The shirt that was worn by Oscar-winning actor Colin Firth in his role as Fitzwilliam Darcy in the 1995 BBC version of Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice, was auctioned off at a cost of £20,000 (€23,390) in the capital of England. This iconic piece of clothing, which Firth wore during the famous lake scene, was auctioned by Cosprop, a costuming institution established by Oscar and BAFTA recipient John Bright in 1965, and Kerry Taylor Auctions. The clothing piece was included in a larger sale of over 60 film and television attire items.
Firth’s character, Fitzwilliam Darcy, catches Elizabeth Bennet, portrayed by Jennifer Ehle, off guard when she visits his Pemberley estate and finds him somewhat clothed and soaked while emerging from a swim in the estate’s lake.
The attire worn by Aidan Turner, best known for his role as Ross Poldark in the television series Poldark (2016-2019), was also part of the auction. This costume far exceeded its initial estimate, eventually selling for £3,200.
One of the highest-selling items was Johnny Depp’s clothing from his role in the 1999 movie “Sleepy Hollow” as Ichabod Crane. The costume sold for a whopping £24,000.
Across the pond in the U.S., fans of The Sopranos seized the opportunity to own a piece of television history, with the famous booth from Tony’s final episode, sold for $82,600. The final scene, which leaves viewers questioning the ultimate fate of the characters, took place in this well-recognised booth.
Hosting the auction of the booth was Holsten’s in Bloomfield, New Jersey, which put up the yellow Formica tabletop and burgundy booth as part of an eBay auction. The ice cream parlour’s co-owner, Chris Carley, hoped to raise $10,000 from the auction to assist with the estimated $60,000 cost of renovating the floor and booths.
Within a single day, the booth’s value surged to $52,000. By the arrival of Monday afternoon, competing bids had exceeded 230, driving the cost upwards of $82,000. The auction concluded slightly past 7pm, and the booth was sold at a final price of $82,600 (£63,063).
The successful bidder is entitled to the booth, table, partition, and the family plaque which marks out the seats for the Soprano clan. However, they will not receive the jukebox that was implemented by the cinematography team. The buyer themselves has to ensure its collection.
Sources for additional coverage include The Guardian and The New York Times.
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