Auction House Sells Rare Academy Award Medal for $45K

RR Auction in Amherst sold several pieces of Hollywood history last week which included an extremely rare Academy Award medal for still photography that was presented to Earnest Bachrach in 1947.

Mike Graff, a spokesman for the auction house, said the medal sold for more than $45,000.

Bachrach was a revered photographer of Hollywood’s "Golden Age," and he was  given the medal by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for his work on Crossfire and The Farmer’s Daughter, according to Graff.

Graff said he was especially well-known for his portrait studies of great actors and actress, including a series of color shots of Marilyn Monroe; also admired for his versatility, Bachrach's production work on King Kong is noted for the various effect shots and composites he produced both for continuity and the promotional campaign, Graff added.

“Bachrach was one of the most influential and admired of all the Hollywood portrait photographers and his work is arguably the most collectible of any of his peers,” said Bobby Livingston, vice president of RR Auction.

Other items that were sold last week included:

• An autographed photograph of Marilyn Monroe sold for $32,525.
• Paul Newman's working script for the Academy Award Winning Film — The Sting sold for $21,013.
• Dean Cain’s Superman costume, used in the television series Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman sold for $18,940.

More details can be found online at www.rrauction.com.