Original dive helmet prop from Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) that was the auction’s first-rate lot at $3,250.
Review by Z.G. Burnett, Photos Courtesy of Freedom Auction Company
SARASOTA, FLA. — On March 12, Freedom Auction Company unloaded a treasure trove of goods from the inventory of The Sea Hagg, a nautical-themed shop in nearby Cortez, Fla. The shop operated for 25 years until closing its doors in October 2022, after which Freedom conducted the first part of the Sea Hagg’s inventory sale. This was the second and final auction of the shop’s inventory. Jan Holman founded the Sea Hagg in the early 1990s and has retired from in-person retail, but her strong presence in the community was a big draw for bidders. According to Brian Hollifield, who co-owns Freedom Auctions with his wife Kisha, the buyers were mostly “local if not regional, within 200 miles,” with other domestic bidders participating online. There were approximately 1,600 lots offered over the two sales, and the total of both amounted to about $280,000 with a 97 percent sell-through rate for the second sale.
The top lot of the March 12 sale was a prop diving helmet used in Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), starring Kirk Douglas and James Mason, that emerged at $3,250 ($800-$1,200). Original interior sets and props from Captain Nemo’s Nautilus were used as a Disneyland Park attraction, as was the robotic screen-used giant squid that would appear in the set’s observation window on a timer, snap its beak and retreat. When the building containing this display was needed for a newer attraction in 1968-69, most of the sets and props were destroyed. One notable exception was Nemo’s pipe organ, which was redressed and put to use in the ballroom of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ride, where it remains today.
Another Disney-related lot was an original “Grandmother Willow” stage mask from Disneyland’s Fantasyland Theatre production of Pocahontas, which ran from 1995 to 1997. The 80-inch-high prop of the character’s face had mechanical components to activate its eyebrows, eyes and mouth. According to the lot’s description and appealing to longtime customers, the prop was located at the Sea Hagg’s kiosk. It sold for $1,500 ($600/900).
Stage-used “Grandmother Willow” mechanical prop (left) used in Disneyland’s stage production of Pocahontas (right), achieved $1,500.
Second in the auction was a large man’s ring with a “Spanish treasure” coin mounted in a heavy 14K gold setting. The coin was a 1762 “pillar and wave” example of a silver two-reales piece with a “V, José de Vargas” assayer mark that was made at the Mint of Potosì, or the National Mint of Bolivia, during the reign of Charles III of Spain. Such coins are categorized as “Spanish New World” as it was from Potosì that most of the silver shipped through the Spanish Main was cast. Spanish two-reales coins are relatively scarce, and this ring was bid to $2,000 ($2/3,000).
Two other authentic pieces of nautical history went to new homes during the sale. A large copper ship’s cowl vent from Carl Schilbach & Co was bought for $1,750 ($300/600). Close behind in price was a heavy brass bell from an unknown shipwreck, found in the water off northern Roatan near Honduras. The bell was 16 inches high and missing its clapper, but still rang out at $1,250 ($300/600).
Freedom Auctions also offered 38 lots of multimedia works from Julie Ross, a Miami-based artist. Ross was educated at Sarasota’s Ringling College of Art and Design and The School of Visual Arts, New York City. According to Hollifield, sales were fairly strong for Ross’ pieces, and more of her art will be sold in their upcoming April sale. The highest price achieved for Ross’ work was a multimedia painting on a salvaged window that sold for $1,375 ($200/400).
Prices quoted with buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. Freedom Auction Company’s next sale of Vintage Posters, Fine Art and Midcentury Modern Antiques will take place on April 30. For more information, 941-725-2166 or www.freedomauctions.com.
