Forrest J Ackerman was an iconic figure in the worlds of speculative fiction. Over his 92-year-life, he amassed a collection of movie memorabilia that was unequaled anywhere. At its peak, the 300,000-item collection filled his 18-room “Ackermansion” in Los Angeles, California. Following Ackerman’s death in December, we now have word that the remains of his collection will be auctioned off Calabasas Hills, California’s Profiles in History. The auction, Profiles in History’s 36th of Hollywood memorabilia, will be held the last week of April 2009.
Company President Joseph M. Maddalena said “The Bela Lugosi Dracula ring, the cape he wore from the ’30s stage performances of Dracula, and the robe he wore in The Raven are the most significant Universal horror items to ever come to public auction.” Also on the block will be a first edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, signed by both Stoker and Lugosi.
The company estimates final prices for some major pieces in the auction, including:
* Dracula Ring: originally belonged to John Carradine, given to Bela Lugosi, who wore it in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. “It’s the single most important Lugosi/Dracula screen worn piece to ever come to auction.”: $20,000-$30,000.
* Lugosi’s robe from The Raven is “the most important 1930s’ horror costume to ever come to auction”: $15,000-$20,000.
* A cape made for Lugosi in 1932 which he used on stage portraying Dracula, and then wore in Plan 9 from Outer Space: $15,000-$20,000
* Fritz Lang’s monocle, which he wore when he directed Metropolis, and then gave to Ackerman: $3,000-$5,000.
Profiles in History will be taking bids in person, via mail, phone, or fax, or live on the internet via LiveAuctioneers.com.
In addition to his collecting, Ackerman was a literary agent, fan, and, for 25 years, the publisher of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. He also had cameo appearances in more than 200 films, including The Howling, The Wizard of Speed and Time, Amazon Women on the Moon, and, most recently, 2007’s The Dead Undead. He received a special Hugo Award as “Number 1 Fan Personality” in 1953, and the Bram Stoker Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.
Profiles in History, founded in 1985, is “the nation’s leading dealer in guaranteed-authentic original historical autographs, letters, documents, vintage signed photographs, and manuscripts.” Some items they’ve auctioned off in the past include: the Cowardly Lion costume from The Wizard of Oz ($805,000), a six-sheet movie poster from King Kong ($345,000), Captain Kirk’s chair from Star Trek‘s USS Enterprise ($304,750), the original “Robot” from Lost in Space ($264,500), and the Black Beauty car from The Green Hornet ($192,000).