Bidding for this lot will end on Wednesday, March 25th. The auction will begin at 9:30 AM (PDT) / 12:30 PM (EDT) / 4:30 PM (GMT) and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Thursday, March 26th or Friday, March 27th.
Batman's (Michael Keaton) zip-line grapple gun from Tim Burton's Batman Returns. Batman first used his high-tech zip-line grapple when he discovered that the Ice Princess (Cristi Conaway) had been kidnapped by Oswald Cobblepot, aka Penguin (Danny DeVito), at the Gotham City Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, and later when he unmasked Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) during his final confrontation with her and Max Shreck (Christopher Walken).
Designed by concept artist Julian Caldow, the grapple gun became one of the most enduring elements of Batman's cinematic arsenal. In Batman (1989), multiple attachments - including grappling spears, smoke capsules, bolas, and tranquilizers - were developed to pair with a modular spring-reel base. For Returns, the design was retained, but newly built props were created.
Batman Returns broke a number of box-office records and received Academy Award® nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Makeup, the latter being for the work of Hollywood legends Ve Neill, Ronnie Specter, and Stan Winston. It is today regarded among the most stylish of all Batman adaptations for its more Gothic Art Deco depiction of the caped crusader and his bat-themed tech. This is the only example of this recognizable accessory ever auctioned by Propstore and an extremely rare piece of franchise history.
Constructed from resin and painted in Batman's signature black, this static, nonfunctional grapple gun features gold-color metal hooks on either end wrapped in nylon rope and a push button on the end of its hand grip. The hooks permanently mounted to the gun are similar in style to those designed for Batman's grappling gun in Batman (1989). The grapple gun exhibits scuffed paint and glue residue on one side. Dimensions: 12" x 6" x 2.5" (30.5 cm x 15.25 cm x 6.5 cm)
Estimate: $30,000 - 60,000