The Hollywood Reporter just published the story of how a one-of-a-kind phaser rifle used by William Shatner in the second pilot made for the original Star Trek series in 1966 sold for $231,000 at an auction conducted by Julien’s. THR writes: “The price is the second-highest paid at auction for a prop from the 1960s edition of ‘Star Trek’, surpassed only by the $304,750 a collector laid out for the captain’s chair in 2008. A miniature special effects model of the enterprise from ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ sold for $576,000 in 2006. Props and memorabilia from the original series are highly sought after by collectors. In addition to being an iconic and beloved show, many original items were lost or destroyed so that authentic memorabilia is comparatively rare.” To put this in perspective, President John F. Kennedy’s Air Force One bomber jacket was recently sold at auction for $629,000. You can find out more about the Star Trek phaser gun auction (which includes a video interview with the gun’s designer, Reuben Klamer) by visiting THR.com. The news reminds me of my favorite moment from Antiques Roadshow when an Ontario man brought in for appraisal what he assumed was a simple old blanket. Boy, was he wrong.
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