HarrisonFord

Forbes Names the Top Earning Celeb Couples - Jay-Z Way Behind

Filed under: Wealth

For the second year in a row, Jay-Z and Beyonce (right) have topped a different kind of chart; the Hollywod's Top-Earning Couples list from Forbes. Last year, the mono-household-named celebs earned a combined $162 million, but this year, they earned just $122 million. It's a recession after all.

Or is that really the reason? According to Forbes, when the couple won last year, "about half" came from "each star," whereas this year, Beyonce brought home $87 million (well over half of $162 million), compared with just $35 million from Jay-Z. Far be it from us to call $35 million under-earning, and far be it from Beyonce as well -- the couple famously never discusses their relationship with the press.

Other top earning couples include Harrison Ford and Callista Flockhart, who made bank ($65 million) with Indiana Jones and Brothers & Sisters, respectively, Brangelina, who pulled in $55 million from their film endeavors while raising six kids (and gave a whole lot of it to charity, for example, $333,000 to SOS Children's Villages -- thanks guys), and Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, who made $48 million. All out-earned Britain's first couple, David and Victoria Beckham, who made just $46 million.

Come on, Posh and Becks. Jay-Z made almost that much on his own.

Gallery: Beyonce and Jay-Z through the years

[via Forbes]

Tags: angelina jolie, AngelinaJolie, Beyonce, beyonce knowles, BeyonceKnowles, brad pitt, BradPitt, brangelina, callista flockhart, CallistaFlockhart, david beckham, DavidBeckham, Forbes, harrison ford, HarrisonFord, jada pinkett smith, JadaPinkettSmith, jay-z, victoria beckham, VictoriaBeckham, will smith, WillSmith

The Classicist: The $100,000 Panama Hat

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

Click above for a high-res image gallery.

Brent Black, renowned authority and preeminent purveyor of handwoven straw hats, is now offering the world's finest Montecristi Panama for $100,000. Known simply as "The Hat", Black calls the exquisite creation the most finely woven Montecristi Panama the world has ever known. Authentic Montecristi Panamas, the world's greatest, are made from extremely fine toquilla straw and woven only in Ecuador; a handful of master weavers produce the best of the best, which sell for tens of thousands of dollars apiece. The Hat was commissioned by Black from the king of the master weavers - Black calls him the best weaver in history - Simón Espinal, who lives in the village of Píle in Montecristi Canton. It took him five full months to complete.

After Espinal completed the weaving, five other artisans spent several more weeks preparing and finishing The Hat. An incredible amount of handwork goes into Montecristis; hence the price. You can see some of it in the gallery and a more detailed exposition here. The Hat has not been blocked into a style or sized yet, and is awaiting the purchaser's final instructions. Black offers dozens of different styles and bespoke finishes, some based on vintage patterns such as the dashing Optimo design, above. The Hat is so incredibly fine it weighs less than one ounce. "It is as thin as my stationery," Black tells The Classicist. "When I handle The Hat, I do not worry that it might fall to the floor if I drop it; I worry that it might float away."

While Espinal could theoretically create another one equal to The Hat's fineness, it's not a given that he could replicate the feat. "I have been obsessed with the very finest hats for more than 20 years," Black notes. "I have researched the finest hats woven during the 20th century. There is simply no hat that is comparable to this one." At first Black says he did not want to part with The Hat. However, "if someone were serious enough to pay $100,000 I think I'd have to give it up," he concedes. "I represent the interests of the artist as a gallery does. Simón would be pleased for me to sell it." If that's out of your range, don't worry - Black's best hats, other than this unique work of art, sell for $5,000 to $30,000. You can work your way up.

Gallery: Brent Black Panama Hats

Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger, ArnoldSchwarzenegger, bespoke, Brent Black, BrentBlack, custom, Ecuador, Harrison Ford, HarrisonFord, hats, Hawaii, Panama hat, PanamaHat, Pierce Brosnan, PierceBrosnan, weaving

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Blade Runner Gun Coming to Auction

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

In 1982, you ran around your living room with a makeshift blaster, aping the mannerisms of Harrison Ford. The film Blade Runner grabbed hold of your imagination, and your life was changed forever. Now, you can take your childhood dream of humanoid hunting to the next level. The very gun that you imitated with what seemed like a large stick is going to be auctioned by Profiles in History on April 30 and May 1, 2009.

If Blade Runner wasn't your childhood obsession, you may find satisfaction from some of the other memorabilia that's coming under the gavel at the end of the month. Profiles in History, an auction house, anticipates a total take of around $3 million from the two days.

The famous weapon comes from science fiction promoter Forrest Ackerman's collection. Also from his stash are a puppet used in the 2005 movie Corpse Bride, costumes from Blade Runner (worn by Ford) and a ring worn by Bela Lugosi when he played Count Dracula.

The Blade Runner weapon is expected to fetch between $100,000 and $150,000.

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Tags: auction, auction-house, auctioneer, auctionhouse, auctions, bela lugosi, BelaLugosi, blade runner, BladeRunner, collectible, collectibles, collecting, dracula, harrison ford, HarrisonFord, hollywood, memorabilia

Harrison Ford Khaki Conservation Watch

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Harrison Ford, a long time board member of Conservation International has partnered with Hamilton watches to create the Khaki Conservation watch. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the watch (4,000 units to be offered from mid-November to the end of December) will go to support Conservation International.

The Khaki Conservation is a 42mm stainless steel watch in Hamilton's Khaki series and has a Swiss automatic GMT movement which can be seen through its see-through case back. The watch's second time zone highlights locations of CI projects, from Colombia to Indonesia.The signature of Harrison Ford and the Conservation International logo are engraved on the caseback window. And no fancy watch box here, it comes in corrugated recycled cardboard packaging. The watch sells for $1,195.

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Tags: convservation international, ConvservationInternational, hamilton, harrison ford, HarrisonFord, khaki conservation, KhakiConservation, watches

The Vacation Homes of the Stars

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Very few celebrities have only one home -- owning multiple residences in locations around the world is key to keeping any sense of normalcy and routine in their lives. But although first homes are usually in cities like New York and LA to be close to work, where do celebrities like George Clooney, Johnny Depp, and Oprah choose to buy vacation homes? Where do they go when it's entirely up to them and they want to relax?

Well for Clooney it's a waterfront villa in Lake Como, Italy, for Depp it's a 50 acre farmhouse in France, and Oprah prefers her ocean-front ranch in Santa Monica. Where would you live? Check out this list of celebrity summer homes and see who's taste is closest to your own.

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Tags: brad pitt, BradPitt, celine dion, CelineDion, elton john, EltonJohn, estates, george clooney, GeorgeClooney, harrison ford, HarrisonFord, johnny depp, JohnnyDepp, julia roberts, JuliaRoberts, kevin bacon, kevin costner, KevinBacon, KevinCostner, oprah, sara jessica parker, sarah jessica parker, SarahJessicaParker, SaraJessicaParker, summer home, summer homes, SummerHome, SummerHomes, tiger woods, TigerWoods, vacation home, vacation homes, VacationHome, VacationHomes