Citizen Kane (RKO, 1941), "Charles Foster Kane's" Practical Riding "Rosebud" Sled....

Description

The "Lost" Rosebud Sled from Citizen Kane, stumbled upon by film director Joe Dante in 1984 while working on the former RKO Pictures studio lot.

"Rosebud" -- arguably the most powerful symbol of cinematic storytelling from a film that defined the language of cinema.

Citizen Kane (RKO, 1941), "Charles Foster Kane's" Practical Riding "Rosebud" Sled. Vintage original prop sled measuring 35" x 15.5" x 4.75" crafted of pine hardwood with painted red seat with the stenciled word "ROSEBUD" above a stenciled flower. The seat is attached to two sled runners on three horizontal wooden slats. In the film's iconic opening, media tycoon Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) is on his deathbed in his decaying estate, Xanadu. A snow globe slips from his hand and shatters as he whispers his final word: "Rosebud". Thus begins one of cinema's greatest narratives, as reporter Jerry Thompson (William Alland) attempts to uncover the meaning of Kane's last utterance-ultimately revealed to be the simple sled from his childhood, symbolizing innocence lost.

Only two other Rosebud sleds are confirmed to have survived:

The Spielberg Sled:
Orson Welles stated that three balsa wood sleds were built for the climactic scene in which Rosebud is incinerated amid Kane's possessions in Xanadu. Lightweight balsa was chosen to burn quickly on camera. Only two sleds were used for this sequence, and director Steven Spielberg purchased the surviving sled for $60,500 at Sotheby's in 1982.

The Bauer Sled:
Fourteen years after Spielberg acquired his Rosebud sled, another one emerged - this one having been crafted of pine wood for use early in the film when young Charles is playing in the snow before he learns that he is to be taken from his family and placed in the guardianship of a bank (learning this, the boy shoves his soon-to-be guardian, banker Walter Thatcher, in the stomach with the sled). In early 1942, just months after the release of Citizen Kane, 12-year-old film enthusiast Arthur Bauer won this sled in an RKO Pictures-sponsored contest. Presented by RKO actress Bonita Granville at the New York office of industry head Wil Hays, the sled remained in Bauer's possession for over 50 years before selling it at Christie's in 1996 for $233,500 to an unknown buyer.

The "Lost" Rosebud Sled-this piece-is from director Joe Dante's personal collection. While filming Explorers in 1984 on a section of the Paramount lot once belonging to RKO, a crew member clearing storage areas offered him an old sled headed for disposal. Recognizing its significance, Dante preserved it as his most treasured item. To authenticate its origins, Dante commissioned DirectAMS Radiocarbon Dating Service which confirmed the sled's wood was harvested before atomic bomb testing-consistent with the era Citizen Kane was filmed. In addition, Dante hired Dr. Harry Alden to provide microscopic identification of the wood variety used to build the sled. Alden, who has worked for the Smithsonian Institution, Winterthur Museum, as well as the USDA Center for Wood Anatomy, identified the sled's wood as pine, matching the Bauer sled. Both scientific reports accompany the lot. Under close examination, the sled's paint and detailing match those of the Spielberg and Bauer examples, including the rose leaf accents and side runner pinstriping. All three surviving sleds had their metal rails removed, possibly for the nationwide scrap metal drives to contribute to the war effort (nail holes remain). A unique feature of Dante's sled is rope threaded through holes in the runners, possibly for studio storage hanging; original rope is included. The piece remains unrestored, with original paint spatters, scuffs, and vertical seat cracks mirroring those on the Bauer pine sled. This Lost Rosebud Sled stands as one of the most significant film props in existence. Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions.

More Information: As noted in the catalog description, Orson Welles recalled that three balsa wood sleds were created for the iconic furnace sequence—two were used/burned during filming, while the surviving third is now in the collection of Steven Spielberg.

However, we now know that at least two hero practical sleds were constructed from sturdy pine wood: the Bauer sled and the "Lost" Dante sled. In the 84 years since Citizen Kane was released, no other pine sleds have surfaced.

In our view, both pine sleds were utilized during production. Unfortunately, due to the limitations in the film's resolution, it is impossible to definitively screen-match either sled. Nonetheless, it is highly likely that both were visible on screen during the pivotal 1871 flashback sequence, in which young Charles Foster Kane is seen playing in the snow with his sled while his parents negotiate with banker Thatcher inside. Immediately afterward, when Charles learns of his fate, he angrily shoves the sled into Thatcher's midsection, knocking him to the ground. The final appearance of Rosebud before the film's famous ending shows the sled abandoned in the snow as Charles departs with Thatcher. These three consecutive scenes likely required both sleds to accommodate filming needs and potential reshoots.