Doyle Auctions hosted a sale of late Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim's personal effects June 18, with more than 300 lots covering show memorabilia, personal clothing, books, furniture, and more.
And the Sondheim fans had their wallets open. Doyle tells Playbill the sale brought in more than $1.5 million—"far over expectations," Senior Vice President Louis LeB. Webre says. Among the hot ticket items were a gold record of the West Side Story soundtrack that sold for $46,800, two lots of thesauruses that went for more than $40,000 combined, boxes of the composer-lyricist's favorite pencils that sold for $6,400, Sondheim's first check for a published song (for a whopping 74 cents) that sold for $20,480, and more.
The amount of bids ended up making the sale a long affair. Averaging 45 lots an hour, the full sale went from 10 AM to after 8 PM ET.
See highlights from the completed sale at Doyle.com.
The collection was on display at Doyle's Manhattan showroom on East 87th Street June 14–17.
Sondheim, who passed away in 2021, was a true Broadway legend, credited by many with changing the face of musical theatre. He started his career penning lyrics to West Side Story and Gypsy, next moving on to a string of scores as a composer and lyricist, including Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park With George, Into the Woods, Passion, and Assassins. Over his career, he won seven Tony Awards and received an eighth for lifetime achievement; eight Grammys; an Academy Award; and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Three-dimensional caricatures of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett
Three-dimensional caricatures of Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Large portrait of Stephen Sondheim after the Al Hirschfeld Original
Caricatures of various Sondheim musicals
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Gilt metal belt and fox belt buckle
Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Artwork from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Carnival ball toss game
Fabergé enameled silver-gilt and wood covered box
American Twenty-Five Cent 'Fruit and Bar' Slot Machine
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
A group of Stephen Sondheim's casual clothing
Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Three-dimensional caricatures of Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Brass model of a locomotive made of musical instrument parts
Brass model of a locomotive made of musical instrument parts
Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Stephen Sondheim's book collection of George Seurat art monographs
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Company poster
Four designs for Into the Woods
Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Group of photographs, pins and ephemera
Group of photographs, pins and ephemera
Large portrait of Stephen Sondheim after the Al Hirschfeld Original
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
A collection of books on playing cards and other games
Twelve works on playing cards and games
Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Three-dimensional caricature of Mrs. Lovett
Three-dimensional caricature of Sweeney Todd
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
A handmade ceramic chess set with pieces based on characters from Sondheim musicals
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Game book from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
Items from Doyle's "The Collection of Stephen Sondheim" Auction
