A prop of central importance to the iconic opening scene of *Citizen Kane* – widely considered one of cinema’s greatest achievements – has fetched $14.75 million (£11 million) at auction.
The wooden Rosebud sled, one of only a handful believed to still exist, was presumed lost for many years until it was gifted to director Joe Dante in 1984, thereby saving it from potential destruction.
Dante subsequently incorporated the sled as a subtle nod to fans (an “Easter egg”) in his own films, including *Gremlins 2: The New Batch*.
The Rosebud sled now ranks as the second most valuable piece of film memorabilia ever sold, surpassed only by a pair of ruby slippers from *The Wizard of Oz*, which went for $32 million (£23.9 million) last December.
“Along with Dorothy’s ruby slippers, the Rosebud sled from Citizen Kane is one of the most iconic objects in Hollywood history,” Joe Maddalena, Executive Vice President at Heritage Auctions, which conducted the sale, commented in the auction house’s publication, *The Intelligent Collector*.
The identity of the sled’s purchaser has not been disclosed.
Other Rosebud props created for the film have been sold previously, including one acquired by director Steven Spielberg, who later donated it to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
However, the specific sled sold on Thursday had remained unseen for decades until it came into Dante’s possession.
Dante recounted to Heritage Auctions how, while filming *Explorers* in 1984 at the studio formerly owned by RKO Radio Pictures, the production company behind *Citizen Kane*,
Dante said that workers clearing out storage areas discovered the prop and offered it to him, knowing his appreciation for classic films.
“I was astonished…Since I am a huge fan of the movie, I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll be glad to take it.'”
“Citizen Kane may be the greatest film ever made, and Rosebud is the linchpin of the story – the whole heart of the plot and the focal point of the mysterious drama in Kane’s life.
“As a director, to own the prop that represents such a vital element of a cinema treasure is particularly meaningful.”
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