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Hundreds of historical Hollywood props, costumes hit the auction block

Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction: Los Angeles 2023 is a three-day event hosted by Propstore.
Hundreds of historical Hollywood props, costumes hit the auction block
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In a warehouse outside of Los Angeles sits a treasure trove of Hollywood history. It's a collection of famous items up for grabs at Propstore's annual live auction of film and television memorabilia.

Among the treasures is the original dress worn by Carrie Fisher in the 1977 film "Star Wars: A New Hope." It's expected to fetch north of $1 million. 

"It was taken home by a crewmember after production and nobody knew what happened to it for a number of years," said Chuck Costas, vice president of business development and marketing at Propstore. "It was found about 10 years ago, sort of crumpled up in an attic."

"It's very rare to find any costume from Star Wars, let alone from Princess Leia," he added. "This is the only known costume from Princess Leia that we think has survived."

SEE MORE: Michael Jordan's 'Last Dance' shoes net $2.2M at auction

The work of collecting, restoring and preserving these parcels of rich film history is a team sport, and Propstore Chief Operating Officer Brandon Alinger is team captain.

"Reviewing the content that's being offered to us — researching it, evaluating it, assessing the authenticity — that is a big part of the process," he told Scripps News. "Obviously we're also out there being very proactive. We're looking for things that we want to have in the auctions."

However, the sales aren't always just for business.

"There's a great selection of material in this sale from Sam Neil, the actor who played Dr. Alan Grant in the 'Jurassic [Park]' franchise," Alinger added. "It is being sold to benefit the UNICEF Children's Charity."

Included in the auction is Batman's batpod, which was featured in "The Dark Knight" and "The Dark Knight Rises." It's estimated to bring in as much as $2 million. Meanwhile, Danielle Radcliffe's distressed costume and glasses from "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" could fetch upwards of $150,000.

The Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction: Los Angeles 2023 is a three-day event beginning Wednesday. Here's the full catalog of Hollywood history that's up for grabs.


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