The model was designed and hand-painted by the legendary artist.

One of the most haunting images in horror history was that of the so-called “Space Jockey” in Ridley Scott’s Alien, the fossilized remains of an inhuman creature that was discovered by the crew of the Nostromo in the year 2122. At the time, the pilot was a complete mystery to us, but Scott eventually revealed it to be an Engineer.

In any event, it was the late H.R. Giger who conceived and designed the Space Jockey, a massive prop that 20th Century Fox initially pressured Ridley Scott to scrap altogether. Measuring 26-feet tall when completed, it was built around a steel and wood frame, shaped using ribbed tubing, plastic and Styrofoam molds and plaster.

One of only a few small-scale models of the Space Jockey set, designed and hand-painted by H.R. Giger, is now up for auction through Nate D. Sanders Auctions!

“The model comes from the collection of Peter Beale, former 20th Century Fox executive who was given the model by Giger and whose LOA accompanies the piece. The original mold was intentionally cut into smaller parts to be used by the technicians who constructed the set, so the remaining models are the only extant original sculptures of the scene.

This model measures 43″ wide x 36″ long x 16.25″ high, hand painted in tones of grey, brown and black by Giger. Space Jockey is fused into his pilot seat, which swivels around on a circular platform. The swiveling piece can be removed and measures 13.5″ long x 10.25″ high x 4.5″ wide. Entire model weighs over 47 lbs., glued to a painted sheet of plywood.”

Dubbed “one of the finest Alien props ever to be sold at auction,” the model has a minimum bid of a whopping $100,000, with the auction ending later today.