Anyone who watched “Salt Burn” remembers the scene. Those who have never seen the dark adult thriller about Oxford students may remember it. The middle class Oliver (Barry Keogan) part watches him steal the sand while visiting the country of his wealthy friend Felix (Jacob Elordi).
After the release of the film in late 2023, the scene spread widely online, and became the inspiration for candles, cocktails, bath bombs and thousands of discussion threads.
And the bathtub that appears in it? It is currently on display in Massilon, Ohio, and bought a bathtub at the home of 36-year-old Kyle Harvey at an online auction last September for $4,375. Harvey, who owns some relatives and local car dealers, drove an 18-hour round trip to get it.
“It's part of history,” Harvey said, adding that he won the props after the bidding war. “Titktok went to that tub for days.”
A fiberglass bathtub is located in a room adjacent to Mr. Harvey's home cinema. Other “saltburn” memorabilia he bought at auction is also on display there. Framed photos of Mr. Erorudi and Mr. Keogan, and the ensembles that the actors wore in the film, won awards for both costume and production design.
The bathtub had dirt around the drain. Susie Davis, production designer for “Salt Burn,” said it was made using edible paint. That section was removed after Mr. Erorudi was filmed in the bathtub and allowed to capture Mr. Keogan from a vantage point where the camera was inside.
When people ask Mr Harvey what he's doing in the bathtub, his answer is simple. “I'm just watching it,” he said. “I'm watching it now. Barry Keogan was right there, which is so crazy for me.”
He said he was “small” when Harvey showed off his treasure on a video call. So far, Harvey has not been able to find a mannequin of the right size to fit the embroidered suits the Irish actor wore in the corners during the “Saltburn” party scene. Harvey paid $8,125.
“I don't know what I'm trying to do,” Harvey said. Keogan reportedly points out that it's about 5 feet 8 inches – shorter than most mannequins, and Harvey is usually six feet tall. “It's kind of pain to try and find something that suits him,” he said.
Harvey's “Saltburn” work is part of a large collection of film and television props and costumes. He estimated he got about 200 pieces and paid about $70,000 for all of them. A handful cost him thousands of dollars, but most were bought for hundreds of dollars, he said.
It includes dozens of clothes previously owned by Joe Exotic, the subject of the Netflix documentary series “Tiger King.” Several outfits worn by Lady Gaga in the film House of Gucci. A mask and two vans from the horror film “The Black Phone.” Trailer for the horse for “Twisters.” And a diner sign from one of his favourite horror films, “Friday the 13th.”
He began collecting such ephemera in 2017 after encountering a museum in Blairtown, New Jersey dedicated to “Friday the 13th” filmed in town. (The museum was then closed.) Inspiration, Harvey obtained the script for “The Thirteenth Friday.” It was the first item in his collection, and he paid $3,500 for it.
His love for horror films in particular dates back to his younger days. “Grandma and I make cinnamon rolls and watch her horror movies,” Harvey said. “That was about us.”
He said he took over his preference for props and outfits to his 13-year-old daughter, Casey. She convinced him to buy some items from the reality TV show “Dance Mama,” which includes clothes and chalkboards used by instructor Abby Lee Miller.
Harvey is part of a global community of passionate collectors washing online forums, Facebook groups and auctions looking for objects from their favorite movies. Big Ticket Items that attract publicity – Ruby slippers from “Witches sold for $28 million last December” or “Sold for $718,750 last March) at a much lower cost. The internet has made their hunting and trading easier than ever.
“In the olden days, if you gathered things like cars before the 1990s, you would go to car competitions, various clubs,” said John Chrysavirge, a former merchant Marine officer who collects costumes. “Today, it's much more prolific.”
Chrisavage, who owns a bookstore in Herble de Grace, Maryland, estimated that since 2003 he had purchased at least 1,600 movie costumes. (He said he lost the count). His purchases include several dresses worn by Jennifer Hudson in “Dream Girls” and “Respect.” This is a biography of Aretha Franklin, who he paid about $65,000 in total.
Harvey said that Hollywood can be billed through collection. He added that his ultimate wish is to spend a day or two on a movie set, rather than getting a single item.
“I'll help too,” he said. “Do you need to get Starbucks? I'm getting Starbucks. I want to experience filming a movie, how it's made. That's my dream.”
He discovered “Saltbahn” through Tiktok and soon loved it. He watched the film almost 12 times and decided on the props and outfits he would like to buy through online sales held by VIP Fan Auctions, one of the leading players in the Prop-and-Costume-Auction business (others include Heritage Auctions and Prop Store Auction).
When the bathtub scene went viral, people posted videos of their parents' reactions on social media. But Harvey said he drew the boundary by showing his parents “saltburn.”
“They don't know why they have this bathtub in my house,” Harvey said.
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