Hollywood's Holy Grails: Rosebud Sled and Indy's Whip Hit Auction Block

Olivia Bennett, 6/12/2025Hollywood's most coveted treasures, including the original Rosebud sled from "Citizen Kane" and Harrison Ford's iconic whip from "Indiana Jones," are hitting the auction block. Heritage Auctions promises a cinematic extravaganza filled with unforgettable memorabilia from film history.

The star of this silver screen spectacular? None other than the legendary Rosebud sled from "Citizen Kane." (And no, not just another replica floating around some dusty prop house.) This is the real deal — one of only three known to exist. The story behind it reads like a Hollywood script itself: "Gremlins" director Joe Dante stumbled upon this piece of cinema history while wandering the old RKO Pictures lot back in '84. In a deliciously meta twist that would make any film buff swoon, he's been sneaking it into his movies ever since.

But darling, that's just the opening act.

Remember that iconic whip Harrison Ford cracked in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"? Well, this particular specimen comes with a dash of actual royalty — Ford himself presented it to then-Prince Charles at the '89 UK premiere, and it eventually found its way into Princess Diana's hands. Talk about six degrees of separation!

"These aren't just props," Heritage's executive VP Joe Maddalena declared recently, in what might be 2025's most obvious understatement. These pieces are practically religious artifacts for the church of cinema — each one carrying enough cultural weight to sink the Titanic (the ship, not the prop, though James Cameron would probably bid on both).

The lineup reads like a fever dream for any serious collector. There's Luke Skywalker's X-wing miniature from "Empire" — a piece of Industrial Light & Magic wizardry that helped revolutionize special effects before CGI took over everything. Those lightsabers Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen swung around in "Revenge of the Sith"? They're up for grabs too. Even Macaulay Culkin's adorably iconic knit cap from "Home Alone" is making an appearance — though hopefully without the aftershave.

For those craving a dash of spy-film chic, there's Mike Myers' blue velvet Austin Powers suit from "Goldmember." And speaking of international men of mystery, the actual Citroën 2CV that Roger Moore piloted in "For Your Eyes Only" is crossing the block — a delicious bit of automotive history that connects the very films Myers so brilliantly satirized.

But here's the kicker that's got everyone talking: Cecil B. DeMille's original tablets from "The Ten Commandments," carved from genuine Mount Sinai stone. Now that's what you'd call method directing taken to biblical proportions!

The Summer Entertainment Auction (running July 15-19) isn't your average collector's sale — it's more like a time capsule of Hollywood magic being cracked open for the highest bidder. Each piece carries its own constellation of stories, waiting to begin their next chapter in some lucky collector's showcase.

And honestly? In an era where digital effects reign supreme and props are often just pixels on a screen, there's something rather poetic about these tangible pieces of movie history finding new homes. Though whoever snags that Rosebud sled might want to keep it away from any nearby fireplaces... just saying.

Hold onto your vintage movie tickets, darlings — Hollywood's most coveted treasures are about to take center stage in what's shaping up to be the most talked-about auction since Elizabeth Taylor's jewels hit the block. Heritage Auctions in Dallas is orchestrating this cinematic extravaganza, and trust me, it's not your typical memorabilia sale.The star of this silver screen spectacular? None other than the legendary Rosebud sled from "Citizen Kane." (And no, not just another replica floating around some dusty prop house.) This is the real deal — one of only three known to exist. The story behind it reads like a Hollywood script itself: "Gremlins" director Joe Dante stumbled upon this piece of cinema history while wandering the old RKO Pictures lot back in '84. In a deliciously meta twist that would make any film buff swoon, he's been sneaking it into his movies ever since.But darling, that's just the opening act.Remember that iconic whip Harrison Ford cracked in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"? Well, this particular specimen comes with a dash of actual royalty — Ford himself presented it to then-Prince Charles at the '89 UK premiere, and it eventually found its way into Princess Diana's hands. Talk about six degrees of separation!"These aren't just props," Heritage's executive VP Joe Maddalena declared recently, in what might be 2025's most obvious understatement. These pieces are practically religious artifacts for the church of cinema — each one carrying enough cultural weight to sink the Titanic (the ship, not the prop, though James Cameron would probably bid on both).The lineup reads like a fever dream for any serious collector. There's Luke Skywalker's X-wing miniature from "Empire" — a piece of Industrial Light & Magic wizardry that helped revolutionize special effects before CGI took over everything. Those lightsabers Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen swung around in "Revenge of the Sith"? They're up for grabs too. Even Macaulay Culkin's adorably iconic knit cap from "Home Alone" is making an appearance — though hopefully without the aftershave.For those craving a dash of spy-film chic, there's Mike Myers' blue velvet Austin Powers suit from "Goldmember." And speaking of international men of mystery, the actual Citroën 2CV that Roger Moore piloted in "For Your Eyes Only" is crossing the block — a delicious bit of automotive history that connects the very films Myers so brilliantly satirized.But here's the kicker that's got everyone talking: Cecil B. DeMille's original tablets from "The Ten Commandments," carved from genuine Mount Sinai stone. Now that's what you'd call method directing taken to biblical proportions!The Summer Entertainment Auction (running July 15-19) isn't your average collector's sale — it's more like a time capsule of Hollywood magic being cracked open for the highest bidder. Each piece carries its own constellation of stories, waiting to begin their next chapter in some lucky collector's showcase.And honestly? In an era where digital effects reign supreme and props are often just pixels on a screen, there's something rather poetic about these tangible pieces of movie history finding new homes. Though whoever snags that Rosebud sled might want to keep it away from any nearby fireplaces... just saying.