Ark of the Covenant from ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ sells for over $100k

By Dean Murray via SWNS

An Indiana Jones prop that appeared on Antiques Roadshow has sold for $101,600.

The original Ark of the Covenant prototype used for the making of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" popped up on the American version of the popular BBC show in 2020.

It was presented for an appraisal on Antiques Roadshow by the son of Peter Stolz, a member of the Visual Effects team at Industrial Light & Magic during the production of the 1981 film.

Antiques expert James Supp said at the time "We estimate, at auction, a very conservative value of $80,000 to $120,000."

He added: "This is the closest anybody in the private market can get to owning the Ark of the Covenant from the Raiders of the Lost Ark."

The eye-catching prop was among showbiz lots that went under the hammer at Los Angeles Julien's Auctions on Wednesday (June 23).

Other highlights included a Kuwahara BMX bike used in "E.T. the extra-terrestrial" ($52,000), Marty McFly's "Back to the Future Part II" resizing jacket ($32,500), and the original and iconic light-up dance floor used by John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever" ($325,000).

Another top-selling item of the event was a Ceil Chapman black evening dress worn by Marilyn Monroe when she and Joe DiMaggio attended an event hosted by Bob Hope on December 16, 1953, to honor two-star General William F. Dean. It sold for $254,000, eight times its estimate of $30,000.

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