Peter Mayhew’s Star Wars Memorabilia Auction

[Captain Dunsel]

This sounds pretty sad. But, it sounds like the auction house will be meeting with his family so, hopefully, there is a positive outcome.

Chewbacca star Peter Mayhew's wife says it 'breaks my heart' that the actor's personal 'Star Wars' memorabilia is being auctioned off

 

[jts1031]

I know that she's provided an explanation for why she didn't retrieve them from the attic either, but if they were that important then they surely could've found someone to get them out for them.

 

[NeoRutty]

Hmmm.

Sounds more like someone forgot they were up there… and trying to save face. Not trying to be crappy, but sounds like an excuse my kid woulda come up with on the fly… “oh I knew it was there, just didn’t have time! And it was too high up… and my knees hurt….”

But hope she gets it all back. I mean, c’mon.

 

[PoopaPapaPalps]

Also not wanting to play devil's advocate, but what is she and the family going to do with the material beyond auctioning them off at the later date themselves? I mean, it'd likely go to the Foundation, and if the current auction's proceeds all go to it, the outcome of these items would've been exactly the same. Maybe a compromise can be met and everyone's happy but, honestly, the family's not gonna hold onto these things forever and they only had any real meaning to Peter.

 

[Moviefreak]

Who is Peter Mathews?

 

[VanPersie]

Also not wanting to play devil's advocate, but what is she and the family going to do with the material beyond auctioning them off at the later date themselves? I mean, it'd likely go to the Foundation, and if the current auction's proceeds all go to it, the outcome of these items would've been exactly the same. Maybe a compromise can be met and everyone's happy but, honestly, the family's not gonna hold onto these things forever and they only had any real meaning to Peter.

Difference is though that the family would be the ones who decided the fate of their legal possessions. In the UK we have theft by finding as an offence (not saying it applies in this scenario), that means that just finding something doesn't mean that the previous owner gave up any legal rights to it.

Article doesn't state where the auction proceeds were going to.

I agree that whilst he was alive the stuff had more meaning to Peter, but is it possible that now he's gone that it's all become more important to them in terms of rememberance/family history?

I mean there are people out there looking for their relative's WW1 medals that were sold off decades ago because they are part of the family history.

 

[DarthWilder]

Just because you purchase a house, does not necessarily mean that you are entitled to all the contents inside. If Peter's belongings had just been thrown away as rubbish, it might be understandable. However, the attempt to profit from these items and their celebrity status shows a very different intent. The family still retains property rights associated with these personal items, and I think that given the circumstances, the auction house now realizes this.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Who is Peter Mathews?

 

[Funky]

Hmmm.

Sounds more like someone forgot they were up there… and trying to save face. Not trying to be crappy, but sounds like an excuse my kid woulda come up with on the fly… “oh I knew it was there, just didn’t have time! And it was too high up… and my knees hurt….”

I am in complete agreement with you. But I don't think they are saying this to save face.
The way I see it, it's never been a secret that the Mayhew's didn't have a lot of money. With that, they either forgot the stuff was up there or they decided whatever was up there was worthless. Now she finds it that it does indeed have value and is now regretting the fact that they never went through the trouble of getting it. Now seeing that people are willing to shell out good money for the stuff and that it no longer belongs to her she's playing the wounded bird routine so that she generates enough sympathy in order to guilt the new owners to just give it back to her. Then SHE will sell it and get the cash.
Yeah, if it truly "breaks her heart to see it auctioned off (and she gets nothing", she should have retrieved it when she had the chance. You're going to tell me the ONLY two people on planet earth that were able to go up there and get the stuff were him or her? No one else? Friend? Family member? Neighbor? Sorry, Angie. Weak excuse.
If I owned the house, I would sell off all the stuff as well. Unfortunate for her, sympathy does not work on me.

 

[Tommy]

For context, Mayhew sold the house 23 years ago:

Star Wars actor bids farewell

Film star Peter Mayhew - best known for his roll as Chewbacca in the blockbuster Star Wars trilogy - is to bid farewell to Keighley.

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk

Is there not a statute of limitations on theft-by-finding? That's a long time, and memorabilia has accrued A LOT of added value since then.

Not saying it wouldn't have been admirable for the current owners to try reaching out, but unless some additional info comes to light, I hope they don't take a bunch of flak from fans.

 

[VanPersie]

For context, Mayhew sold the house 23 years ago:

Star Wars actor bids farewell

Film star Peter Mayhew - best known for his roll as Chewbacca in the blockbuster Star Wars trilogy - is to bid farewell to Keighley.

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk

Is there not a statute of limitations on theft-by-finding? That's a long time, and memorabilia has accrued A LOT of added value since then.

Not saying it wouldn't have been admirable for the current owners to try reaching out, but unless some additional info comes to light, I hope they don't take a bunch of flak from fans.

No limitation that i'm aware of, however it may not apply anyway in this case. It was just a simple example of a legal concept here, that highlighted that "finders keepers" isn't always legally sound.

In the end it will come down to what the contract of the house sale said about anything left in the house, but it is incorrect to assume that because they sold the house, that they automatically gave up any legal rights to their property that the house contained if it wasn't specified during the sale.

At the moment there's nothing proving anything about who actually owns it, which is likely what the auction house will attempt to find out. Either way nobody will come out of this looking squeeky clean to some people or other.

 

[JediMichael]

Well, hopefully they can all work something out.
I still think of the most odd way I ran into Peter...or rather, him into me.
At SW Celebration V in 2010, while there, they were having an actual wedding preformed by a storm trooper Elvis. Which is already pretty ridiculous, but then someone bumps me. Of course, its crowded, not an issue or anything, but I realize its Peter Mayhew himself walking by, who then stops for a min watching this Star Wars wedding preformed by storm trooper Elvis with us all... Yeah, thats not a sentence many people ever get to type out.
Stills from the video on youtube.

 

[Treadwell]

Elvistrooper was a RPF regular back in the day.

 

[Apollo]

Elvistrooper was a RPF regular back in the day.

He was also a photobomb legend at Dragon Cons

 

[Banzai88]

Star Wars Star Peter Mayhew's Widow Successfully Halts Chewbacca Memorabilia Auction - Looper

"Star Wars" star Peter Mayhew's widow, Angie Mayhew, has successfully halted an auction of Chewbacca memorabilia left behind in the couple's attic.

www.looper.com