Academy Award®-winning stop-motion artifact from the iconic 1949 film will be offered at public auction for the first time.
“With its original skin, fur, armature and documented provenance, this is one of the most significant stop-motion artifacts ever to come to public auction.”— Brandon Alinger, COO of PropstoreLOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, August 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Propstore, a premier global auction house for entertainment memorabilia, is presenting collectors with a rare chance to acquire the sole surviving complete stop-motion gorilla puppet from the Academy Award®-winning classic Mighty Joe Young (1949). Estimated at $1 million to $3 million before the sale, this historic production piece will be offered for the first time at public auction during Propstore’s Summer Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, scheduled for August 26–29, 2026, in Los Angeles.
The four-day event includes over 1,700 lots encompassing original film and television props, costumes, production materials, autographed items, and entertainment artifacts, with a combined pre-sale estimate of $10 million. Among the top lots, the Mighty Joe Young puppet stands out as one of the most historically important visual effects collectibles ever auctioned.
Crafted by master model maker Marcel Delgado under the guidance of visual effects pioneer Willis O’Brien, the 15-inch puppet retains most of its original latex skin, fur covering, and internal articulated armature—a remarkable state of preservation for a production model from that period. Recent X-ray analysis confirmed that its original mechanical skeleton has survived.
The puppet has had only three known owners, starting with Mighty Joe Young co-producer and co-director Ernest B. Schoedsack. It later became a treasured item in the private collection of legendary visual effects artist and puppeteer Lyle Conway, where it remained for roughly fifty years before being offered publicly for the first time.
Released in 1949, Mighty Joe Young won the Academy Award® for Best Special Effects and represented a pivotal moment in stop-motion animation, bringing together Willis O’Brien and his protégé Ray Harryhausen, who later became one of cinema’s most influential visual effects artists. As the only complete Mighty Joe Young puppet known to survive, still featuring its original armature, latex skin, fur, and documented provenance, it ranks among the most important surviving artifacts from the golden age of stop-motion animation.
Brandon Alinger, Propstore’s Chief Operating Officer, stated: “Original stop-motion puppets are among the rarest surviving artifacts from the early history of filmmaking because they were working production tools, manipulated thousands of times during animation and rarely survived intact. As the only complete Mighty Joe Young puppet known to exist, with its original skin, fur, armature and documented provenance, this is one of the most significant stop-motion artifacts ever to come to public auction.”
Propstore’s $10 million Summer Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction will be held August 26–29, 2026. Collectors can participate via live online, absentee, telephone, or—on Day One—in-person bidding at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
Day 1 (August 26): Starts at 9:30 AM PDT / 12:30 PM EDT / 5:30 PM BST, with public in-room bidding at the Petersen Automotive Museum alongside global online, absentee, and telephone bidding.
Days 2–4 (August 27–29): Start at 9:00 AM PDT / 12:00 PM EDT / 5:00 PM BST, with global online, absentee, and telephone bidding.
Registration is now open, and the full catalog is available at https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/525
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Notes to Editors:
For further information, catalog images, and expert interviews, please contact:
Bethany Willetts | bwilletts@blazepr.com
Images are available at the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/4rqxpcryhwz1n1qst270t/AIW3IAnCWiavqdIQ7UaB-4U?rlkey=dsczn1o3ztpaugro1lm4yg6gx&dl=0
Credit: Propstore
About Propstore
Founded in 1998 by film enthusiast Stephen Lane, Propstore has evolved from a collector’s passion project into one of the world’s leading authorities on entertainment memorabilia. The company bridges the worlds of film, art, and collecting, offering access to authentic screen-used props, costumes, and production artifacts that bring cinematic history to life.
Working closely with many of the world’s top film studios, production companies, and entertainment brands, Propstore curates exclusive auctions and sales throughout the year, giving fans and collectors unparalleled access to items directly from the source.
Since 2014, Propstore has hosted globally acclaimed live auctions featuring artifacts from the greatest moments in film and television. Alongside its flagship events, Propstore also runs regular online auctions and studio collaborations, with more than 2,000 items available for immediate purchase at www.propstore.com
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Matthew Kovacs
Propstore
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