credit: The Wizard of Oz
Pieces of cinematic history come with a high price tag sometimes, especially if they happened to be a part of a movie that a lot of people remember in great detail. One has to think that a lot of people might not recall the hourglass that was used by the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, however, since there were so many iconic pieces to remember from that particular movie. Still, the fact that this piece went for nearly half a million dollars is insane in some ways since the truth is that this item was made out of wood and papier mache back in the day and was somehow preserved for this long as people have been seen to do with many other items over the years. Dorothy’s red slippers are another bit of history that was kept as well, and they went for millions if one can believe that. But the materials used to make the hourglass weren’t nearly as important as the fact that it was used in a movie that is still popular today. But paying that much for a piece of history still feels, well, silly, especially since the only thing that a person can possibly do is place it in a collection and dust it every once in a while. Hey, to each their own.
credit: The Wizard of Oz
Movie props have been popular with fans for a while.
It’s not hard at all to find people worldwide who love movies and who love to collect movie props or replicas at the very least. Fans will spend hundreds to thousands of dollars in an effort to get a piece of movie history. The richest among them will spend whatever it takes to get what they want, and it’s been seen that private collectors with too much money and nothing else to do with it will sometimes seek out the most iconic pieces they can find. Some people find this to be a great way to honor the movies they love, and they’re not entirely wrong, but the kind of money that is used to purchase said items is still mind-boggling at times.
The worth of various props is confusing at times.
There have been times when props go for an insane amount of money, and when certain items that weren’t movie props but were held by celebrities to people’s favorite movies have gone up for auction. A lot of times the auction prices will continue to rise until only one buyer is left, which is easy enough to understand. But the idea that something that cost so little to make would be sold for so much is still enough to make a lot of people shake their heads and wonder why. The inherent value in the item doesn’t come from what it’s made of typically, but the memories and the prestige that are heaped upon it thanks to the success of the movie or simply the fact that it was memorable in some way. People are funny when it comes to movie props since some folks don’t generally care and will think that a replica is just fine when it comes to keeping the memory, while others aren’t entirely satisfied and would prefer the real thing.
credit: The Wizard of Oz
In truth, owning an actual movie prop says two things about a person.
It does prove that a person is a fan and that they have a deep and abiding love for a movie if they can find a way to buy a genuine movie prop, but when the cost becomes so high, it says something else as well. For one, it says that the individual has more money than they know what to do since even if the money goes to a charity, it means that they earn enough to donate and not think twice about it. The second thing it says, among many other things, is that these collectors are a bit egotistic and want to flaunt their collections to others whenever the chance presents itself. That could be wrong in several instances, but it would often appear accurate.
These items are a little easier to appreciate in a museum celebrating cinema.
Private collectors aren’t at fault for wanting a piece of movie history all to themselves, especially if they can afford it, but the fact is that The Wizard of Oz has been enjoyed by multiple generations and the movie props that people remember so well are a lot easier to appreciate when they’re set where others can see them. Either way, the items are being given appreciation, but it’s a bit tougher to appreciate an item in a private home than it would be in a museum.
Follow Us
