It takes a variable of elements to make an iconic movie: great actors, stellar script, killer effects, and the most important of all: visually impressive set. The props that have been used in some iconic movies can be also entitled as a goldmine movie memorabilia, because after filming is complete, the movie props are preserved and sold to the fans, for a L-O-O-T of money.
Check out the most expensive movie props ever sold:
#10.Captain Kirk’s Chair- Star Trek
SOLD FOR: $305,000
The original Star Trek chair which William Shatner graced with his behind on many a deep space voyage. It was picked up by a Trekkie fan who received a tip from a friend at Paramount Pictures that the Star Trek set was being scrapped and was up for grabs (15). Its current whereabouts are said to be within a bookstore within Los Angeles.via
#9.Dorothy Ruby Slippers-The Wizard of Oz
SOLD FOR :$660,000
The iconic magic slippers are the symbol of The Wizard of Oz, and one of the most popular shoes ever made.The slippers were previously due to be sold by Los Angeles auction house Profiles in History in December, with an estimated selling price of $2-$3 million. But auction house officials said they did not sell at that time.The academy, which organises the annual Oscar awards, said that Di Caprio and Spielberg had headed a group of “angel donors” to purchase the shoes from Profiles in History for a museum planned by the academy.Academy officials declined to say how much was paid. A pair of red test slippers for “The Wizard of Oz” from the Hollywood collection of actress Debbie Reynolds sold for $612,000 in May 2011.via
#8.Flying Car– Chitty Bang Bang
SOLD FOR:$805,000
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was sold off at an auction for $805,000. Considered to be one of the most expensive movie props sold at auctions, the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car used in the movie was designed by Ken Adams and was manufactured by Alan Mann Racing in the year 1967. The GEN 11 Chitty Car was powered by a Ford 3000 V6 engine and was equally complemented with an automatic transmission. A total of six Chitty Chitty Bang Bang cars were produced for the filming of the movie and the original car was later acquired by British stunt driver and actor Pierre Picton. This luxury vintage car has been adequately preserved by its previous owner and was expected to fetch anywhere between $1 million to $2 million.via
#7.Cowardly Lion Costume – The Wizard Of Oz
SOLD FOR: $826,000
The Cowardly lion costume that Bert Lahr wore was made from real lion fur and human hair; synthetic fur had yet to be invented. The weight of the costume was 27 Kg and under the intense lighting used for the Technicolor scenes in the film, the costume became a heavy and heated challenge for Bert Lahr to wear (8). After the film was done and dusted, the costume was collected by a member of the film crew who believed it would make a great Halloween costume (9). It sat in a bag in his house where it time took its toll and the cowardly lion costume became unkempt and saturated. Upon its rediscovery, the costume was set upon by 21 artisans, who worked on the costume for two years in order to restore it to its former glory.via
#6.James Bond Submarine Car – The Spy Who Loved Me
SOLD FOR: $860,000
The Lotus Esprit is one of the more elaborate Bond cars conceived in the James Bond franchise. Roger Moore drove the submarine car in the The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). This model is 1 of 6 and the only one that was capable transforming into the submarine car.The Lotus Esprit submarine car was designed by Perry Oceanographic and was fully capable of operating underwater. Although, Sir Roger Moore was not the one to be driving it. Instead, it was operated by an ex-Navy Seal for safety reasons
#5.Black Givenchy Dress- The Breakfast at Tiffanys
SOLD FOR: $923,187
The black dress decorated with pearls that Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) wore to window-shop in New York is still a definition for a classy New York style. Givenchy inspired by his long loved muse Audrey Hepburn, designed the perfect dress that symbolize Hepburn’s adorable and charming nature. This unique little black dress was sold at an auction at Christie’s in London, by the dress maker’s wife Dominque Lapierre. She used the funds raised from auctioning Audrey Hepburn’s costume to help fund the construction of a school in Calcutta. The Audrey Hepburn costume featured in the film 4 times, accompanied with different accessories each time, most famously with her pearl necklace
#4.Steve McQueen’s Racing Suit – Le Mans
SOLD FOR:$984,000
The incredibly famous Le Mans racing suit he wore during the filming of Le Mans (1971) was auctioned off for $984,000. The auction event organized by Profiles In History bestowed upon the Le Mans suit the tittle of ‘most expensive piece of automobile memorabilia ever sold at an auction’, while also propelling the item to the elite list of one of the most expensive movie props sold at auctions. The suit itself was donated to the British daily, The Independent by the makers of Le Mans, Solar Productions. The expensive Le Mans suit was offered as a grand prize for a content run by The Independent in the year 1971, which was eventually won by the then 12 year old, Timothy Davies, who had answered three Le Mans related questions correctly.
#3.1970 Porsche 911S Steve McQueen – Le Mans
SOLD FOR: $1.375 000
Steve McQueen, the legendary Hollywood actor whose name was made eternal with the 1971 Hollywood blockbuster, ‘Le Mans’ came into the spotlight yet again in the month of August last year. The reason the sale of the late actor’s slate gray colored 1970 Porsche 911S that fetched in an astounding $1.375 million during an auction event organized by the prestigious RM Auctions. The luxury vintage car was shown in the opening minutes of the 1971 Le Mans film and is hence considered to be one of the most expensive movie props sold at auctions. This expensive Porsche is acclaimed to quit unique in nature, as the car was fitted with a slew of features that were rarely offered to non-racing customers back in the year 1970. Some of these specifications included rare factory air conditioning as well as leather interiors, along with a Blaupunkt AM/FM radio, tinted windows, electric sunroof etc. Furthermore, the 1970 Porsche 911S was powered by a 2.2-liter engine, providing an output of 123 hp, which propelled the vehicle to a top speed of 124 mph, while enabling it to make a sprint of 0 to 100 km/h in just ten seconds.via
#2.Aston Martin DB5 – Goldfinger
SOLD FOR: $4.100 000
The most famous car in the world sold for $4.1m at auction in 2010, making it currently the 2nd most expensive piece of movie memorabilia in existence. This car has had an impact on many people, one of which being director Steven Spielberg who, after seeing Goldfinger (1964), felt compelled to have one. The car showcases some special features in the film. An ejector seat to rid you of unwanted passengers, tyre tearing blades useful for de-roading unsuspecting women and, of course, it comes with a rear bullet proof windscreen, an inbuilt smoke machine and a pair of complementary machine guns. These customisations, however, are only available to those with double 0 status. While the original car may have fetched this price, other models that have not made an appearance on the big screen are currently selling for around $500,000. The Aston Martin DB5 most recently re-emerged onto the big screen during the film Skyfall (2012), in which it made a cameo appearance via
#1.Marilyn Monroe’s dress – The Seven Year Itch
SOLD FOR: $4.600 000
The White Flying Skirt was and still is the association with iconic style, beauty and fashion. When the custom designer William Travilla picks this dress for Monroe in the Seven Year Itch, he hadn’t had a clue that she will stand over a subway grate and make a history. The silky white dress stands out just perfectly on Marylin’s gorgeous figure and till now her name and her beauty can be associated with this specific outfit. The dress itself has been reported to of slowly tarnished with time, fading into a yellowish brown color. The dress is so small that it couldn’t fit onto a modern size 2 mannequin when it was attempted to be displayed due to its size. It had to be sewn onto the actress, much like most of Marilyn Monroe’s costumes. Marilyn Monroe’s measurements for the dress were 35-22-35 (2). The priciest item to feature on our ‘top 10 most expensive Hollywood movie props’ list.