Hero special effects dorsal fin from Jaws. (Universal, 1975) This impressive dorsal fin, which made its famous screen debut in the deceptively calm waters of Cape Cod – is constructed of a metal armature surrounded by a durable elastomer skin, and painted realistically with UV-resistant paint. This fin was the one seen in virtually all of the important and suspenseful scenes when the shark would appear on the horizon, threatening on-screen swimmers and frightening audiences the world over! Coupled with the John Williams Academy Award-winning score featuring his anxious two-note motif, this fin, and the danger it represents, has effectively kept countless swimmers out of the ocean in the 30+ years since that fateful summer of 1975 when the shark – or rather, this fin – prowled the waters off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard.

The fin comes direct from the collection of Roy Arbogast, an expert in plastics and materials who designed the special mechanical effects for the film in 1974. It was Arbogast who built this important piece for the production, and in whose collection it has remained ever since. The fin is accompanied with a letter of authenticity from Joe Alves, the art director/production designer on the film. The fin measures 4 ft. wide x 3 ½ ft. tall, including the mounting apparatus/carriage beneath it.

One of the most significant special-effects pieces to ever come up at auction, this iconic dorsal fin from Jaws is not only a key plot device from
the film, but also an important part of our shared cultural heritage.

$12,000 – $15,000