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A production-made German Armed Forces eagle flagpole finial from Steven Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark. German forces excavated the desert around Tanis Egypt for the lost Ark of the Covenant.

Finials like this were created for the film at Elstree Studios in the U.K., which was the base for most of the live-action shoot. At the end of the shoot, additional pick-ups of the Ark opening sequence were shot at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) in California. This flagpole finial casting was sent over for the ILM reshoots and is a raw casting out of the original mould. It retains lettering on horizontal posts at the bottom that were removed from the finished props that had been filmed during the shoot in the U.K. and Tunisia.

This lot contains one flagpole finial of the German Armed Forces eagle made of resin painted in a metallic grey. Protruding sections on either side of a swastika at the base read "Deutschland Uber Alles", which when translated means "Germany above all", though these sections do not appear on the standards in the film. A small patch at the bottom from adhering to the standard pole remains, as does a small drill hole on the back centre of the eagle from securing to the pole. This lot exhibits adhesive residue on the back, chipped paint, and discolouration, as well as pitting in the foam. Dimensions: 76.25 cm x 30.5 cm x 2.5 cm (30" x 12" x 1")

Estimate: £2,500 - 5,000 Ω

View all lots from INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)

View all lots from INDIANA JONES - ALL ITEMS