X-Ray Reveals Rare Mighty Joe Young Stop-Motion Model May Be Ray Harryhausen’s Long-Lost Favorite

There is a stunning new twist in the case of the surviving animation model from the 1949 film Mighty Joe Young that CollectiblesNews.com previously reported on heading to auction with a $1 million to $3 million estimate. New X-ray evidence has raised the possibility that it could be the long-lost model favored by legendary stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen.

Propstore announced that the 15-inch production model will make its public auction debut during the company’s Summer Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, scheduled for August 26 through August 29 in Los Angeles. The model is described as the only complete surviving Mighty Joe Young animation model known to retain its original skin, fur and mechanical armature.

What makes the piece particularly intriguing for collectors is a recent X-ray examination that revealed the construction hidden beneath its exterior. The model contains an original steel, brass and aluminum armature with ball-and-socket shoulder joints, a feature associated with Harryhausen’s favorite Mighty Joe Young model, which he nicknamed “Jennifer.”

Harryhausen reportedly named Jennifer after actress Jennifer Jones and had recalled his preference for ball-and-socket construction on some of the models created for the movie. Propstore cautions that the surviving figure cannot be definitively identified as Jennifer, but says the X-ray discovery provides a new physical clue linking it to the famous lost model. It is also the only known surviving Mighty Joe Young model with this particular type of armature construction.

Approximately four large Joe animation models were created and used during production of Mighty Joe Young. According to Propstore, one other surviving body is in substantially poorer condition and no longer contains its original armature, which is held separately in another collection. Another standalone armature also survives, while a fourth model has apparently not been seen for roughly 75 years.

The model coming to auction was constructed by master model maker Marcel Delgado under the direction of visual effects pioneer Willis O’Brien. It retains most of its original latex skin and fur along with the intact internal armature. Harryhausen performed substantial animation work on Mighty Joe Young and also worked with O’Brien on the design of the film’s armatures.

Mighty Joe Young occupies an important place in stop-motion history. The production marked the final major film on which O’Brien and Harryhausen worked together, and the movie went on to win the Academy Award for Best Special Effects. O’Brien had previously helped revolutionize stop-motion with King Kong, while Harryhausen later became one of the most influential visual-effects artists of the 20th century.

The surviving Joe model itself has largely remained out of public view for about half a century. Its documented provenance begins with Mighty Joe Young co-producer and co-director Ernest B. Schoedsack. It later entered the collection of visual-effects artist and puppeteer Lyle Conway, where it remained for approximately 50 years. Ahead of the auction, the model was displayed at Industrial Light & Magic in San Francisco.

Brandon Alinger, Propstore’s Chief Operating Officer, commented: “The story of Jennifer has long been part of Mighty Joe Young lore. The ball-and-socket shoulder joints revealed through the X-rays give us an important new detail about this surviving model and its possible connection to Harryhausen’s favorite. While we cannot definitively identify it as Jennifer, it is an exciting piece of evidence in the story of this remarkable artifact, and Propstore is excited to bring this rarity to public auction this month.”

With an estimate of $1 million to $3 million, the Mighty Joe Young model will be one of the major collectibles offered in Propstore’s upcoming sale. The four-day auction is expected to contain more than 1,700 lots of original movie and television props, costumes, production material, autographed pieces and other entertainment memorabilia, with an overall estimated value exceeding $10 million.