The 4 Foot SS Botany Bay Filming Miniature from Star Trek: The Original Series

An extraordinary piece of Star Trek history, the 44" long filming miniature of the DY-100 Class sleeper ship SS Botany Bay that was seen in the fan favorite 1st Season TOS episode "Space Seed" (Original Airdate: February 16, 1967) sold as Lot #89160 in last fall's Heritage Auctions October 14-15, 2023 Greg Jein Collection Auction for a final price of $200,000 (including a 25% buyers premium) on a high bid of $160,000.   "Space Seed", the 22nd broadcast episode of The Original Series, featured Ricardo Montalban in an exceptional performance as the iconic, genetically-altered superhuman Khan Noonien Singh - a role that the actor would reprise in the feature film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (Paramount, 1982).

Presented below is the complete Heritage auction catalog description, with accompanying photos, for this incredible piece of Star Trek history, as well as several detailed images of the SS Botany Bay model on display at The Greg Jein Collection Auction Exhibit that was set up at the Heritage Auctions headquarters building in Dallas, Texas in preparation for the historic auction event.  

Special thanks to my friend and fellow Star Trek fan David Wendelburg, who attended the auction in Dallas, and very graciously supplied all of the exhibit photography that is shown in this article ... 

LOT #89160  SS Botany Bay Filming Miniature from Episode "Space Seed" of Star Trek: The Original Series (Paramount TV, 1966-1969)

Designed by legendary Original Series art director Matt Jefferies, and built by Film Effects of Hollywood, this iconic filming miniature of the DY-100 class sleeper ship SS Botany Bay is crafted of resin with metal "antenna array" fitments mounted on the tail.  Measuring 44" x 18" x 12.25", the model is expertly finished in flat brown paint with darker "distressing" accents to align with the plotline of the derelict ship having been launched nearly 300 years prior to it being discovered by the USS Enterprise in the celebrated Season 1 episode "Space Seed".  The Botany Bay miniature was later repurposed as unmanned freighter Woden in the Season 2 episode "The Ultimate Computer".  Exhibits expected age and wear from production, including some paint scuffing, oxidation of metal parts and a single missing metal antenna panel.  Exhibited at the legendary Star Trek: The Exhibit at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C., February 1992 through January 1993.  Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions.  From the Collection of Greg Jein.

Starting Bid: $60,000

Below are some rare behind-the-scenes images of this filming model alongside the 11 foot USS Enterprise filming miniature undergoing principal photography on the soundstage of Film Effects of Hollywood during the production of "Space Seed" in December of 1966 ...

Some screenshots of the Botany Bay model as seen in the episode "Space Seed" ...

The 2 Foot Galileo Shuttlecraft Filming Miniature from Star Trek: The Original Series

The single most expensive piece of Star Trek memorabilia that sold in last fall's Heritage Auctions October 14-15, 2023 Greg Jein Collection Auction was Lot #89150, the 22" long TOS Galileo Shuttlecraft filming miniature, which witnessed a final price of $225,000 (including a 25% buyers premium) on a high bid of $180,000.  

Presented below is the complete Heritage auction catalog description, with accompanying photos, for this iconic piece of Star Trek history, as well as several images of the Galileo model on display at The Greg Jein Collection Auction Exhibit that was set up at the Heritage Auctions headquarters building in Dallas, Texas in preparation for the historic auction event.  

Special thanks to my friend and fellow Star Trek fan David Wendelburg, who attended the auction in Dallas, and very graciously supplied all of the exhibit photography that is shown in this article ...  

LOT #89150 Starfleet Galileo Shuttlecraft Filming Model Miniature from Star Trek: The Original Series (Paramount TV, 1966-1969)

Vintage original "Galileo" filming miniature constructed of wood, cast resin elements, vacuum-formed plastic, mixed-media components, all expertly assembled, painted, and finished with Enterprise-gray paint.  The shuttlecraft was an innovation that Star Trek popularized to the point of becoming convention.  Until Star Trek: TOS, most Sci-Fi genre productions featured spaceships that would land on planets.  The shuttlecraft allowed smaller parties from the mothership to travel short distances without the USS Enterprise ever having to land, much like smaller boats on a Navy cruiser to travel from ship to shore.  Designed by the legendary automotive custom designer & fabricator Gene Winfield, the shuttlecraft first appeared in the Season 1 episode "The Galileo Seven" and it was used on multiple occasions throughout the series.  Measuring 22" x 14" x 9".  Exhibiting age, production wear, some crazing, and chipping to paint, including wood splitting and warpage at the top of the vessel and starboard side nacelle strut.  Tape details and transfer lettering & badging are mostly replacements from an older restoration and areas of previous gluing is evident on port and starboard struts.  Recent expert sensitive restoration includes stabilization of components, front panel reproduction (removable), and cast resin ridged rear window facade and silver engine hoods at the end of each nacelle.  Countless "Galileo" Shuttlecraft plastic model kits were sold by AMT in the 1960s-70s, further elevating the spacecraft to pop-culture-icon status.  An incredibly historic science fiction filming miniature from The Original Series.  Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions.  From the Collection of Greg Jein.

Starting Bid:  $60,000

 

Some screenshots of this filming miniature as seen in episodes of TOS ...

 

 

Captain Picard's Command Chair from Star Trek: The Next Generation

An iconic piece of Star Trek history, the screen used Captain's Chair from Seasons 2 through 7 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, was recently listed as Lot # 346 in the Propstore March 12 - 14, 2024 Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction with an estimated price range of $50,000 - $100,000 prior to it being a last minute withdrawal from the sale in order to return it to the CBS Studios Star Trek Archive.  This extraordinary set fixture had not been publicly seen in 30 years, after reportedly going missing from the bridge set following the completion of filming of the TNG series finale "All Good Things ..." in 1994.

The Propstore auction catalog description provided some interesting construction insights, exact dimensional information, and what were at-the-time previously unseen photos of the Chairs current condition. The text of the essay, with accompanying photos, is reproduced below in its entirety …

Lot # 346 STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION (1987-1994) Captain Picard's (Patrick Stewart) Screen-Matched Light-Up Command Chair

Captain Picard's (Patrick Stewart) screen-matched light-up command chair from Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek: The Next Generation.  The centerpiece of Enterprise-D's bridge, Picard often sat and issued commands from his signature Captain's chair.  Other high-ranking crew members also sat in the chair whenever they commanded the bridge.

The Next Generation was a massive hit with audiences, earning more than 30 million viewers at its peak.  Since 1988, it has won more than 30 international awards, including a prestigious Peabody Award, 19 Emmys, and, along with other Trek series and films, a Guinness World Record Award for Most Successful TV Sci-Fi Franchise.

This style of chair was first introduced in Season 2 after the bridge set was fully redesigned. The headrest of this chair was replaced for the Season 5 episode "Violations".  Creases in the headrest and paint markings on the left arm and seat screen-match this chair to multiple episodes in Seasons 6 and 7.

The chair is constructed from foam core covered in sand-colored polyester suede with matching vinyl side support bolsters and hard foam rubber armrests. The armrests feature several acrylic LCARS screens designed to illuminate via an original power cord from the production, which is attached to the back and appeared onscreen under the tactical console. The consoles feature color gels associated with later seasons.

While larger panels were screwed in during production, the tape around this chair was applied to secure smaller panels. The seat of the chair is also removable, allowing it to be converted for scenes set in different timelines or universes.

Following production, this lot underwent sympathetic restoration, which included fixing it to a metal plate for stability and replacing the lights to better illuminate. The headrest exhibits signs of previous repair or replacement, while the body exhibits cracked foam, lifted adhesive around the screens, scuff and flaked vinyl, and discoloration from age. Dimensions: 33" x 36" x 40" (84 cm x 91.5 cm x 101.75 cm)

Special shipping required; see notice in the Buyer's Guide.

Contains electronics; see electronics notice in the Buyer's Guide.

Estimate: $50,000 - 100,000

Presented below are four composite images created by Propstore that contain highlighted features visible on the modern day Command Chair shown side-by-side against TNG episode screenshots in which the identical fabric creases, wear and/or paint markings are visible - thus establishing a screen-matched level of authentication for this historic item ...

On June 27th, 2002, in the historic Profiles In History Bob Justman Star Trek Auction in Los Angeles, California, Captain Kirk’s famous chair from the Bridge set of Star Trek: The Original Series realized a final sales price of $304,750 (on a bid of $265,000) - making it one of the most expensive pieces of Star Trek memorabilia ever to sell at auction.   One can only speculate, over 20 years later given the heightened worldwide interest in collecting screen used entertainment memorabilia and the frequent extravagant final prices realized for the most premium of items, how high this legendary TNG command chair might have sold for.