Earlier today, a spectacular piece of Star Trek history, the unique TOS phaser rifle prop
wielded by William Shatner in his first performance as Captain James T.
Kirk during the 2nd Star Trek pilot episode "Where No Man Has Gone
Before" (original airdate: Sep. 22, 1966) sold in Heritage Auction's The Azarian Collection sale for a record setting final price of $615,000 - making it the most expensive piece of Star Trek memorabilia ever sold. The final amount consisted of a high bid of $500,000 and a $115,000 buyers premium (= 23%).
In October of 2006, the 6.5 foot long Enterprise D starship filming miniature built for the Star Trek: The Next
Generation television series sold as lot 712 in the Christies 40th
Anniversary Star Trek auction for a final price of $576,000, including buyers premium - making it the most expensive piece of Trek memorabilia until today.
Prior to today's sale, the most expensive Star Trek: The Original Series screen used item had been the Captain's Chair from the TOS U.S.S. Enterprise Bridge set, which sold in June of 2002 for $304,750 (including buyers premium, based on a high bid of $265,000) at the Profiles In History Bob Justman Star Trek Auction.
Below is a screen capture from today's live online bidding session, showing the Phaser Rifle Lot Closing, followed by the completed auction result ...
The complete set of Heritage auction catalog photos and the lot description for this historic sale are presented as follows ...
