WATCH: He brought some of the biggest names in entertainment to Vancouver and nearly a decade after he died, Hugh Pickett’s huge haul of Hollywood memorabilia is going up for auction. Elaine Yong reports.
Hundreds of one-of-a-kind items collected over the life of a famous Vancouver impresario will be put up for auction at the end of this month.
An estate memorabilia collection belonging to Hugh Pickett consists of 800 lots, including movie posters, antiques, furniture, art, and hundreds of autographed photographs of some of Hollywood’s most renowned actors.
Pickett was one of Vancouver’s most famous impresarios, a fancy term for a talent agent or manager.
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Auctioneer Ted Deeken says Pickett represented B.C. in the entertainment industry, bringing some of Hollywood’s biggest stars to Vancouver.
“He was their agent representative and he looked after them from A to Z,” says Deeken.
Picket is credited with bringing the likes of Hollywood Golden Age divas Marlene Dietrich and Mitzi Gaynor to the local stages.
“He was able to bring them up and entertain them, and make it interesting enough for them to want to be here,” says Deeken.
And in return, the Hollywood royalty showed its appreciation: among items in his collection are countless personal gifts and signed photos of the biggest names in show biz between 1940 and 1980.
One of the most priced items in Pickett’s collection is a piece by Peter Carl Fabergé, who designed jewelry for the Russian Tsar.
Other unique items include a mint-condition tie-pin worn by a member of the British Royal Family, a glossy photo of Elvis Presley with a dedication signature – and the tickets to his performance in Seattle, all of which could go for up to $100.
Another gem is a limited edition Audrey Hepburn poster for one of her most famous films, “Roman Holiday,” that is expected to sell for $3,000.
The auction starts at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26 in Richmond.
To see the lots, go here.
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