Hopeful bidders in our most recent Hollywood Icons auction in April had the chance to take home a piece of the yuletide action, when nearly 200 lots of original storyboard sketches by art department veteran John L. Jensen made their way across the auction block, bringing a final hammer price of nearly $300,000 - enough to make you shout, “Yippie-ki-yay!”

In 1988, Bruce Willis was probably no one’s idea of an action hero. Sure, he’d had some success in light comedic roles where he cracked wise, and solved crimes on the hit TV series Moonlighting, but a beefed-up muscle man à la Schwarzenegger or Stallone he was not.

Would audiences get behind NYPD detective John McLane who was, in Willis’ words…

“an ordinary guy who’s been thrown into extraordinary circumstances?”

Any doubts were quickly blown-away upon the film’s release when it proved to be a smash hit blockbuster. It still ranks among the best-loved Hollywood films of our time: an expertly choreographed action romp full of heart, and peppered with some of the most quotable one-liners in the genre.

Whether working directly with big-hearted rockers who want to share the love, or with organizations on a mission to provide support for workers in the music industry, music sales at Julien’s Auctions often go hand-in-hand with charitable giving.

Our annual auctions with MusiCares and the Music Health Alliance facilitate the injection of much-needed funding into these essential non-profit ventures that offer financial support and access to services for workers in the music industry.

It’s not uncommon for individual artists to set aside a portion of the auction profits to benefit charities like Kicking the Stigma, or for locally-minded bands like Philadelphia’s The War on Drugs to curate pop-up auction events which benefit their communities.

This year alone, more than $400,000 in charitable funds have been raised through the sale of instruments, stage-worn costumes, and original artworks donated by some of music’s most enduring icons and today’s biggest stars – Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, j-hope of BTS, Eminem, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, and Slash.

Our charity auctions allow you to bid on rock ‘n roll “GOLD” – and to experience the warm glow of giving at the same time!

I'm Gracie Williams, a pop culture specialist at Julien's Auctions, and I'm fascinated by legendary tailor Nudie Cohn, whose shop Nudie's of Hollywood and the beautiful one-of-a-kind garments he produced, catered to a broad range of the entertainment industry's most fashionable stars. Over the years, Julien’s Auctions has had the pleasure of representing numerous examples showcasing the amazing work of larger-than-life tailor.

Cohn, a Ukrainian refugee with an early passion for clothing, began his career by designing undergarments for showgirls with the help of his wife, Helen “Bobbie” Kruger. In the early 1940s, after relocating to Hollywood and gaining a following from his uniquely bedazzled suits, Cohn and his wife opened Nudie's of Hollywood, trademarking a style that has attracted everyone from Old Hollywood cowboys to famed rockstars.

Cohn’s celebrity clientele ranged from Hank Williams and Elvis Presley to John Wayne and Tony Curtis. The price tag for original Nudie’s shirts often exceeds $1,000 – but if you’ve ever had the opportunity to see one in person, you’d know it’s worth it.

For those seeking greater defense from the dark arts, look no further.

From the wizarding world of Harry Potter, our recent Hollywood Icons auction brought a number of rare and unique items from the vaults of collectors around the world. Among those were a number of famous wands from crowd favorite characters: Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), Remus Lupin (David Thewlis), Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) which collectively brought in over $315,000.

Fans also enjoyed bidding on over 35 unique, original concept art designs for signage and product labels from Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, allowing bidders to more fully immerse themselves in the fascinating world of Harry Potter.

The ornate and whimsical designs included examples for J Pippins’ Potions, Spintwitches Sporting Needs, Tomes and Scrolls, and the iconic Honeydukes Sweet Shop – fans of which were additionally delighted by sensational and delectable deals on original treat packaging, such as Exploding Bon-Bons, Fizzing Whizzbees, Pumpkin Juice, Wizochoc, Qizilbash Cauldron Cakes, Madam Borboleta Sugared Butterfly Wings, and more.

This auction is not the first time that Julien’s Auctions has swept the competition when it comes to Harry Potter, in December, an original Nimbus 2000 broom brought a staggering $128,000. Earlier in 2022, Julien’s sold a Nimbus 2001 broom for $76,800.