A treasure trove of Old Tucson movie memorabilia belonging to the Wild West attraction and film studio’s founder, Robert Shelton, is up for grabs in an online auction over the next week.
RR Auction, a company headquartered in Boston, has more than 70 lots listed from Shelton’s estate, the majority of which originated from Old Tucson Studios, a prime filming location for decades for Westerns ranging from “Rio Bravo” to “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean.”
The auction, which runs from Friday, May 17, to Thursday, May 23, includes costume design mock-ups from the 1967 film “El Dorado” and a petticoat skirt worn by Elizabeth Taylor in the 1987 television Western “Poker Alice.”
A Winchester Centennial ’66 rifle, gifted from John Wayne to Shelton during the filming of “Rio Lobo” in 1970, has an estimated value of at least $8,000, according to the RR Auction website.
The Winchester was given in response to a similar rifle Shelton had given Wayne years earlier, said Carolyn Shelton, Robert’s widow.
“They were good business partners and truly good friends,” Carolyn Shelton said.
The decision to auction off Shelton’s collection was made by Robert Shelton himself, before his death in 2016 at age 95, according to Carolyn.
Known as “Mr. Old Tucson,” Shelton first leased the property, an Old West set built in 1939 by Columbia Pictures for the feature film “Arizona,” in 1959, according to the Old Tucson website.
Over the next several decades, Shelton was instrumental in turning Old Tucson into a highly sought movie location, home to more than 300 films and television productions, and a theme park visited by people from all over the world.
“He helped put Tucson on the map,” Carolyn Shelton said. “He always said Old Tucson was Arizona’s second-biggest attraction, after the Grand Canyon, but only because the Grand Canyon had a better designer.”
Robert Shelton retired from Old Tucson in 1992.
In the years following, Shelton tried several times to open a museum dedicated to his Western film memorabilia collection, but plans always fell through, Carolyn Shelton said.
“This is what he wanted,” Shelton said. “If stuff wasn’t going to go into a museum, he said an auction would be fine with him.”
Carolyn Shelton was referred to RR Auction by Geoffrey Notkin, owner of Aerolite Meteorites in Tucson. Notkin had consigned through the company in the past and serves as its exclusive meteorite dealer.
RR Auction has been in business since 1976. Its specialty is autographs and manuscripts, but it has branched off into other areas over the years, including music and space memorabilia.
In 2015, it auctioned a Bulova chronograph watch that Apollo 15 commander David Scott wore during a lunar walk for $1.625 million, the highest sale ever made through the company.
Tricia Eaton, chief marketing officer with RR Auction, said the Shelton estate was a great opportunity.
Eaton spent time at Shelton’s home in December, conducting an inventory at the house and in a warehouse space, off-property, where the brunt of the pieces were stored.
“The facility where Bob had a lot of this stuff was like a mini-museum,” Eaton said. “The amount of items was overwhelming.”
While RR Auction deals primarily in paper, Eaton said the auction house felt many of the oversized items in the Shelton estate were worth transporting from Tucson to New England.
Some of the biggest pieces included four 7-foot-tall guidon poles, one from Wayne, used on the set of his Texas-filmed project, “The Alamo”; and a large fiberglass boot, measuring 46 x 36 inches, that is similar to the one used to signify a boot repair shop in the 1969 Robert Mitchum film “Young Billy Young.”
“We took the things that were going to be most interesting to collectors and garner the most money at auction for Carolyn,” Eaton said.
The items related to Wayne are expected to bring some of the highest dollars.
“John Wayne is still very popular,” Eaton said. “Some of the Hollywood stuff has taken a downturn, but John Wayne is still strong, still an icon. That hasn’t changed. People are still passionate about collecting his stuff.”
Shelton’s collection is part of a bigger Hollywood-themed auction of more than 600 film industry collectibles.
Carolyn Shelton said she believes the auction will put these pieces of Old Tucson history into the right hands.
“I know how much these things meant to him,” she said. “If any collectors or movie buffs get that same enjoyment from these items, they should have them.”
Photos of Old Tucson Studios before the fire
Photos: Old Tucson Studios before the fire
Much of Old Tucson Studios was destroyed in this 1995 fire.
Drexel Heights firefighters at Old Tucson Studios on April 24, 1995.
Old Tucson Studios burns on April 24, 1995.
Old Tucson Studios burns on April 24, 1995.
The remains of a cannon rest near the Spanish mission in Old Tucson April 26, 1995.
Old Tucson Studios fire aftermath in April, 1995.
Old Tucson Studios fire aftermath in April 1995.
Main Street in Old Tucson in 1991.
This is the cattle drive scene that took place in the middle of Old Tucson and the stars in the background are from left to right Alan Ruck and Lou Diamond Philips.
Old Tucson Studios' gunfighting stuntmen take a break between shows in 1953,
From the Tucson Citizen in 1952: In case you think the "good old days" are gone forever you had better visit Old Tucson this evening and tomorrow when the rip-roarin' wild West will live again with street shootings, hangings, Indian attacks and bank robberies. And if that isn't enough to liven things up there will be Can Can dancers like those pictured above. The annual "Old Tucson Daze" celebration is sponsored by the Tucson Junior Chamber of Commerce.
While Amy Carter's mother presided at hearing of the President's Commission on Mental Health, Amy enjoyed the sun and old Tucson in 1977. Amy is the daughter of President Jimmy Carter. As she charges down the street, Secret Service agents run close behind.
"Rio Bravo" set at Old Tucson in May 24 1958.
"Rio Bravo" set at Old Tucson in May 24 1958.
In 1968, Old Tucson provided the background for another big screen western. This time is was MGM's "Pistolero," produced by Howard Strickling, directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Glenn Ford and Angie Dickinson. Filming locations included Upper Sabino Canyon.
Old Tucson art director, with Kansas Street, which masks the Sound Stage in 1968. This is at the north end of the big sound stage.
"Reward" during filming near Old Tucson on June 15 1964. A section of the Old Tucson movie set in Tucson Mountain Park was remodeled to depict a street in a small Mexican town where "The Reward" action takes place.
Paul Newman gets makeup during filming of "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean" at Old Tucson in 1971.
The set of "Gunfight at the OK Corral" at Old Tucson in 1957.
Clint Eastwood, left, and director John Sturges on the set of "Joe Kidd" at Old Tucson in 1971.
The entrance to Old Tucson on June 11, 1968.
Tourists get a bite to eat at Old Tucson Studios on June 11, 1968.
The sound stage under construction at Old Tucson Studios on June 11, 1968.
The adobe church at Old Tucson Studios under construction on September 28, 1965.
High Chapparal set at Old Tucson. December 9, 1981.
Actor Paul Newman, left, has his photo taken by his wife Joanne Woodward, during a break in filming of "Hombre" in 1967 at Old Tucson.
Walter Brennan, left and John Wayne during filming of Rio Bravo at Old Tucson in 1958. These ruins are leftover walls from the Mexican Village built for the film "Arizona." John Wayne filmed four movies at Old Tucson.
Lee Marvin, right, talks with Jack Palance during a break in the filming of Monte Walsh in 1970. For this film the production company built the town of Harmony 35 miles east of Tucson. The set there is now the Mescal location and still used today.
Robert Shelton (left) then president of Old Tucson talks with art director George Chan (right) from 20th Century Fox during construction in 1964.
Actor Josh Brolin, who played Jimmy Hickok in the television show "The Young Riders" on the set at Old Tucson Studios in August, 1989.
Crew members relax in between takes on the set of the televsion show "The Young Riders" at Old Tucson Studios in August, 1989.
Cattle is herded through the streets of Old Tucson during filming for the television show "High Chaparral" in May, 1968. (NOTE: Chair says "Bonanza," but this photo was take on the "High Chaparral" set.)
Actor Cameron Mitchell, center on horseback, gallops into a scene on the set of the television show “High Chaparral” at Old Tucson in May, 1968.
The cast of the televsion show "High Chaparral" on set at Old Tucson in May, 1968. From left, Henry Darrow, Leif Erickson and Don Collier, who lived in Tucson.
The filming of Tombstone at Old Tucson Studios.
James Arness rides through Old Tucson as Sheriff Matt Dillon in TVs Gunsmoke.
Australian John Newcombe, right, is not known for giving opponents an even break on the tennis courts and that philosophy carried over onto the streets of old Tucson as Newcombe prepared to "gun down" Stan Smith while the American tennis pro was looking the other way. The two touring pros took time out from the American Airlines Tennis Games to let off some steam at Old Tucson in 1974.
Kirk Douglas shows other actors how to draw and whirl during the filming of "Posse" at Old Tucson in 1974.
Brent Rock practices for a quick draw competition at Old Tucson Studios. The practice was held May 14, 1990. The Old Tucson gunfighters are challenging Arizona military pilots and other military teams to a top gun quick draw contest during the Armed Forces Day celebration May 19, 1990.
Kurt Russell stars as Wyatt Earp in "Tombstone" filmed at Old Tucson Studios in 1993.
This is a movie poster for "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" starring Burt Lancaster as "Wyatt Earp" and Kirk Douglas as "Doc Holliday" filmed at Old Tucson Studios in 1957.
This is original lobby card #5 for "The Broken Star" filmed at Old Tucson Studios in 1956.
This is the original Mexican lobby card for the movie "Lone Ranger & the Lost City of Gold" filmed at Old Tucson Studios in 1957.
A Japanese film crew takes up a position on Old Tucson's main street in 1974, as it goes about producing a movie designed to promote tourism from Japan to the United States. The 15-minute feature, w hich includes a four minute segment on the southern Arizona movie set, is scheduled for use by travel agents and Japanese television stations.
Dean Martin hangs on to Ricky Nelson as John Wayne takes a swing with a blanket on the set of Rio Bravo at Old Tucson Studios in 1959.
Merlin Olson as "Father Murphy" at Old Tucson in 1982
"The Lone Ranger" television show in production near Old Tucson in 1957.
Old Tucson movie set in 1971, which was a banner year for the movie studio with 14 movies produced there.
Students from Amphitheater School District visit the movie set of "How the West was Won" at Old Tucson in 1979.
Old Tucson studios in 1954. Tucson Citizen file
Old Tucson studios in 1954. Tucson Citizen file
Old Tucson studios in 1954. Tucson Citizen file
Old Tucson studios in 1954. Tucson Citizen file
Old Tucson studios in 1954. Tucson Citizen file
Old Tucson studios in 1954. Tucson Citizen file
Old Tucson studios in 1954. Tucson Citizen file
Old Tucson studios in 1954. Tucson Citizen file
Old Tucson studios in 1954. Tucson Citizen file
