Harrison Ford fedora from Raiders of the Lost Ark eclipses $500,000 at auction

Coming in at about the same price as the actor’s screen-used prop blaster from Return of the Jedi this summer (discussed here at borg), Harrison Ford proved again he is #1 among pop culture and entertainment memorabilia collectors. At Prop Store‘s entertainment memorabilia live auction in London yesterday, called Treasures from Film and Television (which we previewed from San Diego Comic-Con here in July), one of the fedoras worn by ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark brought record bids for a prop from the franchise, taking in an estimate of between $522,500 and $558,000, including fees and taxes. Ford’s Han Solo blaster sold in June for $550,000 (before tax). The hammer price for the hat was £320,000 when the winning bid was placed and the hammer struck, or about $424,755. Provenance for this hat was not provided by Prop Store in its catalog, but the company said it could be screen-matched through identifying marks to several key scenes in the movie. An Indy bullwhip from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom sold for $74,460, including buyer’s premium, at the auction.

One of the other auction lots worn by Ford was supposed to be the crown jewel of the auction, a simple stylized blue jacket worn in The Empire Strikes Back said to have been screen-matched to the film’s Cloud City scenes. Although it was expected to garner $660,000 to $1.3 million, bidders were just not willing to push bids past the $600,000 mark and the seller’s minimum reserve price. The jacket was one of the only hero costume pieces from the original trilogy to be offered at public auction.

This week’s big star prop of the Prop Store auction was crowded among other Hollywood props on display at San Diego Comic-Con this past July.

Several other key props from the four corners of genredom sold in excess of six figures (including buyer’s premium and net of taxes) in yesterday’s auction. A light-up T-800 endoskeleton from Terminator II: Judgment Day (1991) fetched a massive price of $326,500. A Christopher Reeve costume from Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980) sold for $212,200. A Hayden Christensen Anakin Skywalker lightsaber from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005) sold for $180,000 and an Ian McDiarmid Emperor lightsaber from the film sold for $114,000. A background First Order Stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars: The Last Jedi surprised everyone, selling for a whopping $180,000. A Johnny Depp costume from Edward Scissorhands (1990) sold for $106,100. Of several original comic book art pages that sold, the star was Page 15 from The Amazing Spider-Man (1966), Issue #32, by artist Steve Ditko, which fetched $155,000.

More than two dozen other memorable props and costumes from sci-fi, fantasy, superhero, and horror classics fared well (prices quoted include pre-tax conversion from British pound, including buyer’s premium):

Bill Paxton’s dog tags for Private Hudson in Aliens (1986) – $23,000
Michael J. Fox hoverboard from Back to the Future II (1989) – $49,200
Wesley Snipes costume from Blade (1998) – $32,600
John Belushi sunglasses for Jake from The Blues Brothers (1980) – $16,300

Chris Evans distressed Captain America uniform from Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) – $73,800
Chris Evans silver vibranium shield from Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) – $32,600
Arnold Schwarzenneger Conan axe from Conan the Barbarian (1982) – $24,500
Robert Englund razor glove from Freddy vs. Jason (2003) – $31,000
Sean Astin doubloon from The Goonies (1985) – $40,000

Clancy Brown costume from Highlander (1986) – $16,300
Clancy Brown sword from Highlander (1986) – $16,300
Gameboard from Jumanji (1995) – $61,500
Lara Croft weapons and holster rig from Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) – $57,000
Bernard Hill’s King Theoden sword from The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) – $65,000

Bill Campbell helmet from The Rocketeer (1991) – $36,900
Jack Nicholson Jack Torrance jacket from The Shining (1980) – $24,500
An Enterprise translite from Star Trek (1966) – $29,400
Patrick Stewart season one uniform from Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) – $23,000
Liam Neeson Qui-Gonn lightsaber from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) – $21,000
Ray Park Darth Maul stunt lightsaber from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) – $20,000
Heavily damaged Stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars (1977) – $65,000
Bespin guard uniform from The Empire Strikes Back (1980) – $11,400
Harrison Ford Han Solo welding goggles from The Empire Strikes Back (1980) – $11,400

Anthony Daniels C-3PO hands from TESB and ROTJ (1980-83) – $40,000
Fortress of Solitude crystal from Superman (1978) – $18,000
Arnold Schwarzenegger distressed jacket from The Terminator (1984) – $32,650
Arnold Schwarzenegger full costume from Terminator II: Judgment Day (1991) – $30,000

With Screenused auction house closing its doors earlier this month, that leaves Prop Store and Profiles in History as the two key auction houses serving the entertainment memorabilia market. Heritage, Juliens, and Christies offer props and costumes from TV and film from time to time.

C.J. Bunce
Editor
borg.com