Hundreds of Sylvester Stallone's film souvenirs going up for sale

The actor is selling props from films such as 'Rocky' and 'Rambo' as he prepares to move house

A number of costumes and props once used by Sylvester Stallone, pictured on the set of 'Rambo: First Blood', are going under the hammer. Getty Images

From Rocky boxing gloves to Rambo headbands, memorabilia from action star Sylvester Stallone's Hollywood career are going under the hammer in a December auction expected to raise around $1.5 million.

About 500 items from Stallone's personal archives are being sold, including costumes, props, scripts, notebooks and other memorabilia from the actor's biggest films, including the Rocky and Rambo franchises, Cliffhanger, The Expendables and Demolition Man, Julien's Auctions said on Tuesday.

Highlights include Stallone's boxing gloves from Rocky III, with an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000, as well as handwritten notebooks about the first four Rocky films, priced at $40,000 to $60,000.

Rambo fans can bid on a collection of knives from the first three films, priced between $10,000 and $20,000 each, as well as a headband worn by Stallone in Rambo: First Blood Part II ($8,000 to $10,000), among other memorabilia.

"He's a sports guy, that's what he represents, sports and hard graft and people can relate to that," said Martin Nolan, executive director at Julien's Auctions.

"That's why he's so collectable ... people have very little opportunity to own anything from his life and career until now."

Born in New York in 1946, Stallone found fame with 1976's Oscar-winning boxing film Rocky, soon becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest action movie stars.

Asked why the actor, aged 75, was selling the items, Nolan said: "He actually is relocating, he's selling his house, so that's a perfect time for anyone to downsize.

"We expect ... a huge response to this [auction] announcement because people have pent-up demand for iconic items like this, authentic items coming directly from the man himself."

Other items for sale include posters, the boxing mouth guard worn by Stallone in Rocky, a costume designed by Gianni Versace for Judge Dredd and a Cliffhanger arm sculpture.

"Everything is pretty much at no reserve and they are conservatively estimated," Nolan said.

"Overall, we estimate the sale in the range of $1 million to $1.5 million. That's a conservative auction estimate because they are so iconic and people love this stuff."

The Property from The Life and Career of Sylvester Stallone sale takes place on Sunday, December 5 at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills.

The auction will be preceded by an exhibition of the items in London starting on Thursday at the Mall Galleries.