In mid‑June 2025, Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies staged “The David Lynch Collection”—an estate sale of nearly 450 personal items that shocked the auction world by raising a staggering $4.25 million . From surreal scripts to gleaming espresso machines, here’s what fans were bidding on—and why every piece mattered.
🎬 What topped the charts?
- A bundle of 11 scripts for Lynch’s unfinished film Ronnie Rocket: The Absurd Mystery of the Strange Forces of Existence sold for $195,000, making it the auction’s highest‑earning lot.
- A group of Mulholland Drive production scripts fetched $104,000, while the Twin Peaks pilot scripts crossed out as “Northwest Passage” reached $91,000.
- A bundle of Fire Walk With Me scripts brought in $78,000, and a Lost Highway script reportedly also reached $195,000.
🎟️ The director’s chair and Black Lodge vibes
- Lynch’s red leather director’s chair, emblazoned with his name, alone went for $91,000, far surpassing its estimated value of $5–7K.
- Other Lynchian décor including the Twin Peaks Black Lodge rug and red curtain sold for $32,500.
☕ Quirky personal treasures: surreal meets sentimental
- His beloved La Marzocco espresso machine fetched $45,500, despite a pre-auction estimate under $7K.
- A Twin Peaks-style coffee mug—a nod to Lynch’s beloved diner and his oft‑quoted line “Damn good coffee… and hot!!”—sold for $11,700.
- Other offbeat lots included incense holders, deer-head sculptures, homemade tools, vintage telephones, and even a nuclear explosion photo from Twin Peaks: The Return, which fetched $45,500.
🧠 Why Lynch memorabilia resonates
Each artifact sold offered buyers a tangible slice of Lynch’s mind. Artnet described “windows into Lynch’s surreal and uncompromising creative world,” and a specialist noted fans feel these items connect them directly to the man himself .
🏟️ How the auction unfolded
Held June 18, 2025, in Gardena (and online), the “white‑glove” event included a pre-auction “mystery tour” of the director’s chair across iconic LA spots. Hundreds of bidders turned out, pushing sales well past estimates.
🔮 Legacy & what’s next
All proceeds benefit Lynch’s estate. Though symbolic and financial, the auction also renews public interest in his unfinished works. Rumblings continue about Netflix’s shelved project Unrecorded Night and whether the world will ever see Ronnie Rocket finally filmed
