Film & TV

Music

Art

Fashion

History

Julien's 2024: A Year of Record-Breaking Sales & Global Expansion

In 2024, Julien's Auctions experienced a year of record-breaking sales and global expansion, auctioning iconic memorabilia and expanding to cities worldwide, with highlights including the auctioning of a George Harrison guitar, 'Star Trek' props, Banksy artworks, a LeBron James jersey, Bruce Lee's nunchaku, Princess Diana's dresses, and much more.

December 31, 2024

What a year 2024 proved to be for Julien's Auctions, marked by record-breaking sales, global expansion, and the auctioning of some of the most iconic and sought-after memorabilia in history. From Hollywood to Hong Kong, Julien's brought the world the most remarkable and rarest items, solidifying our position as a leader in the auction industry.

Take a look at some of our highlights from 2024

The Beatles

George Harrison Futurama Hamburg and Cavern Club Guitar With Two Books

Sold Price

$1,270,000

Estimate:

$600,000 - $800,000

A c.1958 Resonet Futurama solid body electric guitar, serial #1126, in sunburst finish. This Futurama was George Harrison’s most-played guitar in the early days of the Beatles, seeing extensive stage and studio use from 1959-1961. Beatles historian Andy Babiuk has researched this instrument extensively, concluding that this Futurama guitar, “was played by Harrison on over 324 Beatle performances and was also the guitar that he used on The Beatles first official recordings for Polydor. Of all the guitars George Harrison used with The Beatles, this Futurama is one of the two guitars he used the most.”

Harrison’s Futurama has a maple neck with a maple fingerboard, a three on a side headstock with no logo, a top mounted input jack similar to that of a Fender Stratocaster, a white plastic pickguard with three single coil pickups, three large pickup selector toggle switches and a tremolo system. The cheaply made Futurama, loosely styled after a Fender Strat, retailed in the UK for 55 guineas or £57.75 and $160 U.S. then; and approximately £1,200 or $1,700 today.

George Harrison purchased his Futurama guitar at Frank Hessy’s music store in Liverpool on November 20th, 1959. Babiuk has shared high resolution images of Harrison’s hire-purchase agreement receipt for the Futurama listing a “Futurama Gtr & Case” with matching serial number 1126, with “Mrs. E. Harrison” listed as guarantor. The images of this receipt are shown with this lot for reference only and are not included with the purchase of this guitar.

Click to read full description

Star Trek: The Original Series

William Shatner "Captain James T. Kirk" Hero Screen-Matched Phaser Prop

Sold Price

$910,000

Estimate:

$100,000 - $200,000

An original screen-matched, hero, Phaser prop used by William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk in the television series Star Trek: The Original Series (Desilu Productions, 1966 - 1969).

This iconic prop, created in 1966, is one of only four hero or “practical” versions of the Phaser used on the show which feature intricate details and moving parts that were unique to those few props, making it exceedingly rare. This Phaser is known in the collecting community as the "Finney" Phaser because it was seen on screen used by actor Richard Webb who portrayed the character "Finney" in the season one episode "Court Marshall." Held by its current owners for nearly fifty years, this Phaser was thought to be lost until now. The current owners inherited the Phaser from a close relative who was a Hollywood prop industry veteran that purportedly acquired it from a former Paramount Pictures employee that worked on early Star Trek productions.

Click to read full description

Star Trek: The Original Series

William Shatner "Captain James T. Kirk" Hero Screen-Matched Communicator Prop

Sold Price

$780,000

Estimate:

$100,000 - $200,000

An original hero Communicator prop used by William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk during in the television series Star Trek: The Original Series (Desilu Productions, 1966 - 1969).

Created in 1966, this hero version of the communicator is one of only two hero Communicators created for the show making it extremely rare and desirable. The hero Communicators, known in the collecting community as “Alpha” and “Beta,” are distinguished from the other eight communicators created for the original series because of their moving central “moire” pattern dials that were rarely shown in motion on-screen. Held by its current owners for nearly fifty years, this Communicator, “Beta,” was thought to be lost until now. The current owners inherited the Communicator from a close relative who was a Hollywood prop industry veteran that purportedly acquired it from a former Paramount Pictures employee that worked on early Star Trek productions.

No other hero Communicator has ever been publicly offered at auction making this a truly unique opportunity.

Click to read full description

Banksy

Girl With Balloon (aka Balloon Girl) Proof Print (A)

Sold Price

$104,000

Estimate:

$60,000 - $80,000

Artist: Banksy (British, b. 1974)
Title: Girl with Balloon
Year: circa 2004
Medium: Screenprint on paper

An original proof print of Banksy's "Girl with Balloon," embossed with the P.O.W. seal to the lower right.

"The Independent took and used the image for a Free Syria campaign, and it went everywhere, and I think that was the moment that it got catapulted into like the general public’s eye. Rumor is that that’s his ex-bird, and like he painted it because he was upset that she dumped him. Sounds about right to me." – Steve Lazarides

Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from Steve Lazarides

PROVENANCE From The Collection of Steve Lazarides

LeBron James

Game & Photo Shoot-Worn St. Vincent-St. Mary "The Chosen One" Jersey - Photo-Matched to First Sports Illustrated Cover (MeiGray & Resolution Photomatching) 勒邦·占士

Sold Price

$1,300,000 USD

Estimate:

$1,000,000 - $2,000,000 USD

A St. Vincent-St. Mary jersey worn by LeBron James during a photo shoot with Sports Illustrated and later that same day in a high school basketball game.

James wore this photo-matched jersey on February 3, 2002 during his very first photo shoot for Sports Illustrated magazine, which resulted in him becoming the first high school junior ever to appear on a Sports Illustrated cover - known as "The Chosen One" issue (published 2/18/02). Following the photo shoot, James continued to wear this jersey during his high school game later that same day while playing for St. Vincent-St. Mary against the Archbishop Hoban Knights. James scored 32 points and collected seven rebounds.

Click to read full description

Bruce Lee

Screen-Used "Enter the Dragon" Stunt Nunchaku with Photos 李小龍

Sold Price

$190,500 USD

Estimate:

$30,000 - $50,000 USD

A pair of stunt nunchaku, screen-used by Bruce Lee in the martial arts film Enter the Dragon (Warner Brothers / Golden Harvest, 1973).

Comprised of lightweight wood (or similar material), encased in durable foam, and reinforced with a resin-treated leather protective coating, Lee used these stunt nunchaku during the iconic cavern fight sequence. These nunchaku were handmade to Lee's exact specifications. The enhanced durability, traction, and grip mechanics provided by the protective leather coating was extremely helpful as temperatures on set frequently exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit, causing Lee’s hands to sweat profusely. Lee interchanged this lightweight model with hardened and heavier variants, depending on his use-case. Both variants feature in the film and archival photographs.

Click to read full description

Bruce Lee

Screen-Used "Fist of Fury" Nunchaku with Photo 李小龍

Sold Price

$169,000 USD

Estimate:

$20,000 - $30,000 USD

A pair of nunchaku, screen-used by Bruce Lee in the martial arts film Fist of Fury (Golden Harvest, 1972).

Comprised of durable natural wood with a metal chain linking the two batons, these nunchaku were used by Lee during the famous dojo fight sequence where he takes on all of the Japanese Karateka by himself. These nunchaku were made to Lee's exact specifications, embodying the perfect length and weight for him. The natural "flowing grain" design evokes the image of a majestic peasant warrior.

Lee interchanged this heavy wooden nunchaku with lighter bubble-grip variants, depending on his use-case. Both variants feature in the film and archival photographs.

Click to read full description

Princess Diana

1987 Victor Edelstein Magenta Silk and Lace Evening Dress

Sold Price

$910,000

Estimate:

$200,000 - $400,000

A Victor Edelstein lace evening dress belonging to Princess Diana, worn in London on January 25th and in Hamburg, Germany on November 6, 1987.

This evening dress was loaned for exhibition at Kensington Palace, from February 24, 2017, to February 2019, for Diana: Her Fashion Story. Kensington Palace commissioned artist Julie Verhoeven for illustrations of Diana wearing some of her well-known fashions throughout her life, one of the illustrations included the lace gown designed by Victor Edelstein.

Click to read full description

Princess Diana

1986 Murray Arbeid Midnight Blue Tulle Diamante Star Gown With Magazine

Sold Price

$780,000

Estimate:

$200,000 - $400,000

A Murray Arbied embellished tulle gown belonging to Princess Diana of Wales, worn twice in 1986, once to the Phantom of the Opera premiere (October 1, 1986), and again to a dinner at Claridge's for King Constantine of Greece (July 6, 1986). Diana was also photographed in the gown attending a ballet performance of Cinderella at the Royal Opera House on December 17, 1987. Ten years later in 1997, Lord Snowden shot portraits for Princess Diana's dress auction (June 25, 1997); the portrait of Diana wearing this Arbeid design was included in the auction catalog Dresses From the Collection of Diana, Princess of Wales.

This gown was loaned for exhibition at Kensington Palace, from February 24, 2017 to February 2019, for Diana: Her Fashion Story.

Click to read full description

Global Expansion

Julien's also expanded our global reach in 2024, holding auctions and exhibitions in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, San Diego, San Francisco, New York City, Nashville, Dublin, Liverpool, Bristol, London, and Hong Kong.

This expansion allowed Julien's to bring our auctions to a wider audience and further solidify our footprint as an auction industry global leader and connector.

武動傳奇：王者風範

Sep 27, 2024

7:00 PM PDT

a collage of different colored handbags with a black background

Live Auction

BOLD LUXURY

Sep 24, 2024

10:00 AM PDT

Live Auction

FRIENDS: The One With The 30th Anniversary Auction

Sep 23, 2024

10:00 AM PDT

a woman in a blue dress has her hand in her hair

Live Auction

RAQUEL WELCH - PART TWO

Sep 5, 2024

10:00 AM PDT

Live Auction

Jan 29, 2024

3:00 AM PST

Live Auction

UNSTOPPABLE: SIGNATURE STYLES OF ICONIC WOMEN IN FASHION

Jan 18, 2024

2:00 AM PST

Thank You

Phew! 2024 was an unforgettable year for Julien's, filled with history, glamour, and storytelling on a global and record-breaking scale. We would like to thank our consignors, bidders, and fans for making 2024 such a remarkable year.

We look forward to an even brighter 2025!

a woman wearing a white shirt and a necklace smiles for the photo credit michelle day

Live Auction

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (PART II)

Jan 16, 2025

11:00 AM PST