World’s most extraordinary collections of autographed Hollywood photographs – Harold Lloyd’s Rogue’s Gallery will be offered on Friday, September 23, 2016 in Los Angeles by Julien’s Auctions, the world-record breaking auction house.
The Rogues Gallery Autograph Collection features nearly 200 rare, signed photographs from Hollywood’s Golden Era.
This is the most extensive and unique autograph collection amassed by the silent film star Harold Lloyd and is comprised of the most significant figures of Hollywood’s “Golden Age.” This one-of-a-kind collection is a time capsule of Hollywood, Americana the politics of the day.
World’s Largest Collection of Hollywood Photographs Goes Under The Hammer
“The King of Daredevil Comedy,” Harold Lloyd is best remembered today as the young man dangling desperately from a clock tower in the 1923 classic “Safety Last.” At the height of his career, Lloyd was one of the most popular and highest-paid stars of his time. He made more films than his contemporaries Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton combined.
With hits like his 1922 film Grandma’s Boy, Lloyd became a strong force in bringing about the advent of the “feature-length” film. Harold Lloyd’s acting career rose to prominence during the silent film era and spanned 34 years of active filmmaking, over 200 comedies and one 1928 Academy Award nomination. He was the recipient of the Academy Award for Master Comedian and Good Citizen in 1952, two George Eastman Awards in 1955 and 1957 and the Cannes Film Festival Award in 1962. During his long and illustrious career, Lloyd had dealings with remarkable actors and public figures placing him in a very unique position to amass such a rare collection in which he delighted in showing to visitors of his famed residence. This marks the first time this collection is being publicly offered.
Just as remarkable as the collection is the story on how it all came together in the 1930s.When Harold and his wife Mildred moved into their magnificent Beverly Hills estate “Greenacres” in 1929, one would not have imagined such a collection to become such a prominent place in their home. The house, which would later be named to the National Register of Historic Places had been designed with a tunnel that led from the main house, under the formal lawn, to a game room and bar area. Harold had originally planned to install a bowling alley but Mildred had other ideas…most importantly how “not” to install a bowling alley.
As a Christmas gift in 1937, Mildred and her close friend, actress Marion Davies invited friends of Harold to send him a singular gift; their favorite portrait of themselves. Hundreds of Harold’s friends came through resulting in a collection of Hollywood’s legendary stars and iconic actors all seen through the lens. From film luminaries to sports heroes to United States presidents, each portrait was then displayed in this underground corridor, and The Rogue’s Gallery was born. Harold adored and cherished every photograph sent to him with almost of all of them being inscribed to Harold. One such memorable photograph signed by famed director Cecil B. DeMille is inscribed “May the public never find my spectacles as funny as they find yours.”
“If the walls could talk” could be the motto for such an extensive historical collection. The collection features signed photographs from such legendary Hollywood stars as Fred Astaire, Marlene Dietrich, Clarke Gable, Ginger Rogers, John Barrymore, Jack Benny, Clara Bow, Bob Hope, Cecil B DeMille, Errol Flynn, Boris Karloff, Ginger Rogers, Louella Parsons, Feg Murray, Zane Grey, Harry Blackstone, Samuel Goldwyn, Hal Roach, Walt Disney, Irene Hervey, Sonja Heine, Loretta Young, George Burns, Bing Crosby, Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, Joel McCrea, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis and many more.
In addition to legendary film stars, the collection includes autographed photos from history’s greatest legends including Babe Ruth, Calvin Coolidge, Thomas Edison, Amelia Earhart, and Helen Keller.
The auction will take place at the highly-anticipated Icons & Idols: Hollywood auction event that weekend at Julien’s Auction Gallery in Los Angeles.
World’s Largest Collection of Hollywood Photographs Goes Under The Hammer
