Hayward’s Auction House held a clearance auction of theatrical props, sets, and other equipment along with office items on Saturday afternoon. The theatre closed in May, saying it was no longer financially viable.
Fortune Theatre Trust board member Caroline Cook said while it was a sad occasion, it was "fantastic" to see representatives from other organisations, such as the Mayfair Theatre, attend and bid for theatrical equipment like lights and curtains.
"The feeling at the end of it was really the feeling that so much had been returned to the community."
More than 680 lots went under the hammer.
It was great to see enthusiasm among the community which led to bidding wars for some of the lots, including a "ghoulish" collection of a fake mummy inside a coffin, auctioned along with mock-werewolf arms, which finally sold for $725. The coffin was real, so the buyer got a bargain, Ms Cook said.
A male mannequin wearing a bicycle helmet went for far less — at only $45 — but still provided the audience with some entertainment, she said.
Some of the more mundane items, such as office equipment, did not find a buyer but the majority sold, Ms Cook said.
It was too early to estimate how much money had been raised from the auction, and there were still some goods that would be auctioned off by Hayward’s at the end of July. The auction saw a "really great turnout", and she thought some of the people attending would have gained a "wider understanding of the reasons for closing".
A Ralph Hotere original artwork was withdrawn from the auction last week, and board chairwoman Haley van Leeuwen declined to comment on why.
