Original ET model will hit auction block for nearly £1 million
Sotheby’s has confirmed that the screen-used model of the alien ET will be up for auction starting at 600,000 US dollars (£462,000).
The original body model of the friendly alien character ET from the hit sci-fi film of the same name will hit the auction block at a price of up to nearly £1 million.
Auction house Sotheby’s has put an estimate on the original screen-used ET The Extra-Terrestrial model of between 600,000 US dollars (£462,000) and 900,000 US dollars (£694,000).
The 3ft-tall model was one of three used in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 sci-fi film, a classic children’s film starring a young Drew Barrymore.
The movie – which won four Oscars and was a blockbuster hit – explores the friendship between an alien and Elliot, played by Henry Thomas, a young boy who tries to help ET go home while being chased by Government agents.
His daughter Daniela Rambaldi said: “We are truly honoured to collaborate with Sotheby’s and deeply grateful for this opportunity to bring my father’s work to auction.
“We hope that the artefacts 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.
“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.”
The model will be offered as part of Sotheby’s There Are Such Things: 20th Century Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy on Screen, which has items such as costumes, props and posters from the early 1930s through until the end of the century.
Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s vice chairman, said: “His meticulous craftsmanship behind icons such as ET, 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.”
Rambaldi won two Academy Awards for visual effects on ET and Alien and also won a Special Achievement gong for his work on King Kong.
Other items to go under the hammer include sketches for the ET, and two screen-used sandworm models from David Lynch’s science fiction film Dune, which has an estimated sale of 15,000 US dollars (£11,500) to 20,000 US dollars (£15,400).
At an separate sale by Julien’s Auctions, the original mechanical head of ET reached a price of 635,000 US dollars (£500,000) in Los Angeles in 2023.
This Sotheby’s auction opens for bidding on March 21 and closes on April 3.
