Simpsons fans rejoice—Sotheby’s New York will auction Simpsons’ co-founder Sam Simon’s collection of fine art and TV memorabilia this fall.
Items among the collection are a Simpsons-themed pinball machine, a red and black varsity jacket decorated with Marge, Lisa, Homer, Bart, and Maggie and other characters, and an original “Life In Hell” framed comic by Simpsons co-creator Matt Groening dated March 5, 1987.
Simon is credited with helping create and evolve the show, which started as brief animated segments on the “Tracey Ullman Show” in 1987 and has grown into the longest-running sitcom in television history.
Sotheby’s will also be selling Simon’s collection of American pinup art, a 1975 Max Ernst sculpture Le Grand Assistant (Le Grand Genie), with a high estimate of $900,000, and a Thomas Hart Benton painting, T.P. and Jake (1938), with a high estimate of $2.5 million.
The total value of Simon’s 114-lot collection, which will be offered across 11 sales over the year, is valued with a high estimate of $11.3 million.
Sam Simon, whose post-Simpsons projects included “The Drew Carey Show” and work on “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,” died last March of colon cancer. He was 59 years old. During his lifetime, he founded the Sam Simon Foundation, which provides a mobile veterinary clinic to Los Angeles residents, among other activities. All proceeds from the sales will go towards the foundation.
Sam Simon, “The Simpsons” Jacket, Circa (1990).
Photo: courtesy of Sotheby’s.
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