Things that appear in famous films, or are used in their creation, often find their own popularity. The main character's dress, the main character's car, or even a lead figurine can go under the hammer for a lot of money.
Here are the top 10 most expensive props in world cinema history.
10. Flying car
Where did it appear: musical "Bang-bang oh-oh-oh" (1968)
Price: $ 805,000
While Mary Poppins (1964) is better known to the public, Bang Bang Oh-Oh-Oh is another British musical that can evoke childhood nostalgia, especially for those who are fascinated by its flying car.
According to the plot, the inventor Karaktakus Potts, together with his girlfriend and two children, travels in a flying (and also floating and driving) car through the fabulous world of ancient castles and escaping from the evil Baron Bomburst.
A total of six cars were created for the film, including a non-motorized version, a flying scene car, a transformation car, and a scaled-down version for driving scenes.
Upon completion of filming, all six were powered by motors and used to advertise the musical around the world. One model was a fully operational vehicle with a genuine UK registration. This car was sold in 2011 to renowned director Peter Jackson.
9. Audrey Hepburn dress
Where did it appear: the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961)
Price - $ 806,000
One of the sexiest dresses in the history of cinema was created by French designer Hubert de Givenchy (his clients included such celebrities as Jackie Kennedy).
For Breakfast at Tiffany's, Givenchy designed not only a black Italian satin sheath dress, but also selected accessories for it: a pearl necklace, a mouthpiece, a black hat and long black gloves.
One copy of the dress was sold in 2006 for $ 806,000. Two other copies of the dress remained: one is in the archives of the House of Givenchy, the other is on display in the Costume Museum in Madrid.
8. Underwater car of James Bond Lotus Esprit
Where did it appear: the film "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977)
Price - $ 860,000
Movie hero James Bond loved supercars, and the Lotus Esprit is no exception. This car could swim under water, "growing" instead of wheels "fins", water cannons and a periscope. Of course, only in the movies.
During the underwater filming, an Esprits body was used, in which a specially created apparatus was located.
Following the completion of filming, "Wet Nelly," as the film crew called the car, was placed in storage in Long Island, New York. Ten years later, it was auctioned for less than a hundred dollars, and the buyer was initially unaware of its contents.
From 1989 to 2013, he occasionally put the car up for auction, restoring its exterior. It was eventually sold at auction in London in 2013 to business tycoon Elon Musk.
7. Steve McQueen's racing suit
Where did it appear: the film "Le Mans" (1971)
Price: $ 984,000
Although Le Mans initially flopped at the box office, it was praised many times for its realism: the real Le Mans circuit, racing footage from a participating car, and the presence of famous racers in the film. One of them was Steve McQueen, who played the main protagonist - American Michael Delaney, who wants to win the Le Mans gold.
McQueen's racing suit was handed over to the British newspaper The Observer as a prize for a Le Mans quiz after the film was released. It was won by twelve-year-old Thomas Davis, who subsequently sold the suit in 2011 for $ 155,000.
Three and a half months later, it was sold again, this time at the Icons of Hollywood auction in Beverly Hills, for $ 984,000, making it the most expensive racing memorabilia ever sold.
6. Costumes for the song "Do Re Mi"
Where did they appear: musical "The Sound of Music" (1965)
Price: $ 1.5 million
The musical was another hit for Julie Andrews after her starring role in Mary Poppins a year earlier. It is one of the highest grossing films of all time, as is Gone With the Wind (another film famous for its curtain costume).
The costumes that the main character, the governess Maria, made for the seven children of the von Trapp family, are indeed made of curtain material. Sound of Music designer Dorothy Jackins was nominated for an Oscar for her work on the film.
Although the clothes for Do Ryo Mi were made of simple material, they sold for $ 1.5 million in 2013.
5. Costume of the cowardly lion
Where did it appear: film "The Wizard of Oz" (1939)
Price: $ 3 million
Burt Lara's most recognizable role was the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz. While he may not have sung the most memorable songs and was not the most charismatic of the characters, he wore the most memorable costume. It was made from natural lion fur and sold for $ 3 million in 2014. Ironically, this costume was found abandoned in an old MGM studio building.
The costume was purchased for the Television Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, where it is still on display.
4. The Maltese Falcon statuette
Where did it appear: film "The Maltese Falcon" (1941)
Price: $ 4.1 million
The first representative of the film noir genre was the directorial debut of John Huston, also known for The Treasures of the Sierra Madre, Moulin Rouge and The African Queen.
The main role in "The Maltese Falcon" was played by Humphrey Bogart, playing the weary private detective Sam Spade, who is in search of the mysterious statuette. This statuette was sold in 2013 for $ 4.1 million to billionaire Steve Wynn.
Some argue that the statuette is not the one used in the film, as the actors allegedly used plaster casts and not the heavy lead original. However, The Maltese Falcon did appear in the film; his curved tail feather can be seen at the end of the film when Spade carries him out of his apartment.
3. Aston Martin car
Where did it appear: the film "Goldfinger" (1964)
Price: $ 4.4 million
It is one of two vehicles used to create the Goldfingra. The Aston Martin DB5 convertible, driven by James Bond performed by Sean Connery, was sold in 2010.
It was equipped with Bond's signature gadgets left over from filming. Interestingly, Goldfinger was the first movie to use gadgets, later becoming a key part of the Bond franchise.
There was another Aston Martin equipped with various gadgets such as pistols that appeared on the taillights. He was abducted in 1997 from a hangar at Boca Raton Airport and has not yet been found.
2. Eliza Doolittle dress
Where did it appear: the film "My Fair Lady" (1964)
Price: $ 4.5 million
Audrey Hepburn's black and white lace dress shown above was designed by renowned English artist and costume designer Cecil Beaton, who won an Academy Award for Costume Design and Art Direction for his efforts.
The dress (and hat) sold for $ 4.5 million in 2011 as part of the collection of the late actress Debbie Reynolds. Over the course of her life, she has collected over 3,500 costumes from various Hollywood films - including Gone With the Wind, The Sound of Music and Casablanca - in the hopes of one day creating a museum.
The dress that Hepburn wore for the musical Ascot Gavotte remains the most expensive item ever sold by the Californian auction house Profiles in History. Surprisingly, this was not the most expensive dress from the Reynolds collection.
1. Marilyn Monroe dress
Where did it appear: the film "The Seven Year Itch" (1955)
Price: $ 4.6 million
The white dress that Marilyn Monroe once wore is one of the most famous dresses and the most expensive props in movie history. It was sold as part of the late Debbie Reynolds' Hollywood collection.
The moment when Marilyn's heroine stands on a ventilation grill, and a gust of air lifts her dress up, exposing her legs, has been parodied in many films and cartoons, including such as Shrek 2, The Boys Like It and The Woman in Red.
The scene was originally supposed to be filmed outside of 20th Century Fox's booth, but the cameras and Monroe caught the attention of hundreds of fans, and their noise spoiled frame by frame. As a result, director Billy Wilder decided to re-shoot the scene in a calm pavilion setting.