“We’re gonna need a bigger bank balance…” A piece of serious Jaws history recently sold at auction for a (ahem) jaw-dropping amount.
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According to The Daily Jaws, at a recent Propstore’s Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction in Los Angeles, a rare Jaws shark-tooth clapperboard from the classic film sold for $94,500, exceeding its $80,000 estimate.
The iconic clapperboard features a serrated top, mirroring the titular menacing great white. Its wooden surface clearly displays the production stamps: “Zanuck/Brown Prod. Universal City Studios 02074,” “PROD JAWS,” “DIR. S. SPIELBERG,” and “CAM. W. BUTLER.” It also came with verifiable provenance from assistant cameraman James A. Contner.
Per the outlet, one (reportedly four were made) was even featured in behind-the-scenes photos with director Spielberg, enhancing the clapperboard’s appeal.
A recent Instagram post from Propstore showcased the unique item.
The starting bid for the piece was already pretty steep, at a cool 20,000 bucks.
Another Classic Bit of Film Memorabilia Made an Even Bigger Splash Than the ‘Jaws’ Clapper
However, the super cool Jaws memorabilia was just a drop in the chum bucket compared to another famous prop that sold at the same auction.
Another highly sought-after item at the September auction was Darth Vader’s screen-matched lightsaber from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
The prop, heavily used by the late David Prowse, who portrayed Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, sold for $3.65 million, according to USA Today. The buyer’s identity was not disclosed.
Propstore confirms the lightsaber was used in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, but it may have appeared elsewhere as well.
“It’s also possible that the piece or some elements of it were used in the very first Star Wars film, though we cannot be certain,” Propstore Chief Operating Officer Brandon Alinger explained to USA Today. “While they had a few lightsaber props, what makes this one special is that it was used for the action sequences – the duels are some of the most memorable scenes in both of those films.”