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 ...