Archive with five decades of Mario Puzo’s work sells for $625,000
At a recent sale presented by RR Auctions, the archives of late author Mario Puzo, who brought the story of the ‘Godfather’ to the public, was sold.
BOSTON -- An archive originating from the estate of author Mario Puzo sold for $625,000 according to Boston-based, RR Auction.
A highlight of the collection is Godfather I material that includes; thousands of pages, notes, and drafts, of a multitude of versions of both the novel manuscript and the film screenplay, that sheds light on never-before-released information regarding Puzo’s character, scene, and dialogue development, and his legendary collaboration with director Francis Ford Coppola.
Included is an original 744-page typed working draft manuscript (for The Godfather novel, then titled “Mafia,” featuring a plethora of important handwritten amendations by the novelist. In addition is the presence of six large oak tag storyboards outlining the lengthy nine-section novel.
All in all, there are nine partial copies of the Godfather I script in various stages of completion, many of which have important notations in Puzo’s own hand; present is a beautiful handwritten piece of Vito dialogue where the author himself pens, “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
“It’s is a rare glimpse into the mind of the author of two of the most iconic Films of the 20th Century,” said Robert Livingston, Executive VP at RR Auction. “The archive covers his entire literary career and provides extraordinary insight into his artistry. We are honored to have been selected by Puzo’s estate and couldn’t be more thrilled with the results of the sale.”
Expertly organized within 45 banker’s boxes, this collection surveys the lifework of Puzo on a scale never-before-seen, and is highlighted by the book-to-screen progression of the work that defined his career.
Take a look at the auction preview video clip, by RR Auction:
The current auction at RR Auction, open to bidding now is the Fine Autographs & Artifacts Auction, which will close March 9. To view lots in this auction, to consign an item or a collection, or to learn more about RR Auction visit www.rrauction.com.
