Who says money can’t buy the Iron Throne? Westeros’ coveted seat of power, which was at the heart of HBO’s Emmy-winning fantasy epic “Game of Thrones,” has fetched nearly $1.5 million at auction.
The original touring Iron Throne sold for $1.49 million on Saturday after a six-minute bidding war, according to Heritage Auctions, which organized a sale of the iconic props and costumes from the landmark TV series.
The 7-foot-tall prop chair, molded from the original throne used onscreen, is painted plastic embellished with jewels and made to look like a dragon-forged chair made of “the swords of the vanquished, a thousand of them, melted together like so many candles,” Heritage Auctions said.
The identity of the bidder — er, new king or queen of Westeros — is not known to the public as the bidder wants to remain anonymous, a spokesman for Heritage confirmed Monday.
The throne was the highest-selling item in the weekend auction. The event, which ran for three days, featured more than 900 lots, attracted more than 4,500 bidders worldwide and garnered more than $21 million, making it the most successful auction of costumes, props and more from a single film or TV show, Heritage said. (Screen legend Debbie Reynolds’ 2011 auction holds the No. 1 position for the Dallas-based auction house with a take of $22.8 million.)
The “Game of Thrones” auction also featured three versions of Longclaw — the Valyrian steel sword wielded by Jon Snow (Kit Harington) as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. The weighty “hero” version sold for $400,000, the lighter “action” version that came with Jon’s fur ensemble for his Season 7 trip beyond the Wall sold for $137,500 and a hard-rubber “action” iteration sold for $106,250.
Meanwhile, Jon’s signature Night’s Watch ensemble sold Friday for $337,500 after a prolonged bidding war and became the auction’s highest-selling costume. The four-panel Westeros Map Room floor, a White Walker display figure, the Mountain’s armor, Ned Stark’s hero longsword, scabbard and belt, and a dragon egg presented to Daenerys Targaryen were just a few of the other items in the lot.
“From the moment we launched the Game of Thrones auction in September, it was clear this was going to resonate with everyone,” said Joe Maddalena, Heritage Auctions’ executive vice president, in a statement. “These are extraordinary treasures made by Emmy-winning costume designers and prop makers, who worked tirelessly to adapt George R.R. Martin’s wonderful novels.”
“We are so pleased with the result of this auction for some of the most iconic Game of Thrones memorabilia,” added Janet Graham Borba, HBO’s executive vice president of production. “These fans continue to be passionate collectors, and we are grateful to them and our partners at Heritage for making this a giant success.”
“Game of Thrones,” a TV adaptation of Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels, debuted on HBO in 2011 and ran on the premium cable network for seven seasons through 2019. It earned 59 Emmy Awards during its run and has yielded several spinoff projects, including the prequel series “The House of the Dragon.”
