Turner Auctions + Appraisals is very pleased to present The Cliff House Collection of Celebrity Photos at its online auction on Saturday, March 13, 2021, featuring movie stars, sports figures and other noted personalities. The framed photographs, most with autographs and inscriptions, graced the walls of the iconic San Francisco restaurant through many decades, from the 1930s to present day. Among the more than 200 lots on offer are photos of the famous, including Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Bob Hope, John Wayne, Hedy Lamarr, Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland, Shirley Temple, the Marx Brothers, Jerry Rice, Barry Bonds, Michael Douglas, Grace Slick, Clint Eastwood, Kevin Costner, Sharon Stone, Carlos Santana (photographed by Jim Marshall), and many more.
Many of the photographs that adorned the walls of the Cliff House date back to the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s, when upscale dining establishments frequented by celebrities started to showcase such decor. Proprietors Dan and Mary Hountalas acquired their initial photo collection from George Whitney, Jr., when they leased the seaside restaurant from him in 1973. They continued and expanded this engaging visual tradition, either requesting a signed photograph from the restaurant’s many celebrity guests or happily accepting one that was offered.
Much to the dismay and sadness of San Francisco residents, tourists, celebrity guests, the media, and its proprietors for 47 years, the Cliff House shut its doors on December 31, 2020. Despite two years of negotiations regarding the popular, award-winning restaurant, the Hountalases’ concession agreement with the National Park Service expired. Because of that situation, coupled with COVID-19, the beloved San Francisco restaurant at Land’s End overlooking the Pacific Ocean — a landmark for 158 years over three centuries — was forced to close.
Note: In addition to this auction of celebrity photos, a wide range of other Cliff House property will be liquidated by Rabin Worldwide, including restaurant and kitchen equipment on March 11; and memorabilia, historic decorations, and gift shop merchandise on March 12. For more information on the Rabin auction, visit www.rabin.com.
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