Thousands of iconic set pieces from the hit TV show Game of Thrones have sold for at least £10m at “the mother of all auctions” which took place in the USA over the weekend.
The touring Iron Throne, a replica moulded from the original which appeared on-screen, was snapped up for £1.14m ($1.49m) during the historic auction in Dallas, Texas which ended on Saturday.
A total of 2,000 costumes, weapons, props and set decorations from the fantasy epic were up for grabs at the The Heritage and HBO event which racked up bids exceeding £2m within hours of opening on Thursday — by day two bidding had reached almost £10m ($12m).
The most coveted seat in pop culture, measuring approximately 65” x 86” x 63” and weighing 310lbs, is expertly crafted from plastic with a painted metallic finish and jewel embellishments “to resemble the hilts of once-regal swords”.
It has been described by the George R. R. Martin, whose novels the fantasy show is based on, as “the throne of the conqueror, made from the swords of defeated enemies, a symbol of conquest.”
The replica was crafted exclusively for promotional events and tours and has popped up at Comic-Con events and Hollywood premieres.
It featured in the Game of Thrones Touring Exhibition which was hosted in major cities around the world such as New York, London, Paris, Sydney and Belfast — as over one million fans relished the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of Westeros.
Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) in Game of Thrones
Jon Snow’s Hero “Longclaw” Longsword went to the highest bidder for a jaw-dropping £306,067 ($400k).
The original piece measures 42” x 8” and is studio-crafted from aluminium with a stamped “Valyrian steel” design running down the fuller.
The sword’s pommel and hilt are painted to mimic a brass cross-guard and leather-wrapped grip.
One of the most famous weapons to feature in the show, it was famously drawn by Kit Harington’s character in the episode ‘The Battle of the B******s’.
Jon Snow’s signature Night’s Watch Ensemble — featuring a gray cotton double yoke shirt with ties at front, a black padded and quilted moleskin skirt with black trousers, leather doublet with lace-up front and lace-on sleeves, black leather gauntlet-style gloves and low heel leather boots — also proved popular.
The third most expensive lot sold for £258,244 ($337,500) despite being made from a rug believed to have cost just £60.
Emmy Award-winning designer Michele Clapton revealed in a 2016 interview at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles that several of the plush capes worn throughout the show — including Snow’s iconic fur cloak — are made from affordable IKEA rugs.
“We cut and we shaved them and added strong leather straps,” she said.
Heritage worked with HBO’s archivists and production team to offer more than 900 lots from the acclaimed series including costumes, jewellery and accessories designed by Clapton and weapons, armour and shields crafted by armorer Tommy Dunne.
The catalogue featured something associated with almost every character and almost every second of the show — including the pilot episode — from the moment Robert Baratheon asks Ned Stark to become Hand of the King to Bran Stark being crowned ruler of the Six Kingdoms.