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You can buy Dave's iconic 2001: A Space Odyssey space suit, it’ll just cost around $300,000
One of the most iconic pieces of science fiction is heading to the auction block — and it could be yours for the cost of a very, very nice home.
The classic, red space suit worn by actor Keir Dullea (Dave Bowman) in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey is headed to auction. The suit, screen-used in the 1968 sci-fi epic, will be up for grabs at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, California in the “Hollywood Legends & Explorers” auction on July 17-18. It’s expected to sell in the $200,000 to $300,000 range based on current estimates.
The suit (which is now a white/gray color, after parts of it were repainted with various layers throughout the film’s production), is among the rarest film props in existence, after most of the screen-used props from the film were destroyed when Kubrick wrapped shooting. The auction house asserts it is almost certainly the same suit worn on-screen by “Dave” in many of the film’s most iconic scenes — including the scene where Dave returns to the Discovery’s “brain room” to face off with HAL. The color layers made it easier to date, as only certain colored-suits were worn by Bowman in specific scenes.
In addition to the suit, winning bidders will also get the boots, dome-style helmet, and classic MGM shipping crate it was stored inside.
“Julien’s Auctions is honored to offer one of the most coveted science fiction film artifacts of all time – an original 2001: A Space Odyssey space suit - as well as the actual equipment pieces used in our nation’s leaps for mankind with the Apollo 11 and 17 missions at this year’s Legends and Explorers event,” Darren Julien, CEO/President of Julien’s Auctions, said in a statement. “2001: A Space Odyssey broke ground in its realistic depiction of space travel in films and this auction represents the first opportunity in twenty years to purchase a genuine and rare complete 2001 space suit from Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece.”
The suit is one of the most recognizable designs in pop culture, and to this day space agencies are still trying to capture that same kind of classic style and wearability in real-life space gear.
As for the auction, Dave’s suit isn’t the only cool piece up for grabs. It will also feature the 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am used for KITT in Knight Rider; an original cape worn by Christopher Reeve in 1978’s Superman; plus a whole lot more. Check out the full rundown at the auction house.
