"Wizard of Oz" Hourglass Prop Sells for Nearly $500,000 at Auction

A famous prop used in the 1939 classic film "The Wizard of Oz" has sold at auction for nearly half a million dollars.

The item in question is an ornate hourglass belonging to the Wicked Witch of the West, played by Margaret Hamilton.

Auction company Heritage describes the hourglass as “the most recognizable signature prop from the film”.

The item features prominently in the scene in which Dorothy (Judy Garland) confronts the Witch, who gestures to the hourglass and tells her: “You see that? That’s how much longer you’ve got to be alive! And it isn’t long, my pretty! It isn’t long!”.

Smithsonian Magazine reports the hourglass was bought at auction for a total of $495,000 (£410,000).

According to the sellers, the object stands more than 20 inches tall and is more than a foot wide.

It is made of hand-blown glass and filled with red glitter, which was added for display purposes.

The hourglass’s Gothic frame is said to have been “expertly crafted by studio artisans of wood and paper-mâché with winged gargoyles perched atop three spiraled columns”.

The prop was previously displayed in museums and had twice been purchased at auction before.

Nowadays, there is a lucrative market for film props within the world of auction houses.

Back in August, a fake weapon wielded by Harrison Ford’s character in the original "Star Wars" was sold at auction for more than $1m.

A mechanical model of ET, used in the classic Steven Spielberg movie "ET: The Extra-Terrestrial", was also put up for auction earlier this year and was expected to fetch up to $3m (£2.6m).