A beloved piece of film history will soon be hitting the auction block courtesy of Sotheby’s.
The auction house confirmed that an original screen-used model of E.T. from Steven Spielberg‘s 1982 sci-fi classic will be offered up along with items from the man who brought the iconic movie character to life, Carlo Rambaldi.
The model comes from the personal collection of the Oscar-winning special effects and makeup effects artist who has a long list of credits on high-profile films like King Kong, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Alien, The NeverEnding Story, Conan the Destroyer and Dune. Designed and developed in 1981 and standing just over three feet, the E.T. creation was used in the well-known closet scene, which finds the alien attempting to disguise himself among stuffed animals.
The E.T. model will be offered with an estimate of $600,000-900,000 as part of the lot titled “There Are Such Things: 20th Century Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy on Screen.” It will be open for bidding beginning on March 21 and continuing through April 3. In addition to the model, other items from Rambaldi’s collection are included, like never-before-seen sketches for E.T., an animatronic study of one of E.T.’s eyes, two screen-used sand worm models from Dune (est. $15,000-20,000) and a dinosaur egg (est. $6,000-9,000) and baby dinosaur animatronic from the 1993 Japanese film Rex: A Dinosaur’s Story (est. $8,000-12,000). Items from Blade Runner, Total Recall, Dune, Labyrinth, The Wizard of Oz and Spielberg’s Jurassic Park franchise are also included in the collection.
“We are truly honored to collaborate with Sotheby’s and deeply grateful for this opportunity to bring my father’s work to auction. We hope that the artifacts being offered will bring immense joy to those who will cherish them in the years to come, just as they have brought great emotions to my family and shaped the magic of my childhood,” stated the artist’s daughter, Daniela Rambaldi, who serves as the vp of Fondazione Culturale Carlo Rambaldi. “These iconic pieces hold a special place in our hearts, and it is our sincere wish that they continue to inspire and captivate future generations.”
Added Sotheby’s Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman of science and natural history: “Carlo Rambaldi’s genius defined animatronics and special effects in film making, bringing to life some of cinema’s most unforgettable creatures. His meticulous craftsmanship behind icons such as E.T., the sandworms of David Lynch’s Dune, and King Kong, remains a testament to the magic of practical effects. This model embodies the artistry of an era before CGI took hold, a nostalgic and iconic piece of Hollywood history as captivating as the stories themselves.”
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