There is a charm and a life to props and miniatures. Anything tangible and real adds weight to television series ‘ and movies that CG just can’t touch. While it’s a practice lesser used today, it’s what gives older films their lasting power and charm. The models and props used in movies like “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” lent credence to the world the characters inhabited.
But a lot of these props and minis were just…trashed after filming. The only person who saw their inherent value, it seems, is the late Greg Jein, who built the miniature X-Wings, vehicles, and other props for a plethora of films and series since the 1970s. His work is legendary. Jein passed away in 2022 at the age of 76. Apparently, Jein spent his life collecting props and miniatures from various projects he worked on, some of which are incredible and lovingly preserved. That collection is coming to auction by Heritage Auctions, making our wallets cry. But WHAT a catalogue!
Among the collection is a flagship item. An X-Wing miniature from “Star Wars.” This is one of 4 that is of “hero” quality. Meaning it is painted, detailed, and polished to be filmed close up, which it was. At 1:24 scale, the work is astounding. And just proves that even the tiniest details can suspend our disbelief better than most computer generated work. The bidding for the X-Wing starts at $400,000, but has the possibility to go higher. A LOT higher.
Aside from the X-Wing is memorabilia that any self-respecting fan of sci-fi series’ would salivate over. Including “Star Trek“‘s Lt. Uhura’s red tunic and knee-high boots, a set of Spock’s prosthetic ears, and Captain Kirk’s hairpiece.
Other items include Charlton Heston‘s flight suit from “Planet of the Apes” and a slew of tricorders, phasers, and communicators — Jein worked extensively on “Star Trek” –, and a space suit from “2001: A Space Odyssey“. And so much more. Seriously, guys, we can’t even cover how many items are coming out of this collection. At least 50 plus years of props, costumes, miniatures, all lovingly protected and stored appropriately.
According to Heritage, “none of the materials in The Greg Jein Auction have ever been available to the public. Most weren’t even made to survive the passage of time, and some would not have lasted were it not for Jein, who friends and colleagues say rescued much of this material from history’s dustbin and studio’s dumpsters.” The entire collection can be viewed here. The auction begins October 14th. Proxy bids are available now.
