King Kong - King Kong Model Snapped Up By Mystery Bidder

A scale model of movie ape KING KONG has sold at auction in London for $194,000 (£121,250) - $46,000 (£28,750) less than its estimate.

The metal skeleton, which measures 22 inches (56 centimetres) tall and features in the climax of the classic 1933 movie, was snapped up by an anonymous bidder at the Christie's sale on Tuesday (24Nov09).

The figurine, which had lost its fur over the decades, was expected to fetch $240,000 (£150,000) when it went under the hammer.

Christie's popular memorabilia expert Neil Roberts says, "This King Kong armature was instrumental in filming one of the most recognisable sequences in cinema history, and as such it is an exceptional relic of film memorabilia."