eBay is always filled with various bits and bobs of movie and TV memorabilia. Scripts, set pieces, small trinkets from the entertainment industry always find their way to the 'world's biggest yard sale'. But late last year something odd hit the marketplace: a model of the USS Enterprise used to film the opening credits of the original Star Trek. Samuel Axon at Ars Technica has more.
The first model of the USS Enterprise ever used in shooting the original Star Trek series may have surfaced after going missing decades ago.
An eBay listing of a 3-foot model of the Enterprise appeared early last week and named a starting bid of $1,000. The listing was removed hours after it went up after enthusiasts on social media and forums discovered it and pieced together what it likely was. Some of those enthusiasts said in the private Facebook group "Star Trek Prop Makers & Collectors" that they had contacted the seller suggesting it be returned to its rightful owners, which many believe to be the estate of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.
Historians, like model-maker David Shaw, who wrote a detailed history of the lost 3-foot model, believe that for at least a time, the model sat on Roddenberry's desk and was his property. They believe Roddenberry loaned it to people working on the production of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, but it was never returned. There is even a record of Roddenberry writing to contacts at the production house inquiring to get it back to no avail.
Ars Technica
It seems once the word got out about the auction, the listing was pulled and everything went dark. The Roddenberry family was working to get in touch with the seller and work to get it back. But since the story ran, things have been quiet. While sleuths online seem to think this model is likely the Enterprise used on the show, the lack of updates gives me pause. Hopefully there's a good resolution in the news down the road.