Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

An original prop from the production of Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first instalment in the popular Indiana Jones franchise starring Harrison Ford under the direction of Steven Spielberg.

This miniature lid for the Ark of the Covenant was custom made for the production by leading special effects house Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) for use in the climactic sequence of the movie where the lid of the ark is seen flying in to the air. Several of these lids were created for filming this shot which involved propelling the miniature in to the air and filming at high speed using a wide angle camera lens, examples of these miniatures were then gifted to senior members of the ILM effects unit following the production with this one being given to ILM general manager Thomas G. Smith.

The highly detailed miniature is constructed from resin and features a decorative gold leaf finish, this is presented in a perspex display case with a plaque to the interior which is etched with the movie logo and 'INDUSTRIAL LIGHT & MAGIC SPECIAL EFFECTS CREW'. The actual miniature measures approximately 4.5" x 3" with the case 6" x 5.75" x 2.75", in extremely fine condition throughout.

An instantly recognisable and highly displayable artefact from this classic picture which was the recipient of the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.