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Bela Lugosi’s Dracula cape up for auction

Bela Lugosi’s Dracula cape up for auction

Christopher Parr | Pursuitist
Pursuitist Luxury Best Luxury Blog

We can really sink our teeth into this… The iconic cape worn by Bela Lugosi in “Dracula,” will go under the hammer in December and could fetch between $1.5 million and $2 million, auctioneer Profiles in History said on Thursday. The “Icons of Hollywood” sale will feature many items from various Hollywood films, but the black cape worn by Lugosi in the classic 1931 horror flick is expected to be one of the biggest selling items.

Lugosi gave the cape to his wife Lillian before his death in 1956 and told her to keep it for their son. Upon Lugosi’s death, the family decided that he should be buried in his Dracula costume, but given the actor’s wish that his son should have the cape, the family dressed the body in a lightweight version of the cape he used when making personal appearances. Lillian Lugosi left the cape to her son upon her death in 1981.

The item is expected to fetch up to $2 million when it goes under the hammer during the sale, Dec. 15 to Dec. 17. Other items from Lugosi’s family include, Bela’s own near mint Dracula jumbo lobby card, The Return of the Vampire original U.S. title-card, a U.S. title card from Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, a selection of vintage photographs from the Lugosi family album, amongst others.