{"id":10524,"date":"2009-03-06T21:33:04","date_gmt":"2009-03-07T05:33:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.originalprop.com\/blog\/?p=10524"},"modified":"2009-05-20T12:08:06","modified_gmt":"2009-05-20T20:08:06","slug":"jim-hambrick%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%9camericana-hollywood-museum%e2%80%9d-first-party-damage-appraisal-at-111500","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.originalprop.com\/blog\/2009\/03\/06\/jim-hambrick%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%9camericana-hollywood-museum%e2%80%9d-first-party-damage-appraisal-at-111500\/","title":{"rendered":"Jim Hambrick\u2019s \u201cAmericana Hollywood Museum\u201d: First Party Damage Appraisal at $111,500"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"jim-hambrick-museum-flood-marilyn-monroe-x380\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In January, WSIL-TV Channel 3<\/a> and KFVS Channel 12<\/a> each broadcast reports about Jim Hambrick’s “Americana Hollywood Museum” being flooded due to a broken pipe, with Mr. Hambrick estimating over $100,000 in damages.\u00a0 Today, The Paducah Sun<\/a> updates the story with Mr. Hambrick declaring $111,500.00 in memorabilia damage.<\/p>\n

The report makes no reference to any independent third-party appraisal of the memorabilia, nor any assessment as to authenticity of the items reported damaged.<\/p>\n

As has been seen in the eBay marketplace\u00a0 of late, there are many pieces in the marketplace attributed to Marilyn Monroe and other Hollywood celebrities that have “problematic” provenance.<\/p>\n

Today’s article can be read at PaducahSun.com (see Metropolis’ Hollywood museum to reopen<\/a>):<\/p>\n

\"paducah-sun-metropolis-hollywood-museum-to-reopen-x300\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Click for Full Resolution Archive<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Article Content:<\/p>\n

Metropolis’ Hollywood museum to reopen
\nWater leak had forced closing<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Steve Vantreese<\/p>\n

Friday, March 06, 2009<\/p>\n

METROPOLIS, Ill. – The Americana Hollywood Museum, awash in internal flooding when a pipe ruptured in the early morning hours of Jan. 18, will reopen its expansive, campy exposition of pop culture memorabilia next week.<\/p>\n

Owner Jim Hambrick said the doors to the collection of movie and entertainer artifacts will open March 20, essentially two months after a frozen pipe in a second-story wall burst, sending water leaking through displays on two floors.<\/p>\n

“We’ve got a few loose ends to tie up, but we’re about ready to roll,” the Hollywood-native Hambrick said.<\/p>\n

Hambrick said some displayed items were damaged beyond salvage in the flooding. Other memorabilia was brought out of storage and displays were rearranged.<\/p>\n

“It was just a matter of bringing some new stuff out and reorganizing some of the things we already had out,” Hambrick said. “If you didn’t know what had happened, you wouldn’t even miss anything.”<\/p>\n

The museum, sprawling throughout a multi-sectional 40,000 square feet that formerly housed a True Value Hardware store among other things, incurred damages in a relatively confined area, although some were among items more treasured by Hambrick.<\/p>\n

“Try to understand how frustrating it was watching it rain into the Marilyn Monroe Room,” Hambrick said soon after discovering the damages.<\/p>\n

Hambrick said the final assessment of damages to display items is $111,500.<\/p>\n

“That’s my assessment based on the going prices for this kind of stuff even considering the downturn for demand in these difficult economic times,” he said.<\/p>\n

He said the water cost the museum a number of old photographs and some documents with original autographs, including those of Marilyn Monroe.<\/p>\n

“There were also three dresses that were Marilyn’s, wool dresses that started disintegrating as soon as the water got to them,” Hambrick said. “The collector’s value of these ranges from about $8,000 to $12,000 apiece nowadays.”<\/p>\n

Hambrick, who also operates Metropolis’ SuperMuseum near the courthouse square and its Superman statue, said the present economy is difficult for museum visitation. But he found a new positive for the two collections.<\/p>\n

“I’ve just gotten approval from the (Illinois Department of Transportation) to put listings for both museums on signs along I-24 that show the attractions at the Metropolis exit,” he said. “Even if that brings only another five or 10 cars a day, it will make a difference.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Previous OPB Articles<\/h3>\n

Jim Hambrick’s “Americana Hollywood Museum” Flooded, Reports Over $100,000 In Damages<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Below is an archive of the televised report broadcast by WSIL-TV Channel 3 (see www.WSILTV.com for source broadcast<\/a>):<\/p>\n

<\/object><\/p>\n

Jim Hambrick’s “Americana Hollywood Museum”: Additional News Coverage<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Below is an archive of the televised report broadcast by KFVS Channel 12 (see www.WFVS12.com for source broadcast<\/a>):<\/p>\n

<\/object><\/p>\n

Jim Hambrick is also the owner of the “Super Museum<\/a>” and is known for buying, selling, and authenticating Superman costumes and wardrobe pieces attributed to the Christopher Reeve Superman<\/em> films of the 70s and 80s.<\/p>\n

In late February, Philip Weiss Auctions<\/a> canceled their previously announced auction offering Superman costumes \u201coriginally purchased from Jim Hambrick\u201d:<\/p>\n