Profiles in History

Profiles in History is an auction house in Los Angeles. It was founded in 1985 by Joseph Maddalena and is one of the world's leading auctioneers and dealers of authentic and original collectibles, including Hollywood memorabilia, historical autographs, letters, documents, vintage signed autographs and manuscripts. Maddalena is the company's President and CEO.

Auctions

Profiles in History host a number of Hollywood and historical auctions throughout the year.

Hollywood memorabilia

October 2014 Profiles in History held their largest Hollywood Memorabilia auction to date.^[1] Auction highlights featured:

• Sale of Ian McKellan's "Gandalf The White" screen-used hero Wizard's Staff from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.^[2][3]
• The "Indiana Jones" hero whip used in the 1981, 1984, and 1989 Indiana Jones movies.^[4]
• Leonardo DiCaprio "Jack Dawson" screen-worn signature "King of The World" coat from Titanic.

In July 2013, Profiles in History presented one of the finest collections of Lucille Ball memorabilia as part of their second of two Drier Collection auctions.^[5] Ball's signature "Lucy Ricardo" polka dot dress designed by Elois Jenssen for the I Love Lucy television series secured $168,000.00, greatly exceeding its $60,000.00 projected pre-auction estimate.^[6]

On June 18, 2011, Profiles in History launched the first of a series of auctions of the Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Collection.^[7] In June 2011 Profiles in History garnered $5.52 million for Marilyn Monroe's "Subway" dress from The Seven Year Itch.^[8] The dress broke the Guinness world record for most expensive dress sold at auction.^[9] $4.4 million was secured for the Audrey Hepburn "Ascot" dress from My Fair Lady.^[10] In December 2011 (Debbie Reynolds Collection Part II), The Panavision PSR 35mmm camera that George Lucas used for principal photography on the first Star Wars film in 1977 was sold at auction for $625,000.00, a record price for a movie camera.^[11]

Historical auctions

Eight lots of Albert Einstein material, including an unpublished poem, were sold at Profiles in History's historical auction held in Calabasas, California, in December 2014. The sale also included a total of seven Abraham Lincoln items, including the desk Lincoln used in 1840–42 during his last term in the Illinois state House of Representatives and an autograph letter he wrote on August 17, 1860, to Thurlow Weed; a collection of 27 crime scene and autopsy photos of Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Barrow (Bonnie and Clyde); and an autograph letter from Thomas Jefferson written while he was vice president.^[12]

After realizing over $6 million^[13] in sales for the first "The Property of A Distinguished American Private Collector" auction (held in December 2012), on May 2013, Profiles in History held their second, in the series of museum worthy letters and manuscripts, "The Property of a Distinguished American Private Collector" auctions and garnered national attention for the sale of Marilyn Monroe's undated letter to Lee Strasberg.^[14] Additional highlights from the auction included: Two large albums of photographs documenting Mussolini's visit to Hitler in Germany in 1937; a one-page autograph letter in English by Karl Marx; and an 1805 autograph letter by Ludwig van Beethoven to opera singer Friedrich Sebastian Mayer.^[15]

Television

Hollywood Treasure premiered on the Syfy channel on October 27, 2010 and featured Profiles In History President and CEO, Joseph Maddalena and the company's Head of Acquisitions and Consignment, Brian Chanes among the cast. The weekly reality series, produced by Maddalena, examined the complex world of in collecting showbiz and pop culture memorabilia. The series ran for two seasons and ended in 2012.

Auction Highlights

• A Vincent Van Gogh extraordinary autograph letter sharing his thoughts to an ailing friendis sold at Profiles in History first "The Property of a Distinguished American Private Collector Auction." (December 2012) *^[13]
• $1.56 million was secured for the historic collection of 21 costumes from The Sound of Music (July 2013).
• $1,092,000.00 was realized for Judy Garland's The Wizard of Oz Blue Cotton test dress, while Garland's Wizard of Oz ruby test slippers sold for $612,000.00. (June 2011).^[16]
• Steve McQueen's racing suit from Le Mans fetched $960,000.00 (December 2011). In 2012, Steve Mcqueen's Swiss Heauer wrist watch worn by the actor in the 1971 film sold for an impressive $799,500.00 at auction.^[17][18]
• Hero road-going "Chitty" driving car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang sold in May 2011 for $805,000.00.^[19]
• $660,000.00 for Julie Andrews "Do-Re-Mi" dress from the Sound of Music. (June 2011)^[20]
• $372,000.00 was secured for the bow used by the character, Legolas (Orlando Bloom) in the Lord of The Rings trilogy at the Profiles in History December 2012 Hollywood Auction.^[21] In addition the screen-used red chiffon "jump dress" sold for $330.000.00^[21]
• $240,000.00 was received for the Harrison Ford "Han Solo" blaster from Star Wars; The Empire Strikes Back.^[22][23] (December 2013)
• An original Stan Winston-created Endoskeleton from Terminator 2: Judgment Day sold for $488,750.00 at Profiles in History's
• ^[24]
• $420,000.00 was procured for the original Charlie Chaplin "Tramp" cane from the classic Modern Times. (July 2013)
• The crystal ball the Wicked of Witch used to observe Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, fetched $126,000.00 more than double the presale estimate of $40,000 to $60,000 the company had anticipated.^[25]

The company is also recognized for the highly successful sell of many famous entertainment automobiles. In May 2011 Profiles in History sold the working Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car.^[25] The rare Delorean from Back to the Future Part III was sold in December 2011,^[26] while The Risky Business Porsche 928 prop car sold in August 2012.^[27]

In July 2003, Profiles in History became the Guinness World Record holder for most expensive costume from a television series sold at auction, the Superman suit from the 1955 series Adventures of Superman, sold for $129,800.^[28]

References