One of the biggest hits of 1974 was again one of the biggest hits of 2023. John Berkeys original artwork for The Towering Infernos poster sold for $350,000 during Heritage Auctions $8.29 million Hollywood/Entertainment Signature Auction held July 27, 28, and 29. The movie boasted one of cinemas all-time great casts, including Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire and Jennifer Jones in her final role. Yet none of those legendary faces appears in the action-packed artwork, which puts front and center the true star of the show: the 138-story glass tower engulfed in flames. Make it bigger was the mantra of the films producer, Irwin Allen, when referring to his escapist sci-fi adventures and star-studded disaster epics. The so-called Master of Disaster proved hes still capable of that very thing more than three decades after his passing. The sale attracted nearly 2,500 bidders worldwide who vied for treasures from galaxies far, far away; disasters much closer to home; British secret agents with licenses to kill and the costume designer who made gowns fit for a princess. The interest in and passion for entertainment memorabilia only continues to increase, whether in prices realized or the number of collectors who flock to Heritage for these remarkable, one-of-a-kind treasures, according to executive vice president Joe Maddalena. But in the end, whats most rewarding is that these pieces are going to new caretakers as astounded as I am by the memories and magic they carry with them. A bidding war broke out over Arnold Schwarzeneggers Atlantean sword from 1984s Conan the Destroyer. By the time the dust settled, the weapon obtained from the films stunt coordinator had found a new home for $118,750. Iconic costumes from landmark films proved exceptionally popular with Heritages collector-clients, none more so than the three-piece suit Orson Welles wore in Citizen Kane as he dismantled his second wife Susans room upon learning she left him. This was the suit, designed by Edward Stevenson, into which Kane stuffed the snow globe that reminded him of his last happy childhood memory while uttering, Rosebud. This rare, tangible survivor from one of the most evocative scenes from one of the most significant American films ever made realized $187,500. No less beloved is the turquoise-and-green dress Julie Andrews wore in The Sound of Music as Maria returns from the abbey and reunites with the Von Trapp children as theyre reprising My Favorite Things. This dress, among those once in the famous collection of Debbie Reynolds, bears a 20th Century Fox tag noting its use by J. Andrews and sold for $87,500. Thats the same amount the Munchkin coroner hat Meinhardt Raabe wore in The Wizard of Oz realized. An equally rare survivor from the beloved film, an Emerald City jacket with Munchkin soldier pants, followed the Yellow Brick Road to its new owner for $75,000. The archives of film title designer Maurice Binder, best known for setting the tone and tenor for the James Bond franchise, brought a license to thrill to this three-day event. Nearly every lot from the Binder collection sparked a bidding war, chief among them the opening Gun Barrel title sequence for 1962s Dr. No, which set the standard for every Bond film. The Dr. No storyboards hit the bulls eye when they realized $106,250. And decades after her Hollywood reign, Edith Head remains the most lauded costume designer in history. Several costume sketches from the eight-time Academy Award-winner exceeded their pre-auction estimates, among them a new record-setter for any Head rendering: Grace Kellys gold ball gown costume from To Catch a Thief, which realized $40,000, a price worthy of a princess. To learn more, visit www.HA.com.