Orson Welles' Typewriter and Citizen Kane Scripts Up For Sale

Under the hammer later this month from the Estate of Orson Welles is one of the Royal typewriters he used during the period when he wrote Citizen Kane, his War of the Worlds radio play, his unproduced adaptation of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, and The Magnificent Ambersons.

A letter of provenance from the estate says this was one of two typewriters stored in Madrid before being returned to Welles' youngest daughter, Beatrice, and it has remained in her possession ever since. Beatrice writes: "My father was never without a couple of typewriters. ... He wrote everything with his typewriters ... This vivid memory was part of everyday life during the 28 years we spent together." 

Heritage's July 27-29 Hollywood/Entertainment auction also features two screenplays from Citizen Kane, the original typed-carbon 'Sixth Draft' dated July 9, 1940, and, from around the same period, the original 'Correction' script, the closest known screenplay to the finished film. Among the other Kane-related lots is the three-piece suit, designed by Edward Stevenson, that Welles wore as Charles Foster Kane in the film as he dismantled his second wife Susan's room upon learning she has left him

Another highlight from the sale is a series of sketches by much lauded costume designer Edith Head. Her work during more than 50 years in the film industry won her eight Academy Awards. Among those included in Heritage's are Grace Kelly's skirt suit from Rear Window, Audrey Hepburn's little black dress from her turn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's and Tippi Hendren's green skirt suit from The Birds.