FROM DESIGNER DOG COLLARS AND A DIAMOND-STUDDED RABBIT TO ICONIC ARTWORK AND A CELEBRITY COLLECTION, THESE WERE SOME OF THE YEAR’S MOMENTS TO REMEMBER
By Rhonda Reinhart | December 16, 2025
A picture might be worth a thousand words, but this year’s standout snapshots offer a little something more – glimpses of history, humor, heart, and high style. From a Norman Rockwell masterwork to a puppet with courtside seats, 2025 gave us no shortage of unforgettable visuals. These images highlight the spirit of the year at Heritage Auctions, where fine art, pop culture, luxury, and philanthropy collided in the best way. Whether it was a parade of designer dog collars worn by camera-ready pups or a behind-the-scenes look at Guillermo del Toro’s famously eerie collection, each photo tells its own story. So before we head into a new year, we’re pausing to look back – one frame at a time.
1. Norman Rockwell’s Vision of Democracy
Photo by Josh David Jordan
Born of his 1943 visit to the White House, where he observed and sketched the steady procession of visitors seeking an audience with Franklin D. Roosevelt, Norman Rockwell’s So You Want to See the President! is the artist’s only known suite of four interrelated paintings. Here, Heritage’s Aviva Lehmann, Senior Vice President and Director of American Art, admires one of the panels from the series, which was purchased by the White House Historical Association for $7.25 million in a November Heritage auction.
2. Making (Orlando) Magic With Lil Penny
Launched in 1994 by Nike, the “Lil Penny” ad campaign featured a miniature puppet of Orlando Magic star (and current University of Memphis head coach) Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway in a series of commercials in which the character was voiced by comedian Chris Rock. In October, a Lil Penny production puppet crossed the block at Heritage, where it sold for $64,050 – but not before making a trip to the Kia Center in Orlando, where the puppet hung out with players such as Magic forward Franz Wagner.
3.‑6. Designer Dog Collars for a Worthy Cause
Sure, we could have chosen only one dog model for this roundup, but who could resist these adorable faces? Here, Toodles, Finn, Splash, and Dunkin (pictured clockwise from top left) are wearing bespoke collars created by four internationally acclaimed designers: James de Givenchy, Irene Neuwirth, Stefania Pramma, and Josie Natori, respectively. As part of Collars for Cause, a philanthropic initiative from Fetch Pet Insurance, the collars were featured in Heritage’s Winter Luxury Accessories Signature® Auction, and the proceeds from their sale went to four worthy nonprofit organizations: Broadway Cares, Broadway Barks, Project Street Vet, and Wags and Walks.
7. At Home With Guillermo del Toro
Photo by Josh David Jordan
In advance of Heritage’s September 26 auction of Part I of Guillermo del Toro’s famed Bleak House collection, the Oscar-winning filmmaker invited Intelligent Collector to his Santa Monica home for a photo shoot and exclusive interview. Surrounded by pieces from del Toro’s decades-in-the-making collection, we got a glimpse into the mind of one of cinema’s most visionary storytellers. The auction drew bids from more than 700 collectors from across the globe and set an auction record for H.R. Giger, whose original painting for an unproduced script titled The Tourist realized $325,000.
8. Year of the Rabbit
This whimsical bunny brooch, pictured here on a silver platter, wasn’t the top-selling item of jewelry at Heritage Auctions in 2025 (that honor belongs to the 6.17-carat pink diamond that brought an impressive $2.18 million in December), but it was arguably the cutest. Inspired by an Art Deco Raymond Yard design, the diamond-studded Rabbit Waiter graced the catalog cover for Heritage’s Spring Fine Jewelry Signature® Auction and raked in a final sale price double the original estimate.
9. The Walking Dead Goes to Auction
Photo by Tommy Noel
On October 30, Heritage kicked off a three-day auction of more than 1,000 costumes, weapons, and prosthetics from The Walking Dead and its related series. In advance of the auction, showrunner Greg Nicotero and his team of special effects pros created a series of special Heritage videos filmed on the show’s Georgia set, complete with Walker hordes and a mock auction. This behind-the-scenes shot captures some of the fully costumed actors checking out the auction catalog.
10. Getting Into Character With Heritage’s Head of Animation Art
Photo illustration by Josh David Jordan
At the beginning of 2025, we sat down with Heritage’s Jim Lentz, Vice President and Director of Animation & Anime Art, to discuss his category’s record-breaking auction results and his favorite animation artists. As part of the interview process, Lentz posed for a series of portraits alongside some familiar animated faces. This outtake from the shoot features Lentz having some fun with everyone’s favorite mouse.
