what’s available? Oh, nothing much. Just the star child prop used at the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey. No big deal. A small, insignificant little prop. Hardly worth mentioning. Basically a Cabbage Patch Kid. Anything else? Sure. How about the axe Jack Nicholson used in The Shining? There were a few of those, but this is the one that Kubrick owned. So, you know, not a big deal. An axe from a movie. Who cares?
Is that it? No, there’s more. How about the costumes worn by the Grady twins in The Shining? No one would care about those, right? The director’s chair Kubrick himself used on set? His personal annotated versions of the scripts? Any interest in those items?
We, of course, are being sarcastic. Those props and others mark some of the most significant items in film history. And it’s only the beginning. “Drawn directly from the Stanley Kubrick Film Archives, the collection includes original props, annotated scripts, production materials, awards, filmmaking equipment and personal possessions that reveal the meticulous craftsmanship and creative vision behind some of the most iconic films in history,” the Bonham website reads. We can’t wait to see more.
Select items from the exhibit will first be on public display at Bonhams New York from October 16-23. They’ll then be at Bonhams Los Angeles from November 2-6, and at Bonhams Paris on select days from November 16-24. Then, finally, those items will join the full collection at Bonhams London from January 18-February 2, before the auction itself on February 3. All the info, including tickets, can be found here.
Side note: does anyone have like $10 million to spare? I have a few things I need to buy.
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