The Propstore has been holding a memorabilia auction in Los Angeles that allows anyone to bid in person, by phone, or online. They are offering props from famous movies like Jaws, The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Top Gun. However, the largest sale so far has been for a light-up C-3PO head from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The prop sold for a whopping $1,058,400.
Although this sale is the largest at this particular auction, this is not the first time that Star Wars props have sold to bidders for a high price. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Darth Vader’s lightsaber sold for $3.654 million and the X-wing starfighter sold for $3.135 million.”
Other franchises have been able to sell their props for high prices too, with a selection of memorabilia from Jaws bringing in over $600,000 during this week’s Propstore auction (March 25–March 27). Brandon Alinger, the Propstore COO, said, “The Jaws collection also delivered an impressive overall result, coming just after the film’s 50th anniversary and reflecting its enduring appeal with collectors. With such a diverse lineup of material still to come, we’re excited to see how the rest of the auction unfolds.”
This month, the Propstore Auction also sold a screen-matched oversized mechanical rhino from Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls for $59,850, a screen-matched fishing rod from Jaws for $239,400, and a screen-matched Wilson volleyball from Cast Away for $189,000.
Although this auction is coming to an end soon, Propstore frequently holds events throughout the year. There is another entertainment memorabilia auction scheduled for this spring in London, as well as a music memorabilia auction. In the past, they have also held auctions based around specific fandoms like Batman, Doctor Who, Blade Runner, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
