This contentious ‘Titanic’ prop sold for nearly $700,000 at a memorabilia auction.
It’s one of the most iconic and contentious props in cinematic history the floating wood panel that saved Kate Winslet’s “Titanic” character Rose DeWitt Bukater from the freezing North Atlantic seas after the namesake ocean liner sank but not Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jack Dawson and it has since brought in more than $700,000 at auction.
Heritage Auctions stated that ornate structure was in reality part of the door frame just above the first-class lounge entrance but was frequently mistakenly referred to as a door.
The prop’s crucial part in the “big scene, big goodbye” moment, as described by the auction house, includes Rose floating on the floral-carved panel while Jack, who attempted and failed to rest atop, succumbs to the cold. As a rescue boat comes, Rose is forced to peel her hand out from his icy hold, reciting the famous phrase “I’ll never let go, I promise,” through shivering teeth, as she swims to her rescuers. The auction company said that the elegant balsa wood panel was formerly featured at Planet Hollywood in Orlando, Florida before being archived for two decades.
It was auctioned off during the “Treasures from Planet Hollywood” event, along with a selection of other props and memorabilia that had been on display at Planet Hollywood locations throughout the world as well as pieces from company archives. These featured items like the ax from “The Shining” and the whip from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”
A news statement stated that the five-day auction raised $15.7 million from over 1,600 pieces.
However, the “Titanic” flotsam won the title for the most expensive item, selling for a whopping $718,750 after a heated bidding battle, well above its initial $40,000 asking price.
Other “Titanic” objects available for auction were the ship’s steering wheel and Rose’s pastel chiffon evening gown from the film on the night of the tragedy. They sold for $118.750 and $200,000 respectively.
Since the auction house prefers to “handle all items with great care when in transit and in storage, its new owner who is choosing to remain anonymous could well be planning a pool day, having been drawn in by the allure of the over two-decade-long mystery,” no further testing of these theories was conducted on the prop itself before it was put up for sale.
The films from the 1980s and 1990s are gaining a lot of attention, according to Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, who made the assertion. The huge franchises from the 1980s and 1990s, such as “Home Alone,” “Indiana Jones” and “Die Hard” have undergone a generational change to become collectors’ favorites. These items are now being valued by collectors for what they truly are cultural relics that are comparable to early fine art.
