Remembering the Second Live Auction: Part 2

Day 2: Let’s Get Personal

Personal photos, books, and other items from Adama’s quarters began on day two, and Lot #312, a simple photo of Adama with his children and Viper reached an amazing $2,000 – now that’s an expensive shot! Lot #322, Adama’s Wedding Band proved a simple gold band could bring thousands – try $6,600! Ever popular collar rank pins and dog tags sold for upwards of $5,000, and Adama’s glasses sold to the lucky Adama fan. Even the smashed-up version of Adama’s Square-Rigger Ship sold in the thousands, proving that damage does not decrease value.

President Laura Roslin’s personal items were up next, and bidders drove up prices on items such as her glasses, her Book of Pythia and the last item she used – Lot #350 the Blanket from Earth – known also as her death shroud. The simple tartan blanket sold for over $2,500.

Next up on the list was Colonel Tigh and I spoke with actor Michael Hogan at the auction about his iconic Eye Patch. He told me it was not the most comfortable item and he really had to go through an adjustment period when he used it. Comfort aside, bidders ran up the price on the tiny patch to over $1,000.

Personal items from every cast member reached the auction block – and bidders really went nuts over items such as jewelry, eyeglasses, watches, tools, towels, binoculars, dinnerware, secret files, security passes, attaché cases, suitcases, medical equipment, crutches, prosthetics, prescriptions, “blood” samples, even the last toothpaste in the universe which sold for over $2,000. Any type of personal item, trinket, or memento – these excited both the live and online bidders into a frenzy of bidding.

Dog Day Afternoon

Bidders wanted dog tags, rank pins, and patches – any character would do!  Three versions of Kara’s Dog Tags Lot #387 (see picture below), 388, and 390 sold in total for almost $25,000, wowing both the audience and the auctioneers alike. Bidding on any dog tag was not for the faint of heart, as it took thousands to win. A complete insignia collection brought nearly $5,000 and an Officer Pin collection sold in the thousands.

Kara’s Dog Tags Lot #387

Connect the Dots

Lot #393 gave us the first dot-related item in the auction – Kara’s Copy of Hera’s Dots. A simple child’s drawing of dots is seemingly unimportant to the casual viewer, but any BSG fan knows these dots provided “The Music” that haunts the Final Five on Galactica, are translated by Kara on the piano in Joe’s Bar, and gave the final jump coordinates to Earth. (Thank you Bear McCreary for building those simple dots into your poignant and powerful rendition of All Along the Watchtower.) Kara’s copy was estimated at only a few hundred dollars, but sold for almost $2,000.

Weapons and Models

From modified guns and small arms to large armaments and explosives, BSG was packed full of weapons, and bidders won a plethora of them, proving that boys (and girls) like things that go boom. Fans also wanted helmets to go along with military garb and weapons, and both flight deck helmets and Raptor and Viper helmets sold well.

The last grouping on Day 2 was the War Room ship models, used by the officers to plan attack strategies on the tactical table of Galactica (see picture below). Selling in total for almost $35,000, these nine lots brought to a close an exciting day of bidding (and winning).

Day 3: The Last of the Best

The final day of the auction began with maps – planning maps, translight maps, photographic maps, starcharts, and satellite photos.  Huge (almost six foot wide) colonization maps of Earth, Kara’s plotting maps from Demetrius, recon photos, and plotting table translights kept bidding high during the morning session.

Where Everyone Knows Your Name

Lot #696 took us back to Joe’s Bar, a place to take a break from your worries. Previous day’s auctions saw liquor bottles selling high, and Joe’s Bar sign did not disappoint at over $1,000. Earlier in the auction, we saw the Slick’s Music Book and items from the piano and dust cover sell for thousands.

Lots of equipment and set pieces were next, including Baltar’s Interrogation chair, medkits full of supplies, phones and display monitors, and communications stations. Furniture fit for an office, crew quarters, or living room brought a lot of interest, with bidders measuring items to make sure they would fit in their homes.  Benches, chaise lounges, desks, tables, dressers, recliners, and even Baby Nicky’s crib – nothing was safe from the hands of the Propworx team that stripped down the original BSG sets and shipped them back to Los Angeles for the auction. (On a personal note, I wake up every morning and pull out clothes from my Colonial One dresser and sit at Roslin’s make-up table, planning my next presidential speech and applying eyeliner.)

Starbuck: Pilot, Lover and Artist

Kara’s fantastical paintings from her apartment on Caprica drew interest from bidders looking for that perfect piece of art. Lot #760 (see picture below) was the most popular, combining Kara’s fantasies with the Mandala seen in so many prophetic scenes. Kara’s canvases, as odd as many of them seemed, sold for almost $30,000. Not bad for a Viper pilot!

Now every pilot needs a name plate decal for their Viper or Raptor, and the next group of items provided an opportunity for the newbie pilot in all of us to get one. Many of these items also allowed the bidder with a little less to spend an opportunity to acquire a part of the Galactica universe. After the name decals, squadron shield plaques were up followed by wall crests. These original emblems were very popular, some reaching prices into the thousands. Perfect for your office wall of fame or game room! More set dressings from the Quorum and Lee Adama followed along with cool hangar bay signage. The Quorum Presidential Seal – originally crafted from a Pegasus seal – and appropriately riddled with blood and bullet holes reached over $5,000.

Let Your Freak Flag Fly

If the first live auction was any indicator, the Colonial flags (See picture below) up for bid were destined to bring thousands – and they did not disappoint.  Some of these flags were huge – over 9 feet tall and 3 feet wide – and brought huge bids. The regular colonial flag and staff soared over $2,000!

Next we took a visit to Adama’s quarters on Galactica, with was jammed packed with goodies – rugs, bookcases, tables, chairs, desks, huge sectional couches, boxes, lamps, and more tchotchkes than in your grandmother’s house. Even Adama’s bunk was for sale – complete with pillows, comforter, sheets, reading lamp and books.

BIG!

Now for the big stuff – and when I say big, I mean big! Lot #921 the CIC Tactical Plotting Board came complete with green gel fluorescent lighting and numeric LEDs. No home should be without a proper ten foot wide plotting board! And to ensure no fire in your domicile goes undetected, one cannot do without the Fire Control Board (insert picture) – a deal at $9,600. No FTL should go unplotted (you might end up INSIDE a planet, for frak’s sake) and Lot #923 provided the lucky bidder with a cool $1,000 dining room table – or maybe a conference table for the office since it was over 8 feet long.

Numerous console stations, standing monitors and Dradis arrays followed, until we reached Lot #932 BSG 75 Seal. Many bidders lusted after the CIC seal, but only a few could commit the almost $20,000 it took to acquire it. If you needed a heavy duty door to replace a regular flimsy wood door in your house, a selection of Galactica doors came up on the block next along with a Pyramid Goal and Ball Game from Joe’s Bar.

After a shrine or two and a couple of creepy Cylon experiment cabinets (ewwww!) Lot #957 arrived with the fanfare due a critical piece of Cylon machinery. How many humans can boast their own 10 foot Cylon Resurrection Tub? The lucky winner, our buddy Gavin, vowed to put it in his home for both personal and party guest use. He did have to get rid of a bit of furniture to do it though…

The last item in the auction was the Galactica Podium, used throughout the series and also used by the auctioneers during the sale. Many bidders, both online and live, wanted the iconic piece, but only one would prevail, and it cost him or her over $5,000 for the privilege.

After four days of viewing, bidding and sometimes winning, the final live auction was over. How will Propworx top the excitement and pure fan fun of such a great experience? Stay tuned for even more amazing auctions and live events. Between Stargate and Star Trek and Ironman, I know I can’t wait to see what Propworx does next!

Act 2: Final Scene

INTERIOR – Battlestar Galactica Hangar Bay

FADE IN –

Adama:  Starbuck, what do you hear?

Starbuck:  Nothing but the rain.

Adama:  Then grab your gun and bring in the cat.

Voice of Alec Peters:  Oops, I think we sold your gun…  don’t we have Romo’s dead cat somewhere around here?

Remembering the Second Live Auction: Part 1

Act 2: Scene 1

INTERIOR – Battlestar Galactica Hangar Bay

FADE IN – CONTINUOUS SHOT – sweep Blackbird Viper, Raptor, Cylon Raider

Cylon Raider? What the FRAK is a Cylon Raider doing in the hangar bay? I see hangar deck toolboxes, bracing and support for the ship, the iconic red stripe on the floor, curtains dividing the bay from the crew quarters. Hold on, the Galactica does not have CURTAINED walls! Wait a second…

Enter uniformed officers, flight suited pilots, crew in coveralls, red dressed blond Sixes, tuxedo clad auctioneers… ok, I don’t remember Galactica having AUCTIONEERS! What is going on here?

Despite the authentic replica hangar deck, this is not the Galactica; this scene is from the Second Live Battlestar Galactica Auction, May 7 – 10, 2009 at the Pasadena Convention Center. The authentic setup was provided by the Propworx team with assistance from the costumed Colonial Fleet volunteers and some inspired set creation by Becky Casey of NBC/Universal.

Build it and they will come

Preview Day gave us the first glimpse of the recreated hangar bay, complete with support beams and authentic signage. What were these Propworx lunatics thinking, rebuilding the BSG hangar bay? Not only did they build it, but they did it with style. Both press and fans alike marveled in the recreation – helping to set the perfect atmosphere for displaying the prized auction items.

Along with the regular auction, fans could purchase a print of the famous Cylon War painting from Adama’s quarters, Galactica uniform patches custom made for the auction, and of course the spectacular auction catalog – a complete archive of the items and background information from the show. One fanatical fan group even built a BSG replica out of Lego’s and brought it to display at the auction. Words cannot adequately describe the uber-coolness of the Lego ships, so here are some pictures:

The preview featured several panel discussions, starting off with a few of your favorite actors from the show, Grace Park, Michael Trucco, Kate Vernon and Luciana Carro. They shared stories (including the inside scoop on what it was like to work in the resurrection tub full of “goo”), answered questions and gave us an insider’s view of how it was to work on the BSG set – goo included.

“Luciana, it’s not broken – you need to speak into the OTHER end!”

After hearing from the actors, the next Q&A featured members of the production team, and they came full of great stories and background information for the audience. From visual effects to editing, the panel revealed a host of different scenes and situations they encountered while working on BSG. Bear McCreary, composer of the incredible music featured in the series, discussed his inspirations and showed many of the steps he used to develop the iconic score.

Day 1: The Beginning of the End

Day One got off to a great start with production art and sketches, blueprints, and 3-D production models which gave fans a great opportunity to acquire a piece of the BSG universe. The interplay between the live auction participants and the online bidders was fun to watch, facilitated by the outstanding crew from Auction Network.  Anticipation really began to build as costumes went up on the block and Lot #42 – Adama’s Hero Duty Blue Uniform thrilled the fans and bidders alike and brought in over $15,000. Not to be outdone, Starbuck’s flight suit garnered over $19,000. Apollo’s duds were up next, and the crowd seemed to prefer the uniforms to the presidential suits Lee Adama wore after resigning his military role.

The good, the bad, the Baltar was up next, including suits, civilian wear, and religious outfits, all showing his varied careers in the Galactica universe. Bidders loved his religious robe, more suited for the Playboy Mansion than the Cult of Baltar commune. President, teacher, and cougar Laura Roslin’s wardrobe appeared next, and one popular item, Lot #74 Roslin’s Baby Shower Outfit/Lingerie from Daybreak, revealed Laura before Galactica – while she served as Secretary of Education on Caprica. Selling for over $800, one lucky bidder went home with a much more personal item from the public figure that would become President.

Cylon costumes/disguises were next, with Cavil, Simon, Loeben, D’Anna and Doral’s iconic clothing that seemed to define their characters. But none of these costumes could match the power of the red dress – you know the one. Bigger, badder and redder than the rest, and one of only six in existence, this “power” dress sold for over $25,000, topping both the red dress sold in auction #1 and online during the eBay auctions.

Next up, Sharon “Boomer/Athena” Agathon (so many names, so many Sharon’s) had the luxury of having both a Galactica flight suit AND a Cylon flight suit, giving bidders multiple opportunities to win. Like many of the flight suits, Boomer’s sold high – over $15,000 and her dress grays and Cylon suit went for over $6,000 each. Grace Park’s petite frame also provided smaller sized costumes for the petite BSG fan.

Colonel Tigh’s wardrobe was interesting, and proved that “anything goes” – even when it comes to selling a piece of history. Lot #114 Tigh’s Boxers (yes ladies, he wore boxers, not briefs!), brought laughs and jeers from the audience, and were probably the most expensive Fruit of the Looms ever sold at $100! Of course his duty blues and dress grays sold for much more, combining at almost $14,000.

The rest of the Final Five were up on deck, and bidders loved Ellen’s come hither dresses, Tyrol’s Crew Chief coveralls, Tory’s official suits, and Ander’s Buc’s uniform and military uniforms. The rest of the Galactica crew were represented, including Cally, Gaeta, Dualla, Helo, Hoshi, Narcho, Seelix, Racetrack, Skulls, Hotdog, and of course fan favorite, Doc Cottle. Next thePegasus crew got a shot along with vintage uniform from the first Cylon war. Military uniforms continued to reach the thousands of dollars, even uniforms worn by background actors.

The Biggest and the Best

Fans and bidders alike held their breath as the next items went up on the block – the Viper Mark II, Blackbird, and cockpit of the Viper complete with lights. Unfortunately, no bidder reached the reserves on these items, but attendees enjoyed an up close and personal view of this part of the Galactica universe.

The ever popular FTL Key went for $3,000, facilitating the next faster than light jump for a lucky bidder. Raptor ejection seat, a Cylon brain, decoy drones, Arrows of Apollo, Top Gun Steins ($3,000 to Luciana Carro’s charity!), ballot boxes, clipboards, binders, watch logs, manuals, even bathroom appropriate reading materials.  If you saw it on Galactica, Pegasus, Colonial One, Caprica, New Caprica or even Earth, it was on the auction block. A hero version of a Book of Pythia reached $3,000 and the last item of the day, Lot #311 a Complete Set of Battlestar Galactica Alcohol Bottles provided the lucky winner with the perfect set to adorn a perfect bar.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Looking Back – The First BSG Live Auction

Now that the auctions are over, we thought we would take a look back with fond memories at the last year–the year we had all the pieces of BSG at our fingertips. So let’s go back to the moment it all began. The following is an account of the first live auction–as told through the eyes of one of our friends and favorite BSG fans, Shelley Littleton:

BSG Auction #1: Creating the Legend

The Final Episodes. The Final Five. The Propworx Battlestar Galactica Live Auction Event. The three day event January 16th, 17th and 18th 2009 in Pasadena, California and online at AuctionNetwork.com drew participants from all over the world bidding on props, costumes and set pieces from what critics and fans alike consider the greatest Science Fiction TV series ever made. Sponsored by NBC/Universal, this live auction marked the debut of Propworx, the entertainment industry’s premier auction house for production assets. Propworx has set the standard for event auctions, allowing fans and collectors to meet the creators and cast of their favorite series or movie and acquire iconic relics from these properties. The first live Battlestar Galactica auction was truly a milestone event, and capped what was a remarkable TV series with an auction that paid homage to the show and the people who created it.

Fans were eager to pick up a piece of the magic and drove prices to astronomical heights, often hundreds, if not thousands, above estimates. Online bidders, eager to beat fans that had made the trip to Pasadena, kept the bidding intense, and online live auction provider Auction Network managed to combine outstanding technology with top-notch auctioneers and production teams to ensure a smooth operation.

In conjunction with the live auction in Pasadena, 200 BSG items were up for sale on eBay, ending the Monday after the auction. This was followed by 34 weeks of eBay auctions over the next year!

Sin Qua Non

The title of one of Battlestar Galactica’s most famous episodes was “Sine Qua Non,” Latin for “without which not” or “without which it could not be” perfectly describes the Propworx-produced collectible auction catalog. A spectacular visual reference, the catalog featured sections with costumes from every major character, beautiful costume sketches and watercolors – works of art in their own right, production art and detailed plans, set decoration items, props and full-sized ser pieces. In addition to photos and detailed descriptions, the book includes behind the scenes interviews and insights from the series creators and crew.

With a bow to the Battlestar Galactica universe, the 319-page catalog featured cut corners, authentic typefaces, emblems, and a cover inspired by the Galactica’s log books used by Adama. The auction catalog is the perfect addition to any BSG collection.

The Fleet

Supplementing Propworx’s dedicated auction staff was The Colonial Fleet, the premier Batllestar Galactica fan club dedicated to all things BSG. Lovely red-dressed, blond-wigged Sixes mingled with officers in their Duty Blue Uniforms and flight deck crew members in fan-created costumes so authentic looking that fans in attendance wanted to know why they were wearing such valuable screen used costumes! The Fleet members assisted prospective buyers with questions about the auction items and added an authentic flair to the festivities. Many fans just wanted pictures next to their favorite fleet member (with a little spaceship in the background ).

Preview Day

Preview Day was a fantastic event where all the items to be auctioned were on display. Almost a thousand fans and collectors came on preview day to see the goods! Plus, Propworx and NBC/Universal flew down the department heads from BSG who each gave a one-hour chat on what it was like to work on the show and to give some behind-the-scenes tales of what it took to create the items that were being auctioned. Tricia Helfer, Michael Trucco, Michael Hogan and Richard Hatch all made appearences at Preview day, as did series creator Ronald Moore.

Day 1: Off With A Bang

The very first item, a set of production drawings and set plans valued at $500, sold for $1,200! That set the tone for the day, as drawings and concept art fetched hundreds, above estimates. Some of the original concept art that was used to sell Battlestar Galactica to SyFy channel went to some lucky winners. Much of the art were concept sketches in pencil by BSG concept artist Ken Rabehl, while many of the technical schematics of the sets were by Ivana Vassik.

Playing Dress Up

After the artwork and set drawings and a brief break, the first of the costumes went up on the block, and the first item was a doozie. Adama’s Duty Blues complete with rank pins and insignia, sold for and amazing $12,500. What a way to start off the costume group! A few items later, Starbuck’s Flight Suit blew the roof off with an outstanding $16,800 confirming the notion that someone would love to wear a sweaty, used leather suit, as long as Kara Thrace/Katee Sackhoff provided the sweat. Starbuck’s wardrobe raised almost $45,000, and not to be outdone, Apollo’s wardrobe was up next. Fan favorites, Lee Adama’s duty blue uniforms (both regular and “Fat Lee” size) drew the most interest, but Lee’s flight suit was also popular and reached $6,000. I guess more fans were interested in Katee’s than Jamie Bamber’s sweaty leather togs. $36,000 later, Colonel Tigh and Gaius Baltar’s clothing held the bidder’s attention, but it was Helo’s Dress Grays that wowed the crowd, hitting the $6,000 mark and confirming the old adage that we all love a man in uniform. Dee, Tyrol and Gaeta were up next, and they did not fail to impress. Uniforms, flight deck jumpsuits, BDUs and civilian wear all sold well. More big numbers came from Athena/Boomer, where only 8 lots totted up over $26,000. Another fan favorite, Crewman Specialist Cally Henderson, had a combination of military and civilian lots and provided the first petite crew jumpsuit for sale. Pilots Racetrack, Hotdog and Seelix along with Lieutenant Hoshi’s costumes also sold well. Hard living, smoke ‘em if you got ‘em Doc Cottle’s medical outfits followed along with many other characters dress uniforms, BDUs, jumpsuits, and flightsuits.

All Hail to the Chief

She may have only had a small bag on her original flight to Galactica aboard a Colonial Heavy Transport from Caprica in the original miniseries, but Laura Roslin always looked the part of President and classy lady. Her outfits up for auction included multiple pantsuits and skirts perfect for the politician on the go.

A Nod to the Past

The only actor to have roles in both the original and re-imagined BSG, as Apollo and Tom Zarek, Richard Hatch’s costumes drew a lot of interest from the bidders, with prisoner jumpsuits, politician-appropriate herringbone and his iconic black leather jacket up for sale.

A round of other civilian wear followed, including cougar Cylon Mom Ellen Tigh, kleptomaniac lawyer Romo Lampkin, high-priestess Elosha, in preparation for another round of military garb featuring razor-sharp Admiral Cain, haunted XO Kendra Shaw and Cain’s successor Commander Jack Fisk.

Devil with the Red Dress On

Things seemed rather calm and tranquil until Lot #260 appeared. The Red Dress. Slinky. Sexy. Over the top. Most of the ladies (and the men) wondered if they could buy the dress and the body to go with it. Men loved her and women wanted to be her (or, in some cases, the reverse). Tricia Helfer designated four favorite charities for the proceeds to go to and the bidders did not disappoint. $15,600 later, a lucky bidder took home one of the most desired red dresses in history. More Cylon Six dresses, cut out leather sets, opera-appropriate white, and even sackdress prisoner garb went for thousands, reinforcing the fact that fans love Six.

Cylons costumes continued to interest with Final Five and Presidential confidante Tory, Prophetic Two Leoben, Fanatic Five Doral, Boxed but Not Out Three D’anna, and Medic Four Simon along with Final Five white robes rounding out the group.

Ships Passing in the Night

As the costumes finished up, you could clearly hear the crowd’s excitement build for the largest items up for auction – the Raptor, Viper Mark VII and Cylon Raider. Many in the crowd dreamed of owning one of these fantastic ships, and a few even jotted down plans for the perfect storage building to protect their investment. When the bidding started, all the audience looked to each bidder, wondering who had the money (and the room) for an actual spaceship! Unfortunately, none of the ships reached their reserve, and now some of the ships are destined for a Battlestar Galactica exhibit to be held at the SciFi museum in Seattle this Fall!

Day Two: Props, Props, and More Props

Day two started the props section of the auction, and fan favorite Doc Cottle got in the game with his cigarette case and lighter. A few items later, the most important key on the Galactica, the FTL Key, sold for $3,600. Adama’s lighter, a symbolic prop for both father and son, also fetched a pretty penny, netting over $6,000. Personal photos, books, Galactica crew documents, equipment, and a Cylon Transponder were next leading up to the intricate and elaborate Elosha’s Scroll, one example of the Sacred Scrolls so often referred to in the series.

The Iconic Arrow

There were some iconic props in this auction, and Lots 482 and 483, the Arrow of Apollo Hero and Stunt version, were two of the finest. The Arrow starred in Season One’s two-part season finale,” Kobol’s Last Gleaming” and part of Season Two, the Arrow of Apollo was the focal point of the story arc where Starbuck steals the captured Cylon Raider and goes back to Caprica to find the Arrow, which President Roslin believes will guide the fleet to Earth. These two key pops brought top dollar, totaling over $13,000.

Notebooks, log books, crew paperwork, reference books,and radiation badges followed with essentials like Baltar’s nuclear bomb in custom carry case, the Blackbird signed hullplate, and Galactica “Top Gun” Beer Stein exciting the bidders. Tactical models of Galactica, Vipers, Cylon Baseships, Cylon Fighters and other ships were used in the “War Room” in various episodes, and interested hopeful buyers looking to plan their next mission. Helmets, guns, patches and military insignia featured prominently in the next grouping of items, and hard core fans drove the bidding up in order to acquire authentic items to complete their costumes.

No collection would be complete without a translight or two. Maps, plans and navigation routes were all planned on Galactica’s light tables, and these translights document the journey of Galactica and the humans to Earth. Popular translights for bidders included a large map of Kobol, the Cylon Baseship plans, and Galactica Schematic.

Equipment Anyone?

Phones of every shape and size, squadron shields, wall lights, Colonial One recliners and Pilot Ready Room Chairs were snapped up by bidders eager to redecorate their “Battlestar” dens. Bidders buzzed for Colony Flags, displayed at every BSG official function from swearing-ins to funeral masses. Furniture and set pieces from Laura Roslin’s office and Adama’s quarters were also popular with bidders as these items were constantly seen on screen and associated with the characters. The iconic oil painting “The Cylon War” which resided front and center in Adama’s quarters, demanded a staggering $21,000, shocking both bidders and auctioneers alike. The excitement continued to build for the larger set items, from Dee’s FTL console, Dradis displays, Officer’s Bunk Beds, large Galactica doors, the Cylon Resurrection Tub and the Cylon Centurion.

“The auction was certainly one of the most impressive Hollywood memorabilia auctions of all time,” said Propworx CEO Alec Peters after the event. “Certainly, no other auction has been put together with so much love and attention, and that is because my staff and I are all huge Battlestar fans, and NBC/Universal really wanted an event that would honor the show, not just sell the assets. I think we accomplished that.”

Of course what Alec didn’t realize he was doing, when he created such a spectacular event, was setting the bar even higher for the second live auction!

For a fantastic video of this auction, please visit the following link:

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA HIGHLIGHTS-First Propworx Auction