‘Treasure trove’ of items from Black Sails TV series went under hammer

Alf Duncan Auctions

A myriad of items used on the film sets of the American historical adventure TV series, Black Sails, went under Alf Duncan Auctioneers’ hammer at Cape Town Film Studios on 21 and 22 July.

Among the unusual miscellaneous items that will be on offer in the “weird and wonderful” sale are a “whale” skeleton, wagons, a wooden bath, signage, baskets, barrels, carts, bellows, fire pits, sugar loaves and some magnificent antique pieces that were used as film props, says the auction house’s Angela Duncan.

“Sadly, the auction will exclude the ships, each of which required more than 300 workers to build,” she adds.

Black Sails, which first aired on 24 Jan 2014, is set on New Providence Island, and is regarded as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, as the television series was set in the golden age of piracy roughly two decades before the events of Stevenson’s book.

The series was filmed at Cape Town Film Studios with local production company Film Afrika.

After four seasons of depicting adventure on the high seas, the Emmy Award-winning 18th century series came to an end on 1 April 2017.

The maritime items to be auctioned will include canons and rigs, bells, belfries, binnacles, anchors, scuttlebutts, ropes, flags, gangplanks and galley equipment, says Duncan.

Also going under the hammer will be lighting, including chandeliers, street lamps, torches, lanterns and candelabras; and decorative goods such as statuary, paintings, prints, mirrors, Persian carpets and linen.

Antique and other items on offer will range from a book press, an armoire, consoles, desks, tallboys, writing bureaus, trunks, chests and benches to copper and brassware, ceramics and luggage.

The entire exotic nursery of plants and trees used on set will also be sold on site, as will two Kwikspace offices and a stunt gymnasium.

The two-day auction, where stringent security will be in place, was held at the Cape Town Film Studios