In a stunning auction that captivated film fans, the famous Rosebud sled from Citizen Kane was sold for an impressive $14.75 million (£11 million). This iconic prop from the film's opening scene, often hailed as one of the best movies ever made, was believed to be lost until it came into the hands of director Joe Dante in 1984. Dante saved the sled from being destroyed and later used it as a nostalgic reference in his films, including Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
This auction performance places it as the second most expensive piece of film memorabilia, just behind the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, which sold for $32 million in December. Joe Maddalena, executive vice president at Heritage Auctions, emphasized the sled's historic significance along with Dorothy's slippers as two of Hollywood's most recognizable artifacts.
Though the buyer’s identity remains a mystery, the sled is essential to Citizen Kane's narrative, representing the central mystery of the protagonist's life. Other versions of the Rosebud sled have been auctioned before, including one acquired by the legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg, who gifted it to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
Dante recounted his surprising moment of discovery while filming Explorers at the former RKO Radio Pictures studio—the original producer of Citizen Kane. A worker offered him the sled, and his love for the classic film led him to accept the unexpected gift. As he reflected on the significance of the sled, Dante remarked, "As a director, to own the prop that represents such a vital element of a cinema treasure is particularly meaningful."
