Antiques, other props from 'Hershey' filming hit the auction block

With a traditionally strong market for Hollywood memorabilia, the sale of props from a movie shoot is not unusual.

But typically, those props are just that — recreations of items such as swords from a medieval film or fake body parts from a horror movie.

In the case of “Hershey” — based on the story of Milton and Kitty Hershey — many of the period-appropriate items used during filming were real antiques. Items range from an Orrefors crystal bowl to a beautiful inkwell carved of oak and decorated with a brass lion’s head.

Some of the items were used in downtown Ligonier, which received a retro makeover to match the props and the movie’s early 20th-century time frame when filming took place there in June. Scenes also were shot in Pittsburgh, Brownsville, Dawson and Harmony.

Nearly 600 lots of film props are now up for bid through Carey Auction near Blairsville. Auctioneer Brian Carey said the sale is unique.

“Unfortunately, most times when they wrap up a film, because they’re in such a hurry, a lot of things will just get donated or thrown away, and no one knows where they came from,” Carey said. “When they originally reached out about filming the movie, I also reached out to ask them if we can have the auction when they were done.”

Carey said he doesn’t often see true antiques coming from a movie set.

“They usually try to rent anything they can rent,” he said.

The lots up for sale include a mahogany curio cabinet, an oak side-by-side secretary’s desk, a cast iron and tin stove, brass oil lamps and even a pair of Victorian parlor tables — although the buyer will have to find their own wooden or marble tops.

“Some of the display cupboards and country-store counters they ended up with are pretty unique,” Carey said. “We did hold a few items back, like a steam-operated candy kettle and some other things that we’ll hang onto for our annual New Year’s Day auction.”

Set to premiere next year, the film depicts the Hersheys being confronted by tragedy and determined to leave their amassed chocolate fortune in the hands of children.

The movie stars Finn Wittrock and Alexandra Daddario as the Hersheys, along with Alan Ruck and Richard Kind in supporting roles.