Collectibles

Star Wars spaceship soars above other sci-fi film treasures to yield record $450,000 at auction

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A filming miniature of the Blockade Runner, the first flying ship to appear in 1977's Episode IV - A New Hope sold for US$450,000 at Profiles in History auction
"American," the working title for Citizen Kane, Orson Welles' personal typed manuscript, sold for $32,000
"American," the working title for Citizen Kane, Orson Welles' personal typed manuscript, sold for $32,000
A wetsuit and gun rig worn by Lara Croft in Tomb Raider was up for grabs at the Profiles in History auction
Arnold Schwarzenegger's signed and screen-used jacket from Terminator 2: Judgement Day went for $36,000
Bob Crane's bomber jacket and shirt combo worn in Hogan's Heroes was up for grabs at the Profiles in History auction
Carrie Fisher's "Slave Leia" costume from Episode VI - Return of the Jedi sold for $96,000
A revised shooting script for Citizen Kane complete with hand drawn scribbles was sold for $44,800
A revised shooting script for Citizen Kane complete with hand drawn scribbles was sold for $44,800
A revised shooting script for Citizen Kane complete with hand drawn scribbles was sold for $44,800
The very first Star Wars poster was up for grabs at the Profiles in History auction
A vintage original hero laser rifle prop from Sci-Fi classic Forbidden Planet was available at the Profiles in History auction
The front door from 1960 film Psycho was opened up to bidders at the Profiles in History auction
A "General Lee" 1969 Dodge Charger from the Dukes of Hazzard was sold for $120,000
George Reeves' flying Superman costume attracted a winning bid of $216,000
The drop down duck from American game show You Bet Your Life was available at the Profiles in History auction
Indiana Jones' signature bull whip sold for $204,000
Indiana Jones' signature fedora sold for $90,000
An Israeli Star Wars poster was up for grabs at the Profiles in History auction
Leonard Nimoy's Spock tunic from Star Trek: The Original Series went for $84,000
Marty McFly's self-lacing Nike Mags were sold for $84,000
One of Michael Jackson's shirts was also for sale at the Profiles in History auction
Michael Jordan's uniform from Space Jam was sold for $16,800
Michael Jordan's uniform from Space Jam was sold for $16,800
Mitchell Vista's Vision High Speed #1 (VVHS1) visual effects camera used in the Star Wars series was sold for $72,000
Norma Shearer's Academy Award for 1930's The Divorcee was sold for $180,000
An original golden ticket from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was sold for $25,000
A Panavision PSR-148 35mm camera used on films such as The Exorcist and The French Connection was sold for $120,000
Robert Shaw's “Quint” hero harpoon rifle seen in Jaws was sold for $84,000
An original screen-used hero Alien Creature head from Alien sold for $102,000
Sir Richard Attenborough signature walking cane from Jurassic Park yielded $39,000
An original costume sketch of Marilyn Monroe’s iconic pink satin dress for the “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” sold for $36,000
Walter Pidgeon's “Dr. Morbius” costume from Forbidden Planet sold for $24,000
War of the Worlds transcript of the historic Orson Welles radio broadcast sold for $28,800
A filming miniature of the Blockade Runner, the first flying ship to appear in 1977's Episode IV - A New Hope sold for US$450,000 at Profiles in History auction
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When you see some of entertainment's most iconic vehicles go up for auction, such as a "General Lee" 1969 Dodge Charger from the Dukes of Hazzard, or Fonzie's 1949 Triumph Trophy from Happy Days, it might come as some surprise that a small model of a spaceship outstripped them all. Well, until you consider the devotion of a true Star Wars fan that is. A filming miniature of the Blockade Runner, the first flying ship to appear in 1977's Episode IV - A New Hope sold for US$450,000 at Profiles in History auction over the weekend, with a hoard of other Hollywood gems not all that far behind.

In yielding this gargantuan price tag, the Blockade Runner doubled its estimated selling price and flew into the record books as the most expensive piece of Star Wars memorabilia ever sold at auction. Other items sold at the event from the blockbuster series included Carrie Fisher's "Slave Leia" costume from Episode VI - Return of the Jedi ($96,000) and a piece of the Death Star from the same movie for $39,000.

Also on offer were more products of George Lucas' imagination, with Indiana Jones' signature bull whip selling for $204,000 and his fedora for $90,000. Continuing the super hero theme, George Reeves' flying Superman costume attracted a winning bid of $216,000 and Arnold Schwarzenegger's signed and screen-used jacket from Terminator 2: Judgement Day went for $36,000.

Leonard Nimoy's Spock tunic from Star Trek: The Original Series went for $84,000, while Academy Awards won by Clyde De Vinna for 1928/1929's White Shadows in the South Seas and Norma Shearer for 1930's The Divorcee both sold for $180,000.

Among the big ticket items were a few lesser known, but culturally significant oddities. A transcript of Orson Welles' historical War of the Worlds radio broadcast sold for $28,000, while his revised shooting script for Citizen Kane complete with hand drawn scribbles was sold for $44,800.

In addition to a treasure trove of valuable Hollywood ornaments, a number of famous vehicles also went up for auction. Among these was the aforementioned General Lee, which sold for $120,000 and Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham's custom Triumph "Sunset Tripper" chopper, which appeared in the 1976 documentary film The Song Remains the Same ($48,000). Fonzie's Triumph Trophy went unclaimed, as did a screen-used "Black Beauty" hero car from 2011's The Green Hornet and Evel Knievel's Harley-Davidson XLCH 1000 "Stratocycle."

You can have a flick through our gallery for a closer look at some of the items that changed hands at this historic auction.

Source: Profiles in History

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