‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’ puppets from classic film expected to sell for big money at auction
This red-nosed reindeer could fetch lots of green.
A pair of puppets used in the classic 1964 stop-motion Christmas movie “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” is going up for auction next month and could sell for upward of $150,000.
Bidding begins on Nov. 13 for the lot featuring the actual 6-inch-tall Rudolph and 11-inch-tall Santa Claus figures that are featured in the film.
The event is being put on by the Profiles in History auction house, which says the “rarity of these puppets cannot be overstated.”
The made-for-TV film that featured the puppets debuted on NBC in December 1964 and tells the story of a misunderstood reindeer with a shiny red nose who ultimately becomes a hero when he guides Santa’s sleigh through a stormy Christmas Eve.
The plot stems from what transpires in the lyrics of the 1939 song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
For the past 15 years, the figures have been in the possession of a Staten Island collector. After turning 65, he decided to sell them as a way of leaving something for his family.
“I always said I would die with the dolls,” Peter Lutrario told The Associated Press. “I’m just putting the family first.”
Estimates suggest the puppet duo will be sold for between $150,000 and $250,000.
With News Wire Services
