The New York-based auction house Bonhams will auction off his belongings under the title The Gene Hackman Collection: A Life in Art, which will be divided into three parts: a live auction on November 19, and two online auctions from November 8 to 21 and November 25 to December 4.
During his lifetime, the actor set up a kind of trust where if he died before his wife, she would inherit everything. However, fate took an unexpected turn.
Weeks after the tragic event, it was revealed that the Hollywood star had disinherited his children, Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie, with whom he had not maintained contact for years.
In response, the Gene Hackman Estate was established, where they have been safeguarding the legacy. Sources from the auction house, who refuse to provide further details about their relationship with the client considering it a private matter, have confirmed this to LOC.
Among the most expensive items are Figure on the Jetty by Avery estimated to reach between $500,000 and $700,000 or Green by Diebenkorn, which could fetch between $300,000 and $500,000. There are two sculptures by Auguste Rodin. The first, L'un des Bourgeois de Calais: Jean de Fiennes, Nu, Grand Modèle dit aussi 'Nu monumental', dating from the late 19th century, is expected to reach $120,000-$180,000. The second, a bust of Saint John the Baptist, is estimated to reach $60,000, possibly $80,000.
In a press release, Andrew Huber, Head of 20th and 21st Century Art at Bonhams, states that "these are prestigious works with impeccable provenance, further enriched by their association with one of the greatest actors of our time. Hackman was not only a collector but also an artist, and his approach to the collection reflects the care, aesthetic sensitivity, and discipline evident in his own artistic practice. This is a collection formed with extraordinary thought and passion."
For those with less affluent pockets, bidders can opt for a $10 dartboard, a diver's wristwatch for $600, and in the mid-range, the Golden Globes could range from $3,000 to $5,000.
The last time Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa walked the red carpet was at the 2003 Golden Globes, and the actor's final film was Welcome to Mooseport. After this film, he announced his definitive retirement from cinema and the couple moved to a $4 million mansion in Santa Fe, rarely leaving. Some of the last images of the Superman star - he played the villainous Lex Luthor - were when the couple went out to dinner at Pappadeaux's Seafood Kitchen or when he refueled his beat-up car.