The 1975 Paramount Theatre Auction
The liquidation sale that documented the frame’s presence in Portland’s historic Paramount Theatre
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In March 1975, Portland’s historic Paramount Theatre auctioned decorative furnishings, antiques, and other personal property as part of a major liquidation sale.
This auction provides the strongest documented provenance for this frame.
The object was sold as Lot 126.
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The Paramount Theatre
The Paramount Theatre opened in Portland in 1928 as one of the city’s grand movie palaces.
Its interiors reflected the extravagant style of the era, with luxury decorative appointments, architectural ornament, and imported furnishings.
Features reportedly included:
* lavish public spaces
* decorative antiques
* ornate furnishings
* even fireplaces in restroom areas
As entertainment patterns changed in the 1960s and 1970s, the theatre transitioned away from its original use.
During this period, portions of its furnishings and decorative holdings were dispersed.
The building was later restored and is now known as the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.
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Documented Sale
Auction Name:
Antiques & Nostalgia at Auction
Location:
Paramount Theatre
1037 SW Broadway
Portland, Oregon
Dates:
March 24–25, 1975
This public auction dispersed decorative items from the theatre.
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LOT 126
Original auction catalog entry for Lot 126
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Text:
The frame appears in the auction catalog as Lot 126, described as:
“Hand carved (carved, not gesso) and gilded palace frame, circa 1840. From a Schloss outside Vienna Austria. Relatives kept ancestral portrait of royal figure.”
Handwritten notation appears to indicate a realized sale price of approximately $800.
This catalog entry provides the earliest currently documented provenance.
Catalog Language
“Hand carved (carved, not gesso)”
This distinction suggests the catalog writer recognized a meaningful difference between:
* carved wood construction
and
* molded composition/gesso ornament
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“Circa 1840”
This represents the auction catalog’s dating attribution.
Independent verification remains under investigation.
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“From a Schloss outside Vienna”
This is the most intriguing provenance claim.
If accurate, the frame may have originated in an Austrian aristocratic or noble residence.
At present, the specific Schloss remains unidentified.
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“Relatives kept ancestral portrait”
This suggests the frame may originally have held a significant portrait that was separated before the auction.
Identifying that portrait remains a major research goal.
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PORTLAND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
This frame represents not only a decorative arts mystery, but also a surviving artifact from one of Portland’s most iconic entertainment venues.
As such, it may hold significance in:
* decorative arts history
* Portland architectural history
* movie palace preservation history
* provenance research
This is the entire 1975 Auction catalog from the Paramount Theater, Portland Oregon.
The Auction was held for two nights, March 24 & 25, 1975. The theater was transitioning from a decadent movie house with fireplaces in the restrooms, high quality antiques and art with everything just over the top. The theater was facing decline in the late 60's and It was leased out and was being used as a concert venue. The owners felt the antiques were not being protected and put everything up for auction. The understanding is that things sold for a very low price, but they were sold off. later the theater was refurbished and is now named the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.
I have included a few links explaining this history:
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall - Wikipedia
Paramount Theater | Oregon Theater Project (uoregon.edu)
Paramount Theater | Oregon Theater Project (uoregon.edu)
Portland Paramount Theatre/Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (oregonencyclopedia.org)
