$1.5 Million+ Heritage Entertainment Auction Results!

Auction a Huge Success, and Anna Nicole Diaries Sell After Auction

TV Interviews with Doug Norwine: Gretta Van Susteran Nancy Grace Catherine Crier Live Fox 4 News at 10 Fox 4 News at 9 NBC 5 News 6

DALLAS, TEXAS: Heritage Auction Galleries posted wonderful results in their latest Music & Entertainment Auction, held April 14 & 15 in Dallas, Texas. The auction realized $ 1,526,735 for 1500 lots, with after-auction sales still ongoing and expected to push the final total to even higher levels.

"The much-publicized Anna Nicole Smith diaries failed to sell at the live auction, but I wasn't surprised" said Doug Norwine, Director of Music & Entertainment Auctions for Heritage. "Several days before the auction, we received a letter from Lin Wood, attorney for Howard K. Stern, the executor of Smith's estate. He claimed that the diaries were stolen, and asked that we pull them from the auction and return them. After consulting with the consignor, we decided to proceed with the auction as planned in the absence of a court order to the contrary. In the interests of total transparency, one of Heritage's core values, we did, however, post Wood's letter and all relevant information on our website, so that all interested parties would be totally informed about the status of the material before the auction. As a result of the controversy, both parties that had placed bids on the diaries contacted us and withdrew them, and no further bids were received."

"However, today, an unnamed Entertainment executive from Dallas has paid $59,750 for the two diaries, as an after auction purchase," added Norwine.

"We had two collectors who wanted to buy them, and the Dallas man took time from his busy recording schedule to be the first to wire us the money," Norwine said

"This auction was an incredible success," Norwine continued, " drawing exceptional results from a wide range of collectible areas. In fact, we have already broken our own entertainment auction record of $1.5 0 million that we set almost exactly a year ago. It was no surprise to see the guitar that Elvis played in both Follow That Dream (1962) and Kid Galahad (1962) fetch an impressive price of $77,675. That wasn't the only classic instrument to bring strong prices, as Harry James's trumpet sold for $19,120, and Eric Clapton's guitar realized $38,240 in an after-auction sale , as well as Kurt Cobain's acoustic guitar, that fetched nearly $30K."

"From the Hollywood side of the auction, the big winner was the last passport ever issued to animation icon Walt Disney," said Norwine, "that realized $28,680, while a production book from Pinocchio (1940), signed by Disney, brought $17,925, as did an archive of Marilyn Monroe photographs, sold with all applicable copyrights. Marilyn's personal phonebook, a tantalizing glimpse into the personal life of this legendary starlet, also fetched a significant price, selling for $11,950."

"One of the fiercest bidding wars I witnessed all weekend was over a true piece of Hollywood history," Norwine said. "Topping out at $15,535, after a spirited battle between two highly motivated bidders, Mark Hamill's signed Star Wars contract now has a new home."

"A 'super' result was obtained for Christopher Reeves's Superman III costume," said Norwine, "which brought $14,340." Personally, I'm very pleased with the results of the sale of Lisa Simpson's saxophone, which sold for $10,157." (Norwine is also a sought-after studio musician, and can be heard on early episodes of The Simpsons TV show as well as on the albums The Simpsons Sing the Blues and The Simpsons' Yellow Album playing the sax that he consigned to this auction.)

"All in all, this was an exciting and very successful auction," said Norwine, "and I'm looking forward to our next offering of Music, Hollywood and Celebrity Memorabilia, which will be held October 12 and 13 in Dallas, Texas. Interested bidders can watch the auction grow by visiting our website at HA.com, where they can view enlargeable, full color images of each lot, read our complete and thorough catalog descriptions, and even place their bids online from the comfort and convenience of their home or office. And, of course, interesting consignments are always invited."

• Elvis Presley Owned and Used Guitar: REALIZED: $77,675
• Harry James Trumpet: REALIZED: $19,120
• Eric Clapton Guitar: REALIZED: $38,240
• Anna Nicole Smith's Personal Journal From 1992: REALIZED: $29,875
• Anna Nicole Smith's Personal Journal From 1994: REALIZED: $29,875
• Walt Disney Passport: REALIZED: $28,680
• Walt Disney Signed "Pinocchio" Production Book: REALIZED: $17,925
• Marilyn Monroe Photo Archive with Copyright: REALIZED: $17,925
• Marilyn Monroe's Personal Phonebook: REALIZED: $11,950
• Mark Hamill Signed "Star Wars" Contract: REALIZED: $15,535
• Christopher Reeve "Superman III" Costume: REALIZED: $14,340
• Lisa Simpson Saxophone, with Extras Including Platinum Album Presentation: REALIZED: $10,157

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

Prospective consignors and sellers of Entertainment, Celebrity or Hollywood memorabilia are invited to www.HA.com/Sell. Or simply email Doug Norwine at DougN@HA.com.

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Client Services at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 150, or visit www.HA.com/Catalog to order by email.