Local "Gone

With The Wind" collector Herb Bridges will have nearly 5,000 items

sold at an auction at Christie's in New York next Wednesday.

The Sharpsburg

native has been collecting memorabilia associated with the movie and the

book's author, Margaret Mitchell, for 40 years.

"It all

began," he said, "when a friend and I were discussing who played

Belle Watling in the film. I purchased the Motion Picture Edition of GWTW

listing the cast. I paid all of $1 for it, and have been adding to the

list since then."

A 1950 graduate

of the University of Georgia with a bachelor of arts degree, he continued

to follow his passion for the history of the American South. He first

read GWTW at the age of 11.

Bridges has

lectured on the subject all over the world, including Japan, France and

Canada. He has appeared on several of the early morning television shows

in New York as well as "To Tell the Truth" and the "Mike

Douglas Show."

A public relations

representative for Christie's, Bendetta Roux, said that this is the most

comprehensive collection ever of "Gone With The Wind" memorabilia

to come to auction at the world-renowned auction house.

Bridges is

also an accomplished author, having published seven books relating to

GWTW dating from "Scarlett Fever" in 1977 to "Gone With

The Wind: The Three-Day Premiere in Atlanta" in 1999.

A catalog published

To Tara Museum, located in the Jonesboro depot. The catalog is priced

at $50. The museum also has a number of GWTW items on display.

A number of

local friends and family will be attending the auction and savoring the

sights of New York.