E.T. at Sotheby’s: original model goes under the hammer for up to $900,000!

E.T. at Sotheby’s: original model goes under the hammer for up to $900,000!

A fascinating piece of film history will soon be auctioned off! Auction house Sotheby's has confirmed that the original model of the famous alien E.T. from Steven Spielberg's 1982 cult film, made by legendary effects specialist Carlo Rambaldi, will be available for sale from March 29th. The estimated price for the original model is between $600,000 and $900,000 and it will be part of the special auction “There Are Such Things: 20th Century Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy on Screen,” which ends April 3.

The model, which stands over one meter tall, was designed in 1981 and was featured in the famous closet scene in which E.T. tries to hide between stuffed animals. Kuba bags from Rambaldi's personal collection, who is also responsible for works such as Hollywood Reporter numerous credits collected will also be auctioned off. This includes never-before-seen sketches for E.T. and models of sandworms from Dune, which are expected to fetch between $15,000 and $20,000.

Versatile collectibles at Sotheby’s

The auction includes not only the E.T. model, but also other notable artifacts such as an animatronic baby dinosaur from the Japanese film "Rex: A Dinosaur's Story" as well as items from films such as Blade Runner, Total Recall and Jurassic Park. Carlo Rambaldi's daughter, Daniela Rambaldi, said: "We hope that the artifacts on offer will bring joy to all who appreciate them in the future." Sotheby's Cassandra Hatton called Rambaldi's work a legacy that captures the magic of practical effects in film production. These pieces are not only pure nostalgia, but also a look at the fascinating beginnings of Hollywood special effects.