A phaser gun wielded by William Shatner as Captain James T Kirk in the original Star Trek TV series has already attracted a bid of $100,000 pre its auction sale in November.
The weapon is one of four surviving example of a “hero” phaser that could be used by actors on camera and appear as functioning items on screen.
This example was made in 1966 and is known as the “Finney” Phaser after the character (played by Richard Webb) who first used it on screen. It appeared in several episodes and was carried by lead actor William Shatner on screen.
The props were designed to appear as functioning weapons, an innovation of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. That makes them design masterpieces, made to look and function like cutting-edge tech from the far future.
Julien*s are selling the gun alongside a slew of Star Trek props in their November 9 sale in Los Angeles.
With an opening bid of $25,000 and an estimate of $100,000 to $200,000 it is the top items in the sale.
The same figures are attached to a 1966 communicator. A Captain Kirk uniform currently stands at $50,000 with a top estimate of $85,000.
No-one could speak into a communicator like William Shatner, shown here in the original Star Trek TV series. Image courtesy of Julien*s Auctions.
The props have come to sale via family connections. The owners inherited them from a relative who had worked in Hollywood and acquired the items from a Paramount Pictures worker who was employed on the early Star Trek series.
Star Trek was debuted on US TV screens in February 1966. It was nearly cancelled before broadcast, but the show proved to be an extraordinary hit. The original TV series ran until 1969, producing 79 episodes. It subsequently spawned a franchise of Hollywood big-screen movies, and a number of TV and streaming series.
The show was the archetypal cult hit, with its fans dubbed Trekkies, and mocked (with varying degrees of affection) for their single-minded dedication to the adventures of the Star Ship Enterprise.
Props and relics of all eras of Star Trek are collectible and can be very valuable.
In 2021, a phaser (used in Captain Kirk’s first appearance on screen) sold at auction for $615,000.
A screen used model of the Enterprise sold for $576,000 in a 2006 40th anniversary sale. A Klingon ship (a people from Qo’noS who were often foes of Kirk and his crew) sold for over $300,000 in the same auction.
With interest in space travel high at the moment, and the Star Trek franchise powering on with Lower Decks’ next season due soon, this well-timed sale might yet see estimates boldly gone beyond.
