Flying saucer found in man's garage

After 38 years, a "lost" Hollywood artifact with a truly cosmic history has resurfaced and, no surprise, it's headed straight for the auction block. This Thursday, Dec. 11, the iconic flying saucer from the 1956 MGM classic "Forbidden Planet" will be auctioned off in Calabasas Hills and is expected to fetch anywhere between $80,000 and $120,000, which would be a nice, tidy payday for its owner, a North Carolina man who had the prop stored in his garage and didn't realize its market value. The silver saucer is 82 inches in diameter and constructed of wood, steel and fiberglass and, according to the Profiles in History auction house, it is "a marvel of 1950s engineering." That's because "the central landing base extends from the bottom of the craft by internal movement mechanisms with electric motor drive, as does the ladder and two conveyor-loading ramps." Read more by my colleague Geoff Boucher >>>

Comments

[Arye Michael Bender]

Could swear that I saw that very prop in Forrest Ackerman's collection circa 1978. Even by then its worth would have been high, so I can't imagine it finding its way into someone's garage and abandoned.

Although, with flying saucers stranger things have happened.

[LC]

Interesting how it "suddenly" turns up just a few days after his passing! I was there in 1978 and unfortunately, I can't remember if it was part of his collection. If it was I am sure it's discovery will raise a few questions. I do know that FJA had the saucer from Earth vs The Flying Saucers. Anyway, some people tended to walk off with pieces of his "unprotected" collection through the years.

[Arye Michael Bender]

Attended that sad and wonderful event three day event, the MGM auction circa 1972 and did see the saucer there. I knew Forey from around that time. He was then living in a flat in the Fairfax District, yet to acquire the Ackermansion. When I did a piece on him for 'PM Magazine' around '78, he had at least one saucer. It could have been 'Earth VS Flying Saucers', but something sticks in my craw about it being 'Forbidden'.

The coinciding events of his becoming undead and the posting for auction is, at least, ironic.