Lots for Premiere Props’ sale in mid-June have been listed online with online bidding partner iCollector, as part of their “Hollywood Extravaganza X”. The one-day auction is scheduled for June 15th. As with past auctions, the sale includes general memorabilia, though, as with their last sale, there is more interesting material with this event than they’ve had in some time, although much of it does not include any substantive information (or even vague information) about history and provenance in the lot descriptions (though to their credit, some do). Premiere Props is such a frustrating company, on so many levels, but some of their auction descriptions (if you can even call them that) are beyond unacceptable. I can’t imagine someone wanting a piece so badly as to take such a massive leap of faith in bidding on something in which no information whatsoever is provided about *why* it is authentic.
Unfortunately, some of the pieces that would require the most information to prove authentic contain absolutely none, like the bayonet attributed to Gone With The Wind. No explanation whatsoever as to why it is believe to have been used in the 1939 film, or even a chain of custody or source as to who has preserved the piece for the past 74 years.
Editorial Message from the Original Prop Blog
My message to Premiere Props: Get it together. Hire someone who understands this art market to authenticate your material and draft descriptions speaking to provenance. If you have legitimate pieces, you will sell them for more money if you can clearly document *why* they are authentic. Even if you don’t care about authentication, looking at it from strictly a profit perspective, it is the best business decision. Plus your reputation in this area hurts the values on those legit pieces from consignors with good provenance. As a company, you have been doing this far too long and in too large of a volume for this to continue to be acceptable and not be called out on it.
Quite frankly, I’m sitting in an airport in Europe and scanning the catalog and am pretty appalled – offended – by the utter and complete lack of any substantive information provided in the “descriptions” of these items. It is quite honestly ridiculous. Just my personal opinion.
End Editorial Message
More details about the actual auction can be found on the official Premiere Props website at www.premiereprops.com.
The catalog can be viewed online via iCollector:
iCollector – LINK
The auction event is scheduled to take place at the Premiere Props offices in El Segundo, California.
Jason DeBord