Three extraordinary auctions, each steeped in cinematic, artistic, and cultural history, are set to captivate collectors and enthusiasts in the coming months, with rare items from classic films, a long-lost painting, and a legendary Rolls-Royce all heading under the hammer. From the glitz of 1960s London to the chilling world of horror movies and the windswept coasts of Cornwall, these sales promise not only financial excitement but also a chance to own tangible pieces of creative legacy.
First up, a 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Drophead Coupe convertible that played a pivotal role in Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1966 film Blow Up will be auctioned at H and H Auction’s sale on October 10, 2025, at Kelham Hall, Nottinghamshire. This isn’t just any classic car: it’s one of only 49 ever built to its exacting specifications. According to H & H, it was “the world’s most expensive convertible when new,” taking six months to build and capable of nearly 120 mph—a blend of luxury and performance that was the hallmark of British automotive design in the 1960s.
The car’s provenance is as fascinating as its engineering. It may have briefly belonged to disgraced DJ Jimmy Savill before being acquired by Pierre Rouve, the co-producer of Blow Up. In the film, the car is driven by the protagonist Thomas, a fashion photographer whose character is said to have been inspired by real-life icon David Bailey. With the Yardbirds making a cameo, Jane Birkin’s debut, and David Hemmings starring, Blow Up became a cult favorite, immortalizing “Swinging London” and the era’s creative explosion. The car itself became a symbol of the city’s style and status.
After its cinematic moment, the Rolls-Royce was sold outside the UK and has resided in Portugal since 2007, frequently appearing at shows and concours events. Now, with an auction estimate of up to £230,000, it’s poised to join the ranks of other storied Rolls-Royces whose celebrity connections have driven prices sky-high. For context, a Silver Shadow used by Field Marshall Montgomery fetched over £100,000 earlier this year, while John Lennon’s psychedelic Rolls-Royce set a world record at $2.3 million in 1985. The most valuable Rolls-Royces, such as the $30 million Droptail La Rose Noire and the $28 million Boat Tail owned by Jay Z and Beyoncé, are custom creations, but even vintage models with the right pedigree can command astronomical sums.
Meanwhile, horror movie aficionados will have their own moment in the spotlight as Propstore’s three-day auction in Los Angeles this September brings more than 1,000 props to the block. Headlining the sale is the animatronic Billy puppet from Saw III, expected to fetch between $30,000 and $60,000 (£22,300 to £44,600). This puppet, from director Darren Lynn Bousman’s personal collection, is infamous for the phrase “I want to play a game” and for delivering the chilling instructions of the killer Jigsaw to his victims.
The auction is a treasure trove for horror fans, featuring Freddy Krueger’s razor-claw glove from A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010), a Ghostface mask from Scream (2022), and a stunt version of the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis from Evil Dead II (1987), which could bring in as much as $100,000 (£74,430). There’s also a statue from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) depicting Jack Nicholson’s character wielding a bloodied axe, with a high estimate of $6,000 (£4,465).
Other standout lots include Tony Todd’s bloodied costume from Candyman: Farewell To The Flesh (1995), complete with the character’s infamous hook and an estimate of $25,000 to $50,000 (£18,607 to £37,215), as well as the Slim Klown mask from Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988). Props from more recent horror hits are also up for grabs, such as the axe used by Ewan McGregor’s Danny Torrance in Doctor Sleep (2019) and Bruce Campbell’s chainsaw from Ash Vs Evil Dead. As Brandon Alinger, Propstore’s chief operating officer, put it, “Propstore is proud to present an incredible selection of horror memorabilia. From beloved cult favourites to recent box office hits, these props and costumes showcase the creativity and craftsmanship that make the genre so enduring. This auction gives fans and collectors the chance to own pieces that have terrified and thrilled audiences for decades.”
Not to be outdone, the art world is abuzz over the rediscovery of a “long-lost” painting by Cornish artist Alfred Wallis, set to be auctioned at Roseberys in London on September 9, 2025. The untitled artwork, thought to depict the Forth Rail Bridge, has been tucked away in a private collection for nearly 90 years and is expected to fetch between £20,000 and £30,000. Wallis (1855–1942), a self-taught artist who worked as a fisherman before turning to painting in the 1920s, is celebrated for his naive style and maritime themes. His influence on early British Modernists, including Ben Nicholson and Christopher Wood, is well documented. The painting’s subject—a view of the Firth of Forth with the iconic bridge—reflects Wallis’s travels in 1894 while working on the St Ives fishing fleet.
The artwork’s provenance adds to its allure. A pencil inscription on the back reads “Robin from Jim, 1936,” linking it to Jim Ede, founder of Kettle’s Yard gallery in Cambridge and a prolific collector of Wallis’s work in the 1930s. Ede gifted the painting to his friend Muriel “Robin” Rate, and it has remained in her family ever since. Matilda Webb, Wallis’s biographer, remarked, “This magnificent painting reflects Alfred Wallis’s impression of the engineering marvel that was the newly opened Forth Rail Bridge, and his journey down the Firth of Forth on his way to the North Sea herring grounds. Having been in a private collection since 1936, it is a significant discovery—showing Wallis was more widely travelled than previously thought.” The timing is particularly apt, as 2025 marks both the 135th anniversary of the Forth Rail Bridge’s opening and the 10th anniversary of its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Each of these auctions offers more than just a chance to acquire rare objects; they represent opportunities to connect with moments of artistic innovation, cinematic history, and cultural memory. Whether it’s the sleek lines of a Rolls-Royce that once cruised through Swinging London, a puppet that haunted the nightmares of millions, or a painting that bridges the worlds of art and engineering, the stories behind these items are as compelling as the objects themselves.
