X-ray points to Harryhausen’s lost Mighty Joe Young model in Propstore auction

Propstore is auctioning the only complete surviving Mighty Joe Young animation model with its original skin, fur and armature intact, and a new X-ray examination suggests it may be Ray Harryhausen’s long-lost favorite, nicknamed “Jennifer.” The model heads to Propstore’s Summer Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction in Los Angeles on Aug. 26–29, with a pre-sale estimate of $1 million to $3 million.

Why it matters: - The model could be the surviving link to “Jennifer,” the Mighty Joe Young favorite associated with Ray Harryhausen. - Mighty Joe Young was a landmark stop-motion film and the final major collaboration between Willis O’Brien and Harryhausen. - The model is being offered with a $1 million–$3 million pre-sale estimate, making it one of Propstore’s highest-profile auction pieces.

What happened: - Propstore is offering the only complete surviving Mighty Joe Young (1949) animation model with its original skin, fur and armature intact. - A recent X-ray examination revealed a steel, brass and aluminum armature with ball-and-socket shoulder joints. - The construction matches the type Harryhausen associated with his favorite Joe model, which he called “Jennifer.” - The model will make its public auction debut at Propstore’s Summer Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction in Los Angeles on Aug. 26–29, 2026.

The details: - The newly examined model is the only known surviving Mighty Joe Young example with this distinctive armature construction. - Harryhausen said he nicknamed his favorite Joe model “Jennifer” after actress Jennifer Jones. - The identity of the auction model cannot be definitively established as “Jennifer,” but the X-ray provides a new physical clue. - Approximately four large animation models were created for the production and all were used during filming. - One surviving body remains in significantly poorer condition, with its original armature separated and now held in another collection. - Another armature survives separately, and a fourth model has not been seen for about 75 years. - Master model maker Marcel Delgado built the 15-inch model under O’Brien’s direction. - The model retains most of its original latex skin and fur, along with its intact mechanical armature. - Harryhausen did substantial animation work on Mighty Joe Young and helped design its armatures with O’Brien. - The model was rarely seen publicly for about 50 years. - In the weeks before the auction, the model was displayed at Industrial Light & Magic in San Francisco. - Provenance traces to Mighty Joe Young co-producer and co-director Ernest B. Schoedsack, then to the private collection of visual effects artist and puppeteer Lyle Conway, where it stayed for about 50 years. - Propstore’s Summer Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction has a $10 million total estimate and includes more than 1,700 lots. - Registration is open, and the full catalog is available here.

Between the lines: - The X-ray does not prove the model is “Jennifer,” but it strengthens the case by linking the surviving artifact to a construction detail Harryhausen remembered. - The public display at Industrial Light & Magic and the auction setting suggest Propstore is positioning the model as both a rare collectible and a piece of film history. - Interest is likely to come from both memorabilia buyers and visual-effects historians because the item sits at the intersection of auction value and cinematic provenance.

What's next: - Bidding will run Aug. 26–29, 2026, with live online, absentee, telephone and in-room participation. - Day 1 begins Aug. 26 at 9:30 a.m. PDT / 12:30 p.m. EDT / 5:30 p.m. BST at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. - Days 2–4 begin at 9:00 a.m. PDT / 12:00 p.m. EDT / 5:00 p.m. BST. - Collectors can register now and review the catalog before the sale.

The bottom line: - Propstore is offering a rare Mighty Joe Young survivor with new evidence that may connect it to Ray Harryhausen’s lost favorite, giving the auction major historical and collector appeal.