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The Element Key from Luc Besson's sci-fi adventure film The Fifth Element. The Element Key was given to Professor Pacoli (John Bluthal) by a Mondoshawan in 1914 and passed down through the generations by a secretive order of priests. When the Great Evil returned to Earth in 2263, the key was carried by Vito Cornelius (Ian Holm), who used it to grant Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) access to a stone chamber and activate the weapon contained within.

The key comprises four metal blades on the end of a thin metal rod. Each blade features an ornate pattern and the entire key has a bronzed finish, intentionally tarnished to look hundreds of years old. The concept art is hand-coloured and comprises drawings of the key from various angles, each of which is adhered to a sheet of A3 paper. Small, hand-drawn pencil sketches accompany the coloured images, and the design of the key differs from the final prop. The key has some wear from production use and age, including sections at the base of the blades where the soldering is visible, and some of the concept drawings are lifting from the paper where the adhesive has weakened with age. The paper also exhibits some minor staining and tears at the edges, though these do not disrupt the artwork. Otherwise, both items remain in good condition, Dimensions: 33 cm x 7 cm x 5 cm (13" x 2.75" x 2")

Sold without copyright; see copyright notice in the Buyer's Guide.

Estimate: £5,000 - 10,000 M

View all lots from FIFTH ELEMENT, THE (1997)