HOLLYWOOD visual effects supremo Ray Harryhausen triggered a bidding frenzy at Fernhurst auction house John Nicholson, when 35 lots of film memorabilia from his personal collection went under the hammer.

Online bidders and a buyer in the room at John Nicholson’s took the top lot from an estimate of £50 to £100 up to £7,400.

The lot comprised 63 original drawings on tracing paper, including at least one from the cult 1981 film Clash of the Titans. The cache, handed to the consignor direct from Harryhausen himself, with the documentation to back it up, created the rarest of opportunities to acquire something directly from the hand of the man widely credited with being the father of modern film animation, with his stop-motion techniques.

Star Wars creator George Lucas said: “Without Ray Harryhausen there would likely have been no Star Wars.”

A 12-inch painted papier-maché bust on a chipboard base, signed Ray Harryhausen in ink, also jumped from an estimate of £50 to £100 to a hammer price of £1,100; a bronze mask from the Clash of the Titans went for £850 against its guide of £100 to £150, while a collection of 29 charcoal drawings from the 1969 film The Valley of the Gwangi(pictured) did even better, realising £900 rather than £25 to £50.

Other items from the sale included a Chinon 310 Pacific Super 8 handheld cinecamera in original case, signed Ray Harryhausen on a white label, which went for £500 not £50 to £100.

Mr Nicholson said: “The results on these special lots would always be led by the bidders and we were absolutely delighted with the fantastic results of this collection. Something with mass appeal always makes our job a lot easier, but we are always determined to get the best price for our clients.”