The "World War II: The Pacific Theatre" auction at Bonhams New York will feature authentic World War II items including the original Iwo Jima Monument created by Felix de Weldon in February 1945.
An auction revolving around World War II memorabilia, including the original Iwo Jima Monument valued at over $1 million, is set to take place at Bonhams New York.
"World War II: The Pacific Theatre" will be held at the New York location of Bonhams, one of the world's oldest and largest antique and fine arts auction companies, on Friday. Friday's auction featuring authentic World War II items will include the original Iwo Jima Monument created by Felix de Weldon in February 1945.
The monument, with a flag, stands 20 feet tall, 18 feet 7 inches long and is cast in stone over a steel skeleton on a steel base, then finished with a bronzed lacquer. The monument weighs 10,000 pounds and is expected to be auctioned off for $1.2 million to $1.8 million.
Originally unveiled on Constitution Avenue in Washington in 1945, the monument had a home at New York’s Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum until 2007. The monument is currently owned by Rodney Hilton Brown, who will donate 10 percent of the sale's proceeds to the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation.
Many people will recognize the monument from its secondary, 80-ton version that stands at the Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington, Va. Both versions were derived from Joe Rosenthal’s groundbreaking photograph of the second flag-raising by Marines at Iwo Jima on the fourth day of battle.
Other noteworthy pieces of history will hit the auction block throughout the day. Original maquettes for the original 1945 Iwo Jima Monument and the 1954 Marine Corps Memorial at Arlington are valued between $25,000 and $30,000, and a personal photo album belonging to Rosenthal is expected to sell for $10,000 to $15,000.
Other items up for auction include; flags, over 40 models of various warships, relics from numerous battleships, medals and photographs.
The monument will serve as the highlight of the auction, which includes 186 lots. An "island-hopping" style of sale will be used, beginning with items related to Pearl Harbor, continuing on to Japan, China and so on.
Items are on view at Bonhams and are viewable on Bonhams' website.