The Batwing prop from Tim Burton's 1989 movie "Batman" sold for $409,500 on Thursday at Propstore, falling within the pre-sale estimate of $250,000 to $500,000.
At 6-feet wide, the prop is the only one of its size built for the film as other smaller models were used only during wide shots in order to emphasize the movement of the vehicle.
Just three scaled Batwings from the movie still survive today, the other two being a 2-foot model used for crash shots and a 5-inch model used for a shot when the Batwing flies across the moon. This marks the first time this prop has sold publicly.
Its significance for fans of the film is obvious, however, the prop is also notable for its ground-breaking practical effects, such as functional motorized components made for key shots such as the Gatling gun. Its design is widely lauded and was based on concept illustrations by Julian Caldow, who also created illustrations for the creation of the Batmobile.
This is far from the first example of a Batman prop selling for eye-popping sums.
The first Batmobiles from the 1960s ”Batman” TV show sold for $4.6 million in 2013. The Batpod from “The Dark Knight Rises” reached $400,000 in 2016, which appeared again at auction last year with an estimate of $1 million to $2 million, failing to sell despite attracting bids up to $975,000.
Other prop vehicles have performed extremely well at auction in recent years, with an X-wing Starfighter miniature from “A New Hope” reeling in $3,135,000 at Heritage in October 2023.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.