Just a few days ago, among many other lots related to the world of Hollywood, the well-known helmet that Peter Fonda wore in the movie Easy Rider back in 1969 was auctioned. And it probably wouldn’t be news if it weren’t for the fact that not a single person was interested in it. him, something that may seem unusual considering its symbolic value for an entire generation.
In fact, it was advertised under the slogan “An indelible symbol of the countercultural movement of the 60s”taking into account what it represented at that time for many fans of the world of two wheels.
It must be remembered that this same year the famous Harley-Davidson “Captain America” that starred in the legendary film also went up for auction, of course, after payment of an amount of money estimated at around $400,000.
We don’t know if she finally found a new home, and if so, how much was paid for her. What is clear is that Easy Rider’s Bell Toptex, painted to match the bike, has not finally raised the same expectations as the latter.
$25,000 for the Easy Rider crook
Everything suggests that its minimum reserve price may have been the main reason why no one bid on the Easy Rider helmet. And you have to pay $25,000 It is not available to everyone, and even less so when we are talking about a simple decorative object and also in a fairly decadent state. On the other hand, something understandable considering its more than half a century of life, although this is probably a secondary aspect for many potential buyers.
As detailed in the description of the advertisement itself, the helmet was “Custom painted by the film production with red, white and blue stars and stripes to match “Wyatt”/”Captain America” (Peter Fonda)’s custom chopper used in the iconic counterculture film. Until recently, this helmet has remained in the exclusive possession of Len Marsal, assistant director/second unit director for the film.”
It is also explained that the famous Easy Rider is not in its best aesthetic condition, since “shows considerable paint loss, there are several unique scratches and dents in the fiberglass finish that match the screen in many driving sequences in the film, including that of Wyatt wearing the helmet alongside George Hanson (Jack Nicholson) , as well as scenes in which the helmet is tied to the bar on the back of the back seat.”
Even as a note to the buyer it is specified that: “The paint finish is quite fragile and susceptible to losing small flakes of paint when handled.”
Perhaps after all these explanations it is more understandable that no one has finally been interested in the Bell from Easy Rider, although seeing the 4.4 million dollars that are requested, within the same bidding event, for the iconic flying hat of the “ “Wicked Witch of the West” from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, seems cheap to us…
