On March 1, 2011, 8th Wonder Studio presented the late Ray Harryhausen with a perfect replica of a MIGHTY JOE YOUNG stop-motion armature. Despite his contribution to the Oscar winning visual effects work on the film, Ray never got to keep one of the original four 16" armatures. We recreated all four originals based on precise blueprints taken from an original armature now in a private collection. Number one is now in Ray's historical personal collection, and numbers two through four sold out immediately to collectors. 

We are now offering one additional armature for sale in this auction at a fraction of the production cost. Other than the fact that this armature is brand new, there is virtually no difference in the quality or functionality of this one from the originals....except that Ray himself said this armature actually felt smoother and had "no hitches". He was so impressed by the accuracy and quality that he included it on the back cover and inside of his most recent book (see photos). Even the gorilla skull is cast from an original Mighty Joe Young skull. The design of this armature (by Willis O'Brien and Ray Harryhausen) is considered to be a benchmark in the art of stop-motion animation, and its influence is still present in the modern era of stop-motion. The original King Kong armature was very primitive by comparison. Do not mistake this piece for a cheaply cast armature reproduction. Every piece has been precisely engineered and CNC machined at great expense. It is a fully functioning professional stop-motion armature of the highest caliber. All of the original materials (including brass, aluminum and steel) have been retained. In addition, a newly designed, custom aluminum rib cage has been created (it can be seen in a few of the photos). It mounts in two of the existing holes, so it can be completely removed if desired. 

An original Mighty Joe Young armature sold a few years ago at auction for over $120,000.00. This is not an original, but in its physicality, it is an exact representation of the original, and can be cherished as a collectible that is just as rare and functional as the four originals. The armature is mounted on a custom marble and cherry wood base. This project was a complex, nearly impossible undertaking and most likely will never be attempted or achieved again. The production and machining costs are simply too high these days.....unless, of course, someone has unlimited funds to invest in the proper access, research, and engineering to pull it off. This armature represents the crowning achievement of two of the pioneers of motion picture visual effects....one in the twilight of his career (O'Brien) and the other just starting his legendary odyssey (Harryhausen). Here is quote taken from an email from the collector who purchased armature number 3: "Yes, Joe arrived today in all his splendor. This sculpture is amazing my friend. It's perfect. I love it!" 

This is a rare and no doubt the LAST opportunity to own an exemplary example of what was one of stop-motion's finest hours. This high cost of shipping and insuring this piece is a minimum of $200.00 to the lower 48 states. Shipping to other countries is possible but cost will be significantly higher due to insurance and import fees.