Indiana Jones prop whips up auction bidders
THE whip wielded by relic hunter Indiana Jones in the famous film trilogy and once owned by Steven Speilberg has sold at auction for £140,000.
The instantly recognisable prop appeared in all three Indiana Jones films which starred Harrison Ford as the archaeologist turned hero adventurer.
This whip is a rare treasure from one of the most beloved action-adventure franchises of all time
It was gifted by director Speilberg to the UNICEF charity in 2001 and promptly sold to raise funds. It last sold two years ago for £20,000.
The 8ft bullwhip, made from kangaroo hide, was used in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, and follow ups Indiana Jones (1984) and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
Experts at Californian auction house Profiles in History had tipped the whip to sell for $70,000 - around £43,000 - but it was snapped up by a private collector for $216,000 - or £140,000.
A spokesman for Profiles in History said: "This whip is a rare treasure from one of the most beloved action-adventure franchises of all time."