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A lighting stand-in Hydra head and neck made by Ray Harryhausen for the production of Don Chaffey's fantasy adventure Jason and the Argonauts. Acastus (Gary Raymond) is killed by the multi-headed Hydra when he tries to steal the golden fleece before Jason (Todd Armstrong) eventually defeats the monster. This lot comes from Harryhausen's personal collection.

Harryhausen considered the seven-headed Hydra to be one of the most difficult models he ever worked on, given the number of heads involved in the animation process.

This Hydra head and neck was made in 1962 and used as a lighting stand-in during tests. It is made of hard rubber over a flexible metal support and was created as a cast from the original animation model, then hand-painted to be similarly detailed. It has been given a protective coating by the Archive to preserve it from light and the atmosphere. Dimensions: 13 cm x 9 cm x 20 cm (5" x 3.5" x 7.75")

Additional provenance:

This lot comes from the Ray & Diana Harryhausen Foundation, a collection of items from the long and illustrious career of special effects and animation legend Ray Harryhausen. Proceeds from this auction will assist with the Foundation's future projects, including the ongoing preservation of Harryhausen's creature collection.

Estimate: £25,000 - 50,000 M





View all lots from JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (1963)

View all lots from Ray & Diana Harryhausen Foundation Collection