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You can take your horror movie fandom to the next level with these actual props from some of your favorite films. Heritage Auctions is a collectibles auctioneer house selling movie memorabilia from classic movies.
Keep in mind these things aren’t cheap, so unless you’ve got a surplus of money in your bank account you may want to take heed. But it sure is fun to browse through what they have to offer, knowing that some lots contain iconic props used in classic films. Make sure to review the descriptions carefully, as they differentiate between ‘Hero’ items, which are used on screen, and others that are original reproductions. We have selected a few items from their website to showcase below.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula Vlad the Impaler red armor display figure with a current bid of $4,400.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Columbia, 1992), Gary Oldman “Vlad the Impaler” Red Armor Display Figure. Original reproduction armor made from molded fiberglass components covering a ribbed, cotton body suit with separate arm extensions. Armor includes full head helmet and corresponding plate guards. Display figure features a foam body with wire armature mounted on a wooden support platform for easy display. It measures approx. 71″ x 28″ x 11″ (wood base to mask horns). The figure is dressed in the iconic red armor that Vlad/Dracula (Gary Oldman) wore at the beginning of the Francis Ford Coppola film. Exhibits display wear, chipping in fiberglass pieces, detached components, cracking, discoloration and general age. Special shipping arrangements will apply. Obtained from technical advisor Christopher Gilman. Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions.
The Shining (Warner Bros., 1980), Jack Nicholson “Jack Torrance” Hero Axe. Vintage original hero axe from Stanley Kubrick’s horror classic film. Jack Nicholson famously wields this axe in a quintessential horror sequence, as he murders Dick Hallorann (Scatman Crothers), terrorizes his wife Wendy Torrance (Shelley Duvall) hacking through the bathroom door, and stalks his son Danny (Danny Lloyd) through the Overlook Hotel’s snowy maze. This custom axe was ground and polished by the studio to accentuate light reflection for dramatic effect. Axe measures 35.5″ in length and axe head is 11.5″ wide.
During the iconic bathroom sequence, over Wendy’s screams, the camera cuts towards the door in close-up, as Jack tears through the wood, and delivers one of the most famous lines in cinema history, “Heeeeere’s Johnny!” – a line the actor ad-libbed in the moment of shooting. Adding to the scene’s terror is director Stanley Kubrick’s choice to whip-pan the camera towards the door – timed perfectly to Nicholson’s axe swings. As the legend goes, 60 takes were needed before Kubrick was satisfied with the door-hacking sequence. Exhibits production wear, including scuffing and abrasions in the wooden handle near the axe head. Obtained from Bapty & Co. Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions.
Jurassic Park (Universal, 1993), Wayne Knight “Dennis Nedry” Hero Dinosaur Embryo Cryogenic Smuggling Device. Original hero cryogenic containment prop disguised as a can of Barbasol shaving cream measuring 6.25″ tall and 8.25″ in circumference constructed of milled metal, aluminum and plastic with branded decals and labeling. Comprised of (2) main components including (1) faux Barbasol can sleeve with plastic cap and exterior company branding fashioned of thin aluminum with a milled aluminum interior cap to perfectly house (1), cryogenic containment unit measuring 4.5″ tall, hand-milled from aluminum and featuring a rotating base with a rubber O-ring seal for fitting to the aluminum sheath and 2-circular metal rings around a central metal stem with 10-holes each to house plastic conical vessels. Included are seven labeled embryo vials reading:
TR-1.024 (Tyrannosaurus Rex)
VR-1.011 (Velociraptor)
BA-1.034 (Brachiosaurus)
PR-2.012 (Proceratosaurus)
PA-3.011 (possibly Parasaurolophus)
PA-2.065 (possibly Parasaurolophus)
HE-1.0135 (possibly Herrasaurus)
Designed to hold and preserve dinosaur embryos for 36 hours, the can is highly visible early in the film as Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight) meets with his Biosyn contact, Lewis Dodgson (Cameron Thor), who gives him the can and explains its features while devising a plan to steal dinosaur DNA samples from John Hammond’s (Richard Attenborough) InGen. Later in the film, Nedry uses the can as he infiltrates the cold storage facility on Isla Nubar and secures the DNA samples. The can is ultimately lost as it falls from Nedry’s jeep, washed away in churning mud when the deceitful computer programmer meets his demise in the jaws of a Dilophosaurus. Chosen by Art Director John Bell, the Barbasol brand can was a perfect fit for its aesthetics and instant recognizability which would help it stick out in its scenes and draw the audiences’ eyes. Since the film’s 1993 release, Barbasol, and their can’s classic design, have become synonymous with the Jurassic Park franchise. Exhibits production and display wear with scuffing to the finish, oxidation across the metal components, color fading, and adhesive loosening to the vial’s labels. Vials contain remnants of the clear yellowish liquid used to fill them during production, with the “PR-2.012” vial missing its cap. Comes with a COA from Heritage Auction.
Hocus Pocus (Walt Disney, 1993), Bette Midler “Winifred Sanderson” Static Book of Spells. Original static Book of Spells measuring 14″ x 10″ x 3.5″ constructed of lightweight wood, dense foam rubber, metal and other multimedia materials. Features intricately detailed features, including a cover and spine made of wood but finished with a foam rubber exterior, designed to mimic human flesh bound with twine stitching. Adorned with a closed-lidded eye, silver serpents with plastic jeweled eyes, and a metal clasp that displays a molded claw and eye relief with a plastic yellow jewel. The interior pages are crafted from dense foam rubber, molded and painted to resemble ancient, worn paper.
This prop was primarily used in the film by the character Winifred Sanderson (Bette Midler), who affectionately refers to it as “Book.” The Book of Spells, a sentient book of magic, had various behind-the-scenes versions and builds, including lightweight static versions like this one. These were utilized in scenes where the book needed to be carried or held without requiring animatronics or the ability to be opened and read from. Integral to the film’s whimsical special effects, the Book of Spells has become not only an iconic prop but also a beloved character among fans of this classic Halloween-themed classic. Exhibits production and display use with light scuffing to the paint, chipping and aging typical of foam rubber, and three drill holes located on the back at the center, top left, and bottom left corners – which were used for previous display and placement. Obtained from Walt Disney Pictures. Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions.
All images courtesy of Heritage Auctions