Greg Jein’s collection of props, costumes, and more makes a whopping $13.6 million at an auction. It featured 550 of Jein’s iconic models, props, costumes, and art.
Heritage Auctions held an auction of miniature model designer Greg Jein’s collection of props, models, and costumes. The auction company posted more than 550 of Jein’s iconic creations and went live over the weekend.
Science fiction fans and collectors flocked the website’s listings. The auction became Hollywood’s “second highest grossing” auction on Sunday night as the items sold made exactly $13,611,406.
Jein created miniature models of props, costumes, and more for some of science fiction’s most impactful films and franchises. Heritage Auctions claims that Jein’s event was their “best-attended auction” in years.
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Highly valued items sold in the Jein’s collection auction
Heritage Auction reported that most of the auctioned items exceeded their pre-auction estimated value. For example, the Red Leader X-wing Starfighter in 1977’s Star Wars earned a whopping $3.1 million. The item reached its tremendous price due to a battle between two collectors vying for the prop.
An Imperial Stormtrooper costume from Star Wars garnered $645,000. The costume is one of the few surviving costumes from the movie.
Jein preserved the only enduring space suit from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. The auction listed the 6-piece space suit ensemble on its website. It included the helmet and the backpack as seen in the movie. The item made $447,000.
Hero B-9 Robot’s “feet” from Lost In Space made a commotion among bidders as well. The robot’s feet sold for $350,000, with its metal frames and two sets of four pulleys intact. Lost In Space’s miniature All-Terrain Chariot satisfied tussling bidders as well as it sold for $162,500. The miniature model carried characters in it, making it a unique collectible.
Star Trek, Jein’s all-time favorite
Jein’s Star Trek collection caused the most commotion from bidders due to prolonged bidding wars. Heritage Auctions reported that Jein adored the franchise as a kid.
Star Trek: The Original Series’ Starfleet Galileo Shuttlecraft earned $225,000 in the auction. The shuttlecraft gained so much popularity that it had its own episode, The Galileo Seven and a model kit in the 1970s. Star Trek’s SS Botany Bay from The Space Seed episode garnered $200,000.
Heritage’s executive vice president Joe Maddalena said the crew had their personal favorites in the auction, but Star Trek was Greg’s favorite. Maddalena added that half the auction included items from Star Trek.
Jein’s collection due to enjoyment, not value
Maddalena said that the auction’s success is a testament to Jein as a phenomenal visual effects master and as a collector.
“This event exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t be prouder to have been part of this historic event,” Maddalena added.
Jein’s first cousin Jerry Chang said that he didn’t collect things for their value, but because he enjoyed it. Chang mentioned that the auction now benefits the bidders, as they will get to enjoy, preserve, and protect the items as valued memorabilia.
Greg Jein’s collection of the most memorable items in iconic movies shows his mark in the science fiction world. The auction represented Jein’s best works showing his immense focus and knowledge of the field.
You can check the complete results of the auction here.
Banner photo via Heritage Auction’s official website.
