New X-Ray Examination Reveals Distinctive Ball-and-Socket Armature Inside the Only Complete Surviving Animation Model from the 1949 Classic.
LOS ANGELES , CA, UNITED STATES, August 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Propstore — one of the world’s leading entertainment memorabilia auction houses — is offering collectors the opportunity to acquire the only complete Mighty Joe Young (1949) animation model known to survive with its original skin, fur and armature intact, now with new evidence that could connect it to “Jennifer,” the favorite Joe model of legendary animator Ray Harryhausen.
The film holds a landmark place in the history of visual effects and cinema. Created under the direction of visual effects pioneer Willis O’Brien, with substantial animation work by his protégé Ray Harryhausen, Mighty Joe Young was the final major production on which the two worked together and went on to win the Academy Award® for Best Special Effects. O’Brien’s pioneering stop-motion work, including King Kong, and Harryhausen’s subsequent career as one of the most influential stop-motion animators in film history helped shape the visual effects, filmmaking and animation communities for generations.
Now, recent X-ray examination has revealed the model’s original steel, brass, and aluminum armature, including ball-and-socket shoulder joints, a construction associated with Harryhausen’s favorite Joe model, which he affectionately nicknamed “Jennifer.” With a pre-sale estimate of $1 million–$3 million, the historic production model will make its public auction debut as part of Propstore’s Summer Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, taking place August 26–29, 2026, in Los Angeles.
Harryhausen gave his favorite Joe model the nickname “Jennifer” after actress Jennifer Jones and recalled his preference for ball-and-socket construction on some of the models used in the production. The newly examined animation model is the only known surviving Mighty Joe Young example with this distinctive armature construction. While its identity as “Jennifer” cannot be definitively established, the discovery provides a new physical clue connecting the surviving model to Harryhausen’s long-lost favorite.
Approximately four large animation models were created for the production and all were used during filming. One surviving body is in significantly poorer condition, with its original armature separated from it and now held in another collection. Another armature is also known to survive separately, while a fourth model has not been seen for approximately 75 years.
Constructed by master model maker Marcel Delgado under the direction of O’Brien, the 15-inch model retains the majority of its original latex skin and fur alongside its intact mechanical armature. Harryhausen carried out substantial animation on Mighty Joe Young and worked with O’Brien on the design of its armatures.
Rarely seen publicly for approximately 50 years, the model has generated considerable excitement among the filmmaking, visual effects and stop-motion communities. In the weeks leading up to the auction, the animation model was displayed at Industrial Light & Magic in San Francisco. Its documented provenance begins with Mighty Joe Young co-producer and co-director Ernest B. Schoedsack, before it entered the private collection of legendary visual effects artist and puppeteer Lyle Conway, where it remained for approximately 50 years.
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.”
Propstore’s $10 million Summer Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction features more than 1,700 lots of original film and television props, costumes, production material, autographed memorabilia and entertainment artifacts.
The auction takes place August 26–29, 2026, with collectors able to participate via live online, absentee, telephone, and in-room bidding at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles on Day 1.
Day 1 (August 26): Begins at 9:30 AM PDT / 12:30 PM EDT / 5:30 PM BST, with public in-room bidding at the Petersen Automotive Museum alongside global online, absentee and telephone bidding.
Days 2–4 (August 27–29): Begin at 9:00 AM PDT / 12:00 PM EDT / 5:00 PM BST, with global online, absentee and telephone bidding.
Registration is now open and the full catalog is available at https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/525
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Notes to Editors:
For further information, catalog images and expert interviews, please contact:
Bethany Willetts | bwilletts@blazepr.com
Images are available in the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/kzwhh85t6xsl5tjh5fsxu/AAIlSthpgyt4QExAJ_2Nz8U?rlkey=frdmc8dtnzyieqsfia4j4c190&dl=0
Credit: Propstore
About Propstore
Founded in 1998 by film enthusiast Stephen Lane, Propstore has grown from a collector’s passion project into one of the world’s foremost authorities on entertainment memorabilia. The company bridges the worlds of film, art, and collecting, offering access to authentic screen-used props, costumes, and production artefacts that bring cinematic history to life.
Working in close partnership with many of the world’s leading film studios, production companies, and entertainment brands, Propstore curates exclusive auctions and sales throughout the year, giving fans and collectors unparalleled access to items direct from the source.
Since 2014, Propstore has hosted globally acclaimed live auctions featuring artefacts from the greatest moments in film and television. Alongside its flagship events, Propstore also runs regular online auctions and studio collaborations, with more than 2,000 items available for immediate purchase at www.propstore.com
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Matthew Kovacs
Propstore
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