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Guillermo del Toro Auction

Guillermo del Toro Is Auctioning His Legendary Collection: Here’s How to Get In

The first chapter of this story kicks off on September 26 in Beverly Hills, hosted by Heritage Auctions

Archivado en: Films  •   Movies & TV Series  •  

In Guillermo del Toro’s world, monsters have never been villains—they’ve been companions. For decades, the three-time Oscar-winning Mexican filmmaker surrounded himself with them in a private sanctuary he called Bleak House. Inside, sketches, props, sculptures, and strange curiosities lived side by side, fueling his imagination every time he began a new film.

Now, many of those treasures won’t just belong to him. Del Toro has decided to auction them off, giving his collection a new life in display cases, bookshelves, and living rooms of fans eager to protect a fragment of his universe.

The choice wasn’t driven by whim, but by a moment of crisis. Earlier this year, California wildfires nearly reduced his archive—more than 5,000 pieces—to ashes. That close call sparked reflection: “This situation made me aware of the impossible size of the collection and the responsibility to share this treasure with others who can preserve it for future generations,” he said.

A Three-Act Auction

The first chapter of this story kicks off on September 26 in Beverly Hills, hosted by Heritage Auctions. And it won’t be a one-time event—this is the first of three auctions that will run through 2026. Collectors can join in not only in person, but also online, by phone, or even by mail. The official site is already open for advance bids.

Inside Bleak House

Peeking into this collection is like stepping into a cabinet of curiosities. Among the highlights:

  • A sketch of the vampire from Cronos (1992)
  • A prop shotgun from Hellboy II (2008)
  • A pilot’s uniform from Pacific Rim (2013)
  • The original maquette of the Amphibian Man from The Shape of Water (2017)

Perhaps the most emotional items are connected to Pan’s Labyrinth, the film that cemented Guillermo del Toro’s international acclaim. The lots include the very first sketches of the Pale Man and the labyrinth itself, plus a three-piece model of the set’s entrance. There’s also a painting by Raúl Villares depicting the film’s mill—a piece Del Toro kept in his office for years as a quiet source of inspiration.

But the auction isn’t limited to cinema. It also showcases Del Toro’s artistic influences: prints by Bernie Wrightson, the illustrator behind Frankenstein; works by Moebius and Robert Crumb; an original Hellraiser (1990) cover by Mike Mignola; and even an H.R. Giger design for an unreleased script titled The Tourist.

More Than a Collection

Back in 2016, Guillermo del Toro described Bleak House as “a library of images, sounds, and ideas.” It wasn’t just a room full of oddities—it was a creative arsenal that shaped the look and feel of films like The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labyrinth, and The Shape of Water.

Its scale became undeniable in 2017, when LACMA staged the exhibition Guillermo del Toro: At Home With Monsters, bringing together 500 pieces and attracting thousands eager to glimpse the mind behind the creatures.

Now, the difference is that these pieces won’t only be admired in a museum—they’ll be able to move into new homes. For collectors, it’s a rare chance to own a fragment of the imagination of one of cinema’s most visionary storytellers. For fans, it’s proof that Del Toro shares his monsters the same way he shares his films: with generosity and the belief that, in the end, monsters are always better when shared.