Next month, there’s going to be a sale in London of over 1,000 movie and television memorabilia, with a lot of fantasy and science-fiction up for sale.
It’s a wide range from mostly movies, but some TV shows – standouts being Space 1999, Doctor Who and Red Dwarf, but also a couple of items from Thomas the Tank Engine to keep it grounded.
Prices also range from almost affordable as a nice present to needs a second mortgage to buy that. If you can’t afford the items, then you could buy the catalogue instead.
The auction takes place 9th-11th November and details are here, with the full list of 1,075 items for sale here.
If I had a million quid lying around doing nothing, then my shopping list might look somewhat like this:
Alien Egg
- Estimate: £5,000 – £7,000
- Starting: £2,500
This brown, beige, and grey fibreglass and foam rubber egg features an opening at the top consisting of four separate lip-like flaps. Each flap is affixed with hardened slime accents which have also been added to the egg’s sides. The top of the interior is lined with foam rubber which can be accessed from an opening in the bottom. The egg exhibits signs of wear throughout from use and shipping, including foam residue from packing peanuts along the surface
Alien head
- Estimate: £3,000 – £5,000
- Starting: £1,500
This brown and black resin puppet head was constructed for use in the sequences in which the xenomprph’s aggressive movements were achieved with the use of a rod puppet. It features silver-colour paint on the teeth as well as a notch on the neck for mounting. It exhibits signs of wear from age and use throughout.
Dalek
- Estimate: £30,000 – £50,000
- Starting: £15,000
A restored, full-size Shawcraft Dalek, originally built for various Doctor Who productions during the 1960s. Shawcraft Models was commissioned to construct the original Dalek models for multiple Doctor Who serials, as well as the movies Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. Several of these models were not purchased by the BBC, and were given away as competition prizes or donated to charity.
Clash of the Titans – Medusa
- Estimate: £20,000 – £30,000
- Starting: £10,000
This statue was produced from a digital scan of the original Medusa puppet created by Harryhausen for filming. It was displayed as part of the “Myths and Legends” exhibition at the London Film Museum in 2010.
(life size – yes, actually life size – it’s 2.4 metres tall)
Harry Potter – Dumbledore’s train set
- Estimate: £3,000 – £5,000
- Starting: £1,500
A train set circled one of the many orreries seen within Dumbledore’s converted office when Professor Lupin taught Harry the Patronus charm.
The item is an original O-gauge Hornby clockwork train set that has been modified by the senior special effects technician Nigel Brackley to be battery operated.
Raiders of the Lost Ark – the headpiece of the Staff of Ra
- Estimate: £3,000 – £5,000
- Starting: £1,500
This highly detailed metal casting was made during pre-production using the original mould. It features an intricate two-sided bird design with a large plastic-jewel eye, while glyphs and fine ridged detail adorn the borders.
(do not pick up with hands if very hot)
Mars Attacks – Alien stop-motion model
- Estimate: £8,000 – £12,000
- Starting: £4,000
This puppet consists of an internal metal armature covered in foam latex skin airbrushed in shades of green and brown. The foam latex has hardened over time, causing minor cracking in places. The puppet has been sympathetically restored and comes presented on a black-painted wooden display stand.
(ak ak ak ak ak!)
Red Dwarf – Starbug 1
- Estimate: £4,000 – £6,000
- Starting: £2,000
This model miniature is made of resin hand-painted green with additional detailing and intentional distress applied to make the craft look well used. The craft resembles an insect, with three bulbous sections, four landing legs, and rocket thrusters on the rear. Decals reading “Starbug 1” are applied to the front and rear sections on each side of the ship, and “1” transfers are applied to the top of the ship’s central compartment and on its fins.
(“I was in love once. A Sinclair ZX81. People said, no, Holly, she’s not for you. She’s cheap, she’s stupid and she wouldn’t load, well, not for me anyway.”)
Space 1999 – Eagle Transporter
- Estimate: £80,000 – £120,000
- Starting: £40,000
An original, screen-matched, large-scale Eagle Transporter model miniature from the sci-fi television. Although two other 44″ models were eventually built, this is the original 44″ model used primarily for medium and close-up photography – such as take-off, landing and crashing shots – and appeared prominently in the show’s opening credits.
(It’s over a metre long!)
Star Trek – SFX breathing Tribble
- Estimate: £4,000 – £6,000
- Starting: £2,000
This Tribble features red and white synthetic fur around an internal air bladder connected to a length of rubber hose. Air would be pumped in and out of the hose, causing the creature’s body to rise and fall simulating breathing.
( buy one, get one hundred free)
Star Wars – X-wing fighter
- Estimate: £200,000 – £300,000
- Starting: £100,000
A light-up Industrial Light and Magic X-wing filming miniature. This miniature is believed to be the only model miniature X-wing with light-up engines ever to come to auction.
(“You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious”)
The Dark Crystal – Two crew gift Aughra mugs
- Estimate: £400 – £600
- Starting: £200
Made from clay, these brown-painted mugs were sculpted by credited creature design and fabrication supervisor Lyle Conway. The detailed gifts feature the witch Aughra’s face covered in ornate fungus-like detailing, with horn handles and the film’s title artwork in relief on the rear.
(“Mouldy mildew, mother of mouthmuck, dangle and strangle and death”)
Doctor Who – Cyberman head from Earthshock
- Estimate: £600 – £800
- Starting: £300
An unfinished production-made Cyberman helmet from the production of the Doctor Who serial Earthshock. The Cybermen were given an updated design for this serial, which marked their first appearance on television for seven years.
(In 2012, Patrick Mulkern of Radio Times wrote that the story “pulls off the previously unimaginable feat of making us care about Adric”)
The Muppet Christmas Carol – Crew gift model
- Estimate: £400 – £600
- Starting: £200
Gifted to cast and crew members by Brian Henson, the statue shows Bob (Kermit the Frog) holding his top hat, with Tiny Tim (Robin the Frog) sitting on his shoulder. The small figure is made of brass, and the oval-shaped base features engraved text reading “With Thanks, Brian”.
(do you know someone called Brian who loves the Muppets?)
Space 1999 – Poster
- Estimate: £100 – £150
- Starting: £50
Designed by Tom Chantrell, known for his work on Star Wars and many B-movie posters, the poster features the film’s title in the centre surrounded by various scenes and characters that appear in the film.
(if you outbid me on this, I will never talk to you again)
Thomas the Tank Engine – Crew gift
- Estimate: £2,000 – £3,000
- Starting: £1,000
A Thomas crew gift from the production of the long-running children’s television show Thomas the Tank Engine. This custom-made model was conceived as a gift for a select number of heads of department. It was created during the production using the original Thomas models as reference.
(“You will shunt trucks in the yards til I can trust you again!”)
Thomas the Tank Engine – Crew gift
- Estimate: £800 – £1,200
- Starting: £400
This sculpted crew gift features Thomas, The Controller and seven of the other main engines. It is made of resin embedded with bronze powder, and sits upon a wooden base.
(“Yes. Beg pardon, sir, but we won’t work with Diesel, sir.”)
All images from the auction company.
The auction takes place 9th-11th November and details are here, with the fill list of 1,075 items for sale here.
The Eagle is probably the most realistic space ship ever designed.