The finest and most desirable item in Hollywood collecting -- the original Oscar awarded to Orson Welles for best "Original Screenplay" for "Citizen Kane." This Oscar statue, awarded by The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is the very same statue presented to Orson Welles on 26 February 1942 at the Biltmore Hotel. Now widely accepted as the greatest motion picture in the history of cinema the world over, "Citizen Kane" was nominated in nine categories at the 14th Academy Awards, though this was the masterpiece's singular win. It is also the only Oscar for a Welles film, won by the first-time director who was able to execute his vision for the film with unheard-of final cut privilege granted by RKO Pictures. Welles' revolutionary camera, sound, and editing techniques are often cited as evidence of Citizen Kane's ground-breaking contribution to the universal language of cinema. The multiple controversies the movie ignited at the time of its release were eclipsed only by its ultimate grand scale success. Welles stars in the film, portraying a character whose personal happiness and moral fibre deteriorate as his wealth and power skyrocket - a character based recognizably on publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst. Feeling exposed by its depiction of his affair with Marion Davies, Hearst leveraged his clout and fortune to wage war on the picture. This, coupled with Welles' shockingly unconventional filmmaking style, alienated enough of the general public to thwart box office success. Hearst's threats to the industry also spoiled the film's reception in Hollywood, with the exception of some critics whose reviews acknowledged Citizen Kane's weighty merit. The movie's legacy of on and offscreen drama has beset even the award itself; for years it had gone missing and the Academy issued a replacement to Beatrice Welles, Orson's youngest daughter and sole heir. The original had all along been in the possession of cinematographer Gary Graver, who tried to sell it in 1994. Beatrice learned of her father's treasure resurfacing and filed suit in California, stopping the sale, and returning this precious piece to the Welles family, who displayed it at the 75th Academy Awards in 2003. Complete chain of ownership will be provided to the winning bidder. The provenance is currently from a private collection. Two engraved plaques are placed on opposite sides of the Belgian marble pedestal. One reads, "Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences / First Award / 1941". The other reads, "Academy First Award To Orson Welles / For Writing / Original Screenplay of 'Citizen Kane'". The figure and film reel, composed of gold-plated britannium measuring 10.5" tall, top the pedestal, bringing the total height to 12". The pedestal's diameter measures 5.25". The award weighs 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Some tarnishing to statue, primarily to the leg area of the figure. The green felt backing under the pedestal is worn away around the edge. Overall in very good condition. A spectacular tribute to the visionary director and screenwriter, Orson Welles, and to the film he brought to life.

This item sold for $861,542.00

An incredible piece of Hollywood history and memorabilia. The only Oscar won by "Citizen Kane," voted the greatest American film of all-time by the American Film Institute. Mankiewicz received the award for best original screenplay with the visionary director, writer and actor, Orson Welles, on 26 February 1942 at the Biltmore Hotel. The duel credit to Welles and Mankiewicz would be hotly disputed by both parties, critics and their peers. Influential film critic Pauline Kael attributed Kane's screenplay to Mankiewicz, particularly offensive to the "one man band" credit Welles was receiving for the film. Rumors materialized publicly that Welles had tried to pay Mankiewicz off, in exchange for Welles to take all the credit for himself. Mankiewicz stated in a letter to his father, "The fact is that there isn't one single line in the picture that wasn't in writing - writing from and by me - before ever a camera turned." The Screen Writers Guild ended the initial debate by decreeing a joint credit on the film but historians still debate whose hand penned which lines of the seminal 1941 masterpiece. Two engraved plaques are placed on opposite sides of the Belgian marble pedestal. One reads, "Academy of / Motion Picture / Arts and Sciences / First Award / 1941". The other reads, "Academy First Award / To / Herman J. Mankiewicz / For Writing / Original Screenplay of / 'Citizen Kane'". The figure and film reel, composed of gold-plated britannium measuring 10.5" tall, top the pedestal, bringing the total height to 12". The pedestal's diameter measures 5.25". The award weighs 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Some tarnishing to statue, primarily to the leg area of the figure. The green felt backing under the pedestal is slightly wearing away around the edge. Overall in very good condition.

This item sold for $588,454.80

Oscar statue awarded to Joan Crawford for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role as the title character in the 1945 film "Mildred Pierce". Joan Crawford currently ranks in the American Film Institute's top ten actresses in the history of cinema. After rocketing to stardom in MGM's pictures "Sally, Irene and Mary," "Our Dancing Daughters" and "Untamed," Crawford became one of the biggest movie stars of the day, the flapper ideal for the modern woman. Her reign as so-called "Queen of the Movies" spanned the entire Great Depression era. She left MGM for Warner Brothers in 1943 and then, despite rumors that her career was over, convinced director Michael Curtiz, who had just won the Oscar for "Casablanca," to cast her in the lead role as "Mildred Pierce." The murder mystery film was adapted to the screen from the James M. Cain novel of the same name and produced by Jerry Wald and Jack Warner. Crawford's character is the subject and driving force of the noir film, a divorced woman enslaved by her need to gain the approval of her spoiled, elitist teenage daughter, Veda. Ann Blyth plays Veda, and herself was Oscar-nominated for her supporting role. Joan Crawford's role as Mildred Pierce was regarded as her triumphant comeback, and indeed, the winning of this Oscar ultimately proved to be the true pinnacle of her extraordinary Hollywood career; it is considered one of the Best Actress performances of all time. The plaque affixed to the front of the base is engraved: "Academy First Award / To / Joan Crawford / For Her Performance In / 'Mildred Pierce'". Gold-plated statue of "Oscar" standing on a film reel measures 10.25" in height atop a round black base to an overall height of 13.25". Base measures 5.5" in diameter. Statue weighs 6 lbs. 2 oz. Light speckling and rubbing to finish and scattered chips to base, else near fine. With provenance from Christie's.

This item sold for $426,732.00

A magnificent trophy from the golden age of Hollywood: the original Best Picture Oscar awarded to "Cavalcade" at the The Ambassador Hotel on 16 March 1934. This Oscar is from only the sixth Academy Award ceremony, a time when Oscars were held every other year. The ceremony is remembered for the mistake made by Will Rogers when presenting the award for Best Director. Rogers announced, "Come and get it Frank!" Confident of winning, nominee Frank Capra marched to the stage only to discover Rogers had meant the actual winner, Frank Lloyd for "Cavalcade." Rogers quickly called on third nominee George Cukor to join them on stage and ease the embarrassment. This Oscar was Fox Studio's first Best Picture accolade of a total of eight wins, seven of which were achieved after the company's merger with 20th Century. Cavalcade, based on the original play by Noel Coward, centers around the life of a wealthy London family set to a backdrop of major historical events including The Boer Wars, the sinking of the Titanic and World War I. Engraved plaque reads, "Academy of / Motion Picture / Arts and Sciences / First Award / 1933". A circular plaque underneath the statue has the words engraved, "Academy First Award / to / Fox Film Corporation / for the production / of / 'Cavalcade'". The figure and film reel, composed of gold-plated britannium measuring 10.5" tall, top the pedestal, bringing the total height to 12". The pedestal's diameter measures 5.25". The award weighs 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Some expected wear to statue and red felt backing under the pedestal is wearing away around the edge. Overall in very good condition.

This item sold for $332,164.80

Fantastic early Oscar for Norman Taurog in the category of "Best Directing" for "Skippy." Taurog won the directing award at age 32 making him, to this day, the youngest ever recipient. He accepted the accolade on only the fourth Oscar ceremony on 10 November 1932 at the Biltmore Hotel. The movie stars his then 9 year old nephew and Oscar nominee, Jackie Cooper. At the ceremony the young star famously fell asleep on the shoulder of Best Actress nominee, Marie Dressler, who won the award later that evening and had to move the sleeping Cooper to accept it. The child star noted in his autobiography, "Please Don't Shoot my Dog," that during filming Taurog threatened to shoot Cooper's dog to make the young actor cry for a scene. The film based on the comic strip by Percy Crosby, centers around the mischievous youngster, Skippy, who helps a new found friend living in a shantytown. Engraved plaque reads, "Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences / First Award / 1931". A circular plaque underneath the statue has the words engraved, "Academy First Award / to / Norman Taurog / for Direction / of / 'Skippy'". The figure and film reel, composed of gold-plated britannium measuring 10.5" tall, top the pedestal, bringing the total height to 12". The pedestal's diameter measures 5.25". The award weighs 7.5 pounds. Some expected wear to statue and green felt backing under the pedestal is wearing away around the edge. Overall in very good condition.

This item sold for $301,972.80

The rarest and most spectacular of all "Citizen Kane" props, the silver-plated trophy presented to Orson Welles as Charles Foster Kane, which he holds in the critical scene upon his return from Europe, flush from acquiring diamonds and his first wife. This trophy is the singular one manufactured for the film (unlike the Rosebud sled, of which three were made), thus guaranteeing its use in the film, held by Welles himself as Kane. The trophy was given to Kane by the employees of his newspaper, which grew from a handful when Kane acquired the near-bankrupt "Inquirer," to 467 at this point in the film. Trophy is engraved, "Welcome Home / Mr. Kane / From / 467 Employees / of the / New York / Inquirer". Of course, this trophy also highlights the lack of real journalistic achievement by Kane's tabloid newspaper, and rather the heaps of praise bestowed upon him by employees and sycophants. The scene in which it first appeared was considered so crucial to the film and so difficult to execute that Gregg Toland, "Citizen Kane's" Oscar-winning cinematographer, considered it the proudest achievement of his career. The trophy appears once more in the film, at the end with Kane's other possessions at Xanadu. In this scene, Jerry Thompson, the reporter, and Raymond, Kane’s butler, talk about the meaning of Rosebud while standing over the trophy; they even read the wording on the trophy during this scene. Silver-plated loving cup trophy measures a very impressive 17.5" tall and 16.75" wide, with scrolling leaf-clad handles and scrolling base, manufactured by the Barbour Silver Company. Though "Citizen Kane" is widely considered the greatest film of all time (having won “Best Film of the Decade” for two decades by both the AFI and BFI), it only won one Academy Award for screenwriting -- a consequence of William Randolph Hearst's blacklisting in his theatres. Its popularity and significance has steadily risen since its release in 1941, a time when movie studios retained very few of their movie props. As a result, only a handful of "Citizen Kane" props have come to market, with almost all of them from the final warehouse scene at Xanadu and having no significance to the film's plot. This trophy, along with the Rosebud sleds and the snow globe (which has never been available and is considered lost or broken) are the handful of important props in the film. It is truly the most magnificent "Citizen Kane" screen-used prop one could ever hope to own, from the Golden Age of Hollywood that included such films as “Casablanca” and “Gone With the Wind.” Previous Christie's auction provenance is also included. Some silver tarnishing to the trophy, and light wear, but overall in near fine condition.

The only two Academy Awards won by "Citizen Kane" (for Best Original Screenplay co-awarded to Orson Welles and Herman Mankiewicz) sold at Nate D. Sanders Auctions for $861,542 and $588,455. Several other "Citizen Kane" lots are included in this auction including memorabilia related to the trophy cup.

This item sold for $275,544.00

Kate Winslet screen-worn coat from ''Titanic''. James Cameron directed Winslet in the 1997 blockbuster, in which she starred as the wealthy Rose DeWitt Bukater, star-crossed lover to Leonardo DiCaprio's working class character Jack. Winslet is dressed in the pink coat during the scenes when the ship begins to sink. Staining to lower portion of silk lining due to this partial submergence during filming, else near fine. Extensive provenance includes a two year paid exhibition in a Titanic museum and write-up in the USA Today newspaper. Also with a COA from Twentieth-Century Fox, indicating that this coat was worn by Kate Winslet ''on deck during sinking scenes'', as well as an LOA from Salvador Perez, the Costume Manufacturing Foreman on ''Titanic,'' confirming that this coat was screen-worn by Winslet in the film. A beautiful wardrobe piece from one of the most important sequences in ''Titanic,'' the second highest grossing film of all time.

This item sold for $164,520.00

Marilyn Monroe's own red feather silk-lined purse. The bold handbag features her monogram "MM" in silver on the interior pocket. Double strap, with rhinestone-crusted shell clasp in silver metal. Provenance is from the estate of Monroe's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" costar Tommy Noonan, who played her wealthy boyfriend Gus Esmond. A gorgeous confection once belonging to the most iconic of Hollywood stars, in near fine condition. With provenance from Christie's memorabilia sale, November 1999.

This item sold for $25,428.00

Luxurious pink terrycloth robe worn by Marilyn Monroe while she was in makeup for the filming of "The Prince and the Showgirl" in 1957. She starred opposite Sir Laurence Olivier, who also directed and produced the film. The provenance is from Harry Jordan, set dresser on the film and personal dresser to Olivier. Heavy, square-collar robe lacks a tie, else fine. With a photo of Marilyn wearing the robe and provenance from Julien's.

This item sold for $25,428.00

Clark Gable's personally owned Rolex, Oyster Perpetual label wristwatch, retailed by Brock & Co., acquired from Gable's personal estate. Circa 1940, 14k gold timepiece features automatic center seconds and gold applied Arabic and triangular numerals and hands. Includes a newer black crocodile leather strap. Diameter measures 1". Measures 1.5" from the edge of one band fastener to the other. Watch is In very good condition. A handsome keepsake from the icon of Hollywood's Golden Age. Accompanied by two photos of Gable wearing the watch and previous provenance. Also with previous auction provenance from Christie's.

This item sold for $23,115.60