The "Maltese Falcon" Bird Statue
The bird statue from the John Huston–Humphrey Bogart detective thriller film "The Maltese Falcon” is one of the most recognized and sought-after movie props ever created. Steve Wynn actually spent $4.1 million for it. It's understandable. It was one of the most expensive pieces of movie memorabilia ever sold. The news of the Falcon sale made its way around the world on network news and in publications. It currently resides in a meeting room in Wynn's Las Vegas mansion, alongside two Picassos, a Matisse, and a Giacometti sculpture.
An unnamed artist, presumably Fred Sexton, a friend of Director John Huston, made the sculpture. The resin one was most likely smoothed down to match the prop's smooth, weathered appearance in the movie. The statue is the only one confirmed as having appeared in the film and is distinguished by a bent tail feather. During filming actress Lee Patrick dropped the prop while handing it to Bogart. The damage is visible at the end of the film. It was sold for nearly $4.1 million at a New York auction by a private seller who bought the prop in the 1980s but whose identity was not disclosed.
Price: $4.1 million
