Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) hosted an auction of more than 450 items linked to the US director, which fetched a combined $4.25 million dollars (£3.16 million)
A treasure trove of memorabilia belonging to the late legendary director David Lynch has raised a staggering £3 million at a glitzy Los Angeles auction.
Over 450 pieces were on the block in the Peninsula Beverly Hills event, run by Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies, culminating in a cool $4.25 million (£3.16 million) windfall.
The director was best known for his artistic vision and the direction behind Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet. Lynch’s family confirmed the news on Facebook in January 2024, writing: “There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.'”
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The top lot was a collection of 11 scripts from his abandoned film project, Ronnie Rocket: The Absurd Mystery Of The Strange Forces of Existence, which went under the hammer for an eye-watering $195,000 (£145,206).
Memorabilia from the acclaimed Mulholland Drive also commanded hefty sums, with three scripts alone netting $104,000 (£77,443), one bearing the urgent caution: “We are very concerned about preserving the integrity of this screenplay. Please do not let anyone read this script – it is for your use only.”
Winkie’s diner, a setting familiar to fans of Mulholland Drive, had its prop menus sell for $7,800 (£5,808), while an original diptych portraying Naomi Watts and Laura Harring fetched $16,250 (£12,100).
But that’s not all, a red leather director’s chair emblazoned with Lynch’s name travelled to cinematic hotspots around LA before being snapped up for a stunning $91,000 (£67,762), showcasing the enduring allure of the filmmaker’s legacy.
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Catherine Williamson, managing director of entertainment at Julien’s Auctions, remarked: “Every object in this collection served as a window into Lynch’s surreal and uncompromising creative world – whether from his ground-breaking films, television work, or personal studio.
“The global response to the auction speaks not only to the cultural importance of his legacy, but to the profound admiration and reverence he inspires among fans, collaborators, and collectors alike.”
At the auction, script copies of the pilot episode of Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks TV series, originally titled Northwest Passage before being renamed to Twin Peaks, fetched a staggering $91,000 (£67,762), while scripts from its prequel film Fire Walk With Me raked in $78,000 (£58,082).
A personal 35mm print of Lynch’s debut feature film Eraserhead was snapped up for an impressive $52,000 (£38,721).
The renowned US director passed away at the age of 78 earlier this year, following an emphysema diagnosis five months prior, which he attributed to “many years of smoking”.
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