Jaws Props Go to Auction

Jaws fans with deep pockets are being invited back aboard the Orca. Propstore says its Spring Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, scheduled for March in Los Angeles and marking the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's 1975 thriller, will feature two of the most prominent screen-used props tied to shark hunter Quint. Headlining: a screen- and photo-matched WW Greener Harpoon Rifle Mark II, complete with its on-screen case and a custom effects-made shark dart, and Quint's Fenwick 130-pound fishing rod paired with a production-used Penn Senator 16/0 reel, per the Hollywood Reporter.

The Greener harpoon launcher—wielded by Robert Shaw's Quint and Richard Dreyfuss' Matt Hooper—carries a presale estimate of $250,000 to $500,000. The Fenwick rod, used early in the film aboard the Orca to convey the shark's size and power, is expected to fetch upward of $150,000. Propstore COO Brandon Alinger calls Jaws "a challenging title for memorabilia collectors" due to the scarcity of fully verified props, describing the launcher as the finest Jaws piece the company has handled in three decades.

Released on June 20, 1975, the film became the prototypical summer blockbuster and the highest-grossing feature of its time. It received four Oscar nominations, winning three. Hero-level items from the production "rarely reach the public market," Propstore says. Registration for the spring sale will open in February with the release of Propstore's official catalog. Less expensive is a visit to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, which has props and memorabilia on display, per Gizmodo.