The original model of the USS Enterprise that was used in the opening credits of Star Trek is finally making the voyage home. After being lost ahead of the release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the 3-foot model was found in a storage unit. This led to it being listed on eBay where people recognized it for what it was. It was quickly delisted and then the sellers reached out to Dallas-based Heritage Auctions for authentication. The model authenticated, Heritage Auctions reached out to Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment to return the ship.
Heritage’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, shared that the moment he saw the Enterprise, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.” They then began the process of facilitating the ship’s return to Roddenberry, who’s father Gene Roddenberry died in 1991 at the age of 70. The younger Roddenberry shared his appreciation for all the people involved in returning the model and doing the right thing. He didn’t share the details about the agreement that was made for its return but he did say, “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”
Roddenberry also shared a bit about the future of this historic USS Enterprise model. “This is not going home to adorn my shelves,” Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”
The model disappeared in the 1970s when it was lent to filmmakers of Star Trek: The Motion Picture by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. “No one knew what happened to it,” Rod Roddenberry said. The model is 3-feet long and was used in the pilot episode of Star Trek and then also in the opening credits for the series. It also was the prototype that was used for the 11-foot model of the USS Enterprise. This model was used in the series’ episodes and now can be found at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
The found model could have been sold for quite a sum of money. Maddalena shared that it could have easily sold for over $1 million at auction but really “it’s priceless.” He continued, “It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is,” he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”
For Rod Roddenberry, the return of the original model answers some questions and leaves open others. For one, it confirms that he didn’t throw the model into a pool as a child. “Finally I’m vindicated after all these years,” he said with a chuckle. What really happened to it, however, may never be known. Roddenberry said it would definitely be interesting to find out its story. “This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.
What do you think of the return of the USS Enterprise? Where do you think it should end up? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
