AT first glance, it looked like a normal ring.
Auctioneer Martin Nolan, the founder of Julien’s Auctions, has seen countless fascinating artifacts over the years belonging to some of the biggest superstars in history.
So the cygnet ring belonging to Playboy founder Hugh Hefner didn’t immediately get his heart pounding.
“We listed it at $600,” Nolan told The U.S. Sun.
On closer inspection, however, there was a tiny detail that would send its value skyrocketing.
“Somebody asked for a condition report the day before the auction,” he recalled.
“And when we were examining it, we saw a little hinge on the ring, so we clicked the little button and the lid opened. Inside was a blue Viagra pill. We updated that information online and sold it for $22,000 … with the pill.”
The ring was part of an auction following Hef’s death in 2017, but this weekend, Nolan will be back in Tinsel Town presiding over a far more remarkable catalog of items.
From the iconic white suit worn by John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever to a group of Harry Potter wands and Iron Man‘s helmet, the 900-plus page brochure compiled by Julien’s is quite something.
Flicking through the pages is a wonderful, misty-eyed nostalgia trip through the ages.
The centerpiece of the collection, which stretches to 1,400 items and is produced in conjunction with Turner Classic Movies, however, is Travolta’s three piece, white number that has been listed at $100k to $200k but is expected to fetch upward of $500k.
Like much of the collection up for grabs, the item was given to the seller by someone in the film industry back in the early 1990s.
“It’s three pieces of polyester. It’s not an expensive custom-made suit,” said Irishman Nolan.
“These items are something that nobody actually needs, but they are nostalgic. They trigger a memory and represent a time in our lives.”
It may sound strange to think such a legendary prop would just be handed out rather than either kept by the studio or even placed into a museum.
“Back in the day when the movie wrapped, no one cared about this stuff,” said Nolan.
He believes the auction, which begins in Beverley Hills on April 22, is one of the most iconic collections ever presented – and it’s easy to see why.
While those of a certain vintage will love the Marx brothers memorabilia – driver’s licenses for all three are available and listed at an intriguing $1,000 – younger film fanatics will discover plenty to float their own boats.
Star Wars props including Daisy Ridley’s “Rey” quarterstaff, C-3PO hand prop, and BB-8’s droid panel are available alongside the largest collection of the Harry Potter film franchise’s most famous wands from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Elder Wand and Ralph Fiennes’ “Voldemort” Wand from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Die Hard storyboards are also up for grabs as are a rare and unseen 12-foot-long filming model of the U.S.S. Discovery-One spaceship from the 2001: A Space Odyssey sequel, 2010: The Year We Make Contact.
And, one item which Nolan is especially excited about, is the hoverboard used by Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future II.
The depth and variety of the items on offer are quite amazing, and there is literally something for everyone, whether you’re aiming to spend a fortune or bid away on a bargain item that could increase in value.
“We’ve had a lot of interest and over 1,200 people registered a full five days before the auction, which is amazing,” said Nolan.
“The demand is there.”
