A pair of Barry Humphries’ Dame Edna Everage glasses have sold at auction for more than 25 times their pre-sale high estimate.
The yellow-lacquered Possum spectacles fetched £37,800, including buyer’s premium, and had an estimated selling price of £1,000 to £1,500.
The Australian star, who was known for his satirical characters including the high camp of Dame Edna and the offensive cultural attache Sir Les Patterson, died in April 2023 at the age of 89.
His personal collection totalled £4,627,224 at auction, including buyer’s premium, according to Christie’s auction house, which welcomed bidders from 41 countries to the sale.
The top price of the sale was lot 42, Charles Conder’s painting Sand dunes, Ambleteuse which sold for £239,400.
The veteran stage actor also collected literary works and his first edition: number one of 12 of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance Of Being Earnest, inscribed by the author to his publisher, sold for £138,600.
Among the star’s dresses up for sale was a scarlet chiffon evening gown, worn by Humphries as Dame Edna at the Royal Variety Show in 2013, which fetched £21,420.
Benedict Winter, head of sale, private and iconic collections, Christie’s London, said: “These fantastic results are a testament to Barry’s unique vision and lifelong passion for collecting.
“Extraordinary prices were achieved for Symbolist art, works on paper, books and of course Dame Edna’s ‘face furniture’ and dresses.
“Christie’s is incredibly proud to have offered this iconic collection at auction, with the results paying a fitting tribute to Barry Humphries and his remarkable legacy.”
Humphries became a staple of the British comedy circuit after moving from Australia to London in 1959 and appearing in West End shows such as Maggie May and Oliver!
He was among the leading members of the British comedy scene, alongside Dudley Moore, Alan Bennett and Spike Milligan while his talents extended into script writing and film producing.
In his stable of alter egos, he had the gentlemanly Sandy Stone, 1960s underground film-maker Martin Agrippa, sleazy trade union official Lance Boyle and archetypal Australian bloke Barry McKenzie, among many others.
