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193
A rare ape costume from '2001: A Space Odyssey', 1968,
in faux fur-covered, moulded and painted foam latex, comprising: headpiece with shaped resin facemask (indistinctly inscribed), straps and moving lower jaw, with two labels, one inscribed Arthur Wild, the other Marchant NP. (Dan E.D2); a pair of (detached) ears; a pair of modified gloves as hands; two-piece bodysuit, upper half with velcro fastening to back and press-studs to neck, label inscribed Female and neck indistinctly inscribed Ashley (?), one breast with rubber milk sac, lower section labelled Lion Tamer, with buttons to elasticated waistband, latex knee pads and elasticated footstraps; and one foot; with letter of provenance
Sold for £18,000 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • This costume was used for the 'Dawn Of Man' sequence that opens the film and appears in the scene where one of the female apes cradles and feeds a live chimpanzee, which was used for realism. Amongst those actors credited as apes are John Ashley and Laurence Marchant and the labelling of this costume suggests that the ape outfits were mixed and matched by the actors. Other names listed in the film's credits are Edwina Carroll and Edward Bishop, which suggests the 'ED 2' inscription inside the headpiece was linked to one of these two performers. The 'Lion Tamer' label in the lower body section refers to one of the apes identified in the original screenplay, as is the character of Moon-Watcher. It is unclear why the name Arthur Wild appears in the headpiece.

Category: (Any Department) / Central Ops

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