Going once...
Over the weekend, I drove with my boss and good friend, Kevin, to North Hollywood to attend an autograph show and autograph/Hollywood memorabilia auction. The highlight of the day for us was the big item on the auction docket: a beautiful Fender Telecaster guitar once owned by the late George Harrison and used in the movie Let it Be. The auction featured a mix of mundane to highly interesting signed mementos. From the army uniform worn by Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump, to the puppets used in Spitting Image, to a mix of items from rocker Delaney Brammlet or autographed letters from the French emperor Napoleon, the range was pretty fascinating. Much of the items sold under their asking price.
Except for the George Harrison's guitar, that is. Bidding started at just north of $100,000 and quickly went up from there. The early leading offers came from online bidders on eBay, who bought many of the smaller items in the auction. But they were quickly passed by two serious competitors in the theatre where we sat: a handsome, obviously well-off man, likely a Hollywood or record industry executive, and actor Ed Begley Jr. Back and forth the offers went, with Begley sitting back, casually holding up his card while listening to music on an MP3 player. Before long, the bidding spiraled to a dizzying $370,000. The tension was palpable. But Begley emerged the winner.
I never imagined Mr. Begley to be a giant TV or movie star, but a look at his resume surprised me that he has stayed very busy with work all these years. Obviously, he could afford the price (over $430,000 with the auctioneer's commission tacked on). Pretty amazing. If you ever get the chance, sit in on an auction like this. I felt a bit of history passing through my hands.
Over the weekend, I drove with my boss and good friend, Kevin, to North Hollywood to attend an autograph show and autograph/Hollywood memorabilia auction. The highlight of the day for us was the big item on the auction docket: a beautiful Fender Telecaster guitar once owned by the late George Harrison and used in the movie Let it Be. The auction featured a mix of mundane to highly interesting signed mementos. From the army uniform worn by Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump, to the puppets used in Spitting Image, to a mix of items from rocker Delaney Brammlet or autographed letters from the French emperor Napoleon, the range was pretty fascinating. Much of the items sold under their asking price.
Except for the George Harrison's guitar, that is. Bidding started at just north of $100,000 and quickly went up from there. The early leading offers came from online bidders on eBay, who bought many of the smaller items in the auction. But they were quickly passed by two serious competitors in the theatre where we sat: a handsome, obviously well-off man, likely a Hollywood or record industry executive, and actor Ed Begley Jr. Back and forth the offers went, with Begley sitting back, casually holding up his card while listening to music on an MP3 player. Before long, the bidding spiraled to a dizzying $370,000. The tension was palpable. But Begley emerged the winner.
I never imagined Mr. Begley to be a giant TV or movie star, but a look at his resume surprised me that he has stayed very busy with work all these years. Obviously, he could afford the price (over $430,000 with the auctioneer's commission tacked on). Pretty amazing. If you ever get the chance, sit in on an auction like this. I felt a bit of history passing through my hands.
posted by Brian at
11:34 PM
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