From documents on the night Tommy Cooper died to Allo Allo props

A raft of rare and unique comedy memorabilia is going under the hammer on New Year’s Eve.

Bristol-based Auctioneum is hosting a sale dedicated to comedy, with a total of 260 lots up for live auction.

Items include: 

• The six-page running order from the TV Live From Her Majesty’s show which aired on April 15, 1984 – when Tommy Cooper died on stage during the live broadcast from the London theatre (£100 to £200). Also a 1956 fez worn by the comedy-magician, which came up for auction last year too (£2,000 to £3,000)

ª A rare Fawlty Towers script from the final episode, Basil The Rat recorded on Sunday May 20, 1979. The 124-page document belonged to a member of the sound crew and used in rehearsals for the series. Estimate: £3,000 to £5,000.

• Original props from Allo Allo, including a pigeon coffin used in this scene (£800 to £1,000); a beard worn by Gordon Kaye as René (£600 to £800 ); General Von Klinkerhoffen’s hat  – that was also used in the late 1980s for the mini-series War And Remembrance (£1,000 to £2,000) as well as several scripts (£150-£250)

* Props from Stephen Merchant series The Outlaws, including a newspaper about Rani Rekowski (Rhianne Barreto) being on the run (£40 to £60) and a severed thumb (£30 to £50)

• The silver disc presented  presented to Graham Chapman (misspelled ‘Grahame’ on the plaque) to mark the fact that the LP of  Monty Python's Flying Circus sold more than £75,000 worth of copies in 1975 (£200 to £300)

• The Sun Television Award for top comedy act 1973, won by Morecambe and Wise (£300 to £500) - and two ties the pair wore, and had donated to a charity auction in about 1982 (£100 to £200) 

• Three original signed contracts from actors Terry-Thomas, Eric Sykes and Sarah Miles confirming their roles in the 1965 comedy Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines (£200 to £300 for the lot)

• A replica of the rear door of the Reliant Regal Supervan III driven by the Trotters in Only Fools And Horses, and signed by 20 cast members (£1,700 to £1,900) plus a  vintage Gabicci Concept polo shirt, as worn by Sir David Jason as Del Boy in several episodes (£5,000 to £8,000)

• An original camera script from shooting the Blackadder Goes Forth episode General Hospital, dated October 26, 1989 (£200 to £300), a  script Clive Dunn used for the radio recording of the Dad's Army episode The Day The Balloon Went Up in 1974 (£800 to £1,200) plus scripts from The Goodies (£100 to £200) and The Quiz episode of The Office (£250 to £400)

The sale – which also includes items from non-comedy shows such as Doctor Who – starts at 10am on January 31, here.

Meanwhile, the first Tramp suit worn by Charlie Chaplin is also being sold.

The outfit, including cane, bowler hat and ragged shoes, was loaned to him by Scottish comedian Billie Ritchie while they were performing in The Mumming Birds for the Alfred Karno Company in around 1910.  Chaplin put the shoes on the wrong feet to give him a distinctive walk.  

Chaplin returned the suit after the performances, but reprised the character on film in The Kid Auto Races, where his Tramp became famous.  

It is being sold by Parade Antiques for an undisclosed price.

Published: 15 Dec 2024