Event Details

JULIEN'S AUCTIONS IS PROUD TO PRESENT "PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK", AN AUCTION TAKING PLACE IN BEVERLY HILLS AND LIVE ONLINE AT JULIEN'S LIVE ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4TH, 2021!

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Julien’s Auctions, the world-record breaking auction house to the stars, has announced its spine-tingling event "Property From The Collection of Elvira, Mistress of The Dark", on Saturday, December 4th, in Beverly Hills and live online at juliensauctions.com.

Julien's Auctions: Property From The Collection of Elvira... Message to the Bidders

The exclusive auction celebration of the career of American actress, writer, producer, singer, pop culture icon and sex symbol, Cassandra Peterson, known the world over as “Elvira, Mistress of the Dark” will showcase a frightful collection of her personal memorabilia, including her signature black gown, props and costumes from her television series and films as well as jewelry, a pinball machine, a vespa, and other Elvira ephemera from the pioneering horror host who was the first ever to be syndicated throughout the U.S. on national television.

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Cassandra Peterson began her career in entertainment as a Las Vegas showgirl, dancing in the popular lounge show at the Dunes, Vive Les Girls, and appearing with her co-stars in the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever. Taking personal advice from her hero, Elvis Presley, she left Las Vegas and went to Italy, where she toured as a singer with the band Latins 80 and was an extra in Federico Fellini’s Roma.

In 1979, she joined the Los Angeles based improvisational group The Groundlings where she created a California “Valley Girl” character which would evolve into her iconic persona as Elvira.

In 1981, Peterson was offered the role of horror host of Los Angeles KHJ-TV’s Movie Macabre, a local late-night movie show featuring B horror, sci-fi and genre movies. Peterson's Elvira character attracted immediate attention and raised eyebrows for her tight-fitting, cleavage-enhancing black gown, vampire/punk look, and hip, razor sharp wit. Her campy humor and sexy gothic appearance made her a beloved cult figure with late-night viewers of the show, which was ultimately syndicated nationally. From 1982-83, she was a DJ on KROQ-FM.

Her popularity soared and the Elvira brand grew into an empire during the 1980s and 1990s that included Halloween costumes, comic books, action figures, trading cards, pinball machines, video games, décor, Halloween albums, model kits, perfume, beer, dolls and more.

In 1985, Elvira began hosting a successful home video series called Thriller Video, with horror and genre films chosen by Peterson, which led to a second video set, Elvira's Midnight Madness and the DVD horror-film collection Elvira's Box of Horrors.

On the big screen, Peterson produced, wrote and starred in the films Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) and Elvira’s Haunted Hills (2001). The latter film screened at AIDS charity fundraisers across America (part of Peterson’s lifelong dedication to activism) and made its official premiere in Hollywood, where Elvira arrived in her Macabre Mobile, the 1959 Thunderbird from the film Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. The film would later be screened at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.

In 2010, Elvira's Movie Macabre returned to television syndication in the U.S. and in October 2014, Peterson reprised her role in Hulu’s 13 Nights of Elvira.

Peterson is the author of the Elvira novels (co-authored by John Paragon) Transylvania 90210, Camp Vamp, and The Boy Who Cried Werewolf.

In the 2000s, her reign as Halloween Empress continued with appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Halloween Wars, AMC’s Talking Dead, Celebrity Ghost Stories, Oddities, Counting Cars, Fangasm, Face Off and the TV reality series The Search for the Next Elvira.

In 2016, Peterson published a large format photo retrospective “coffin” table book for Elvira’s 35th anniversary, titled Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. She has been a voice character in several animated films, including Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island, Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo, and various episodes of the animated TV series, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. A respected horror film expert, she has appeared in several documentaries on the subject, including In Search of Darkness and In Search of Darkness: Part II.

Peterson’s event at Julien’s Auctions is part of a massive international celebration of Elvira’s 40th Anniversary, which began with the publication of her critically acclaimed, bestselling memoir Yours Cruelly, Elvira. Peterson delighted fans by returning to hosting movies on Elvira’s 40th Anniversary, Very Scary, Very Special Special on the horror streaming platform Shudder and a series of shorts titled Netflix and Chills with Dr. Elvira. She continued a career-long string of cameos on hit TV series with her appearance on the sitcom The Goldbergs. Finally, she announced the release of two major collector's items celebrating the anniversary, a limited edition Vespa and a limited edition Stern pinball machine titled Elvira’s House of Horrors.

“Julien’s Auctions is honored to present for the first time at auction this thriller collection from the Queen of Halloween, Elvira,” said Martin Nolan, Executive Director of Julien’s Auctions. “For over three decades, Cassandra Peterson has delighted millions of fans from the television screen to Comic Cons all over the world with her iconic character and trailblazing brand as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable horror personas of all time.”

Julien's Auctions: Property From The Collection of Elvira, Mistress of The Dark Exhibition Walk Thru

Highlights of the auction include:

• one of the three original signature Elvira long black gown costume used from 1981 – 1986;
• a gold wooden framed ”oil painting” look portrait of Elvira created by photographer David Goldner and used in several film and TV productions;
• a large carved wood partners desk on which Cassandra Peterson co-wrote the films Mistress of the Dark and Haunted Hills;
• a large concrete outdoor water fountain with a lion's head water spout;
• the earliest Robert Redding concept drawings for the Elvira character;
• the original Frederick’s of Hollywood brand black high heeled shoes that Peterson first wore when playing Elvira on Movie Macabre;
• Cassandra Peterson’s original Elvira belt by A1 Pleating with back hook closure and leather “pin” faux front closure;
• a screen-matched silver-tone studded leather costume that Peterson wore as “Biker Mama” in Tim Burton’s film Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure;
• Elvira: Mistress of the Dark 1987 film script with an embossed cover with handwritten notes by Cassandra Peterson, including scenes and dialogue that are not in the final film;
• a screen used steel chain link pentagram steering wheel and screen-matched license plate frame seen on the Macabre Mobile in the film Elvira: Mistress of the Dark;
• a custom chrome cast Elvira hood ornament with acrylic bat wings, designed by Brian Cooper for George Barris Studios – an exact replica of the hood ornament that is currently on the Macabre Mobile;
• a screen worn black velvet robe and leopard and lace bodysuit from the film Elvira: Mistress of the Dark;
• a breakaway skirt worn by Cassandra Peterson in Elvira: Mistress of the Dark’s “Maniac” dance number;
• a screen worn black velvet cloak designed by Jane Booke for the film Elvira’s Haunted Hills;
• a pair of 1987 Frederick’s of Hollywood screen worn black marabou slides used in the films Elvira: Mistress of the Dark and Elvira’s Haunted Hills;
• screen worn “Can Can” dance costume, including the infamous “Applause” panties, used in the musical number, “Le Music Hall,” from the film Elvira’s Haunted Hills;
• a stage worn “Tassel Twirling Costume” consisting of a Swarovski crystal encrusted long sleeve bodysuit, bra with beaded tassels, and wrap skirt with rhinestone dagger pin created by costume designer Michael Schmidt for the 2017 Elvira Show at Knott’s Scary Farm, a version of the finale costume from the film, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark;
• original art for various Elvira comics, including annotated proofs for the first issue of the Marvel comic book series Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (Marvel Comics, 1988) and original pieces from Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (Claypool, 1993) signed by Dan Day and Ron Sutton
• a figural light-up slot machine topper with Elvira seated on a red chair with skulls and bats;
• personal jewelry, including a solid silver devil and a solid gold angel earring set and a solid silver skull and crossbones bracelet gifted to Peterson by her ex-husband and manager Mark Pierson, and more;
• the first numbered unit (of 199) of the limited edition, Stern brand Elvira’s House of Horrors pinball machine, commemorating Elvira’s 40th anniversary;
• a signed, limited edition 40th anniversary Vespa prototype

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Julien’s Auctions: Property From The Collection of Elvira, Mistress of The Dark - Biker Mama Costume

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If you can't make it out to Beverly Hills to bid in person, you can still watch all the action as well as bid online at Julien's Live.

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