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Superman's (Christopher Reeve) screen- and photo-matched tunic with pants from Sidney J. Furie's Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Superman's cape and belt from Richard Lester's Superman III, and a pair of replica boots. The cape and belt are slightly darker colors because Superman temporarily donned a darker variant of his signature Kryptonian supersuit after synthetic Kryptonite corrupted him into an "evil" Superman. He returned to his more brightly-colored ensemble later in the film and throughout The Quest for Peace. Distinctive hand-sewn stitch marks and shaping to the Kryptonian "S" symbol on the tunic in this lot screen-match it to shots of Superman from The Quest for Peace, as well as photo-matching it to a still of the beloved superhero from production.
The shape of tunic's "S" also indicates that this tunic was likely used in some shots of Superman straightening the American flag during Superman IV's Moon sequence, though the shots are not close enough establish definitive screen-matches
Although numerous acclaimed actors portrayed the "Man of Steel" on both the big and small screen since Kirk Alyn's first live-action appearance in 1948, for many fans, Reeve was the definitive embodiment of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's comic creation. Reeve portrayed the character across four films between 1978 - 1987, the first of which was nominated for three Academy Awards® and won a Special Achievement Oscar® for Best Visual Effects. Reeve was the recipient of the BAFTA® Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles for his performance. Although Reeve passed away in 2004 at age 52, his legacy as the Son of Krypton lives on.
Christopher Reeve's Superman costumes for all four films were fabricated from a unique, custom weave which was made using a now-defunct machine in Austria. The costume consists of:
A knit blue Superman IV tunic with the iconic "S" shield emblem sewn into the chest, snaps on the shoulders to hold a cape, a zippered back, attached red briefs with belt loops, a Bermans & Nathans wardrobe label stamped "Christopher Reeve 4913 Walking Superman IV," and a sewn-in tag with a dancer logo.
Matching knit blue Superman IV tights featuring an identically-stamped Bermans & Nathans wardrobe label and attached socks of a different material than the tights.
A dark red "Color C" Superman III cape with ties and snaps at the neckline for attaching it to the tunic, a yellow "S" emblem on the back, and a tag hand-marked "C. Reeve Walking Coc/C/I."
A yellow vinyl Superman III belt with a small decorative oval on the front, a metal fastener closure on the back, and a Bermans & Nathans wardrobe label stamped "Christopher Reeve Colour [sic] B, 36 waist 18628 Superman."
While the labels for the tunic and tights are for the fourth film, it is well-established that Superman costume components were re-used through the production of the various movies. It is therefore possible that the tunic and tights were also used in earlier films in the series, though this is not certain. Also included are replicas of Superman's signature red leather boots added to complete the costume.
Amongst the already-limited number of genuine Christopher Reeve Superman costumes that have ever come to auction, this is one of the very rare examples that has managed to retain its original vibrant coloration. Most surviving examples of Reeve Superman costumes suffer from color fading, leaving Superman's famously bold blues and reds looking desaturated and gray. By contrast, this Superman costume has not only kept its strong colors intact, but the "S" emblem on its cape is also a production original, a rarity amongst surviving capes (which have often lost their original emblems). This costume shows evidence of minor wear consistent with on-set use, handling, and age, including staining.
Estimate: $125,000 - 250,000This item comes with a Propstore Certificate of Authenticity.