A farmer has been letting his dog Freddie sleep on a piece of cinematic history—The Joker’s throne from Tim Burton’s legendary 1989 Batman movie, famously portrayed by Jack Nicholson
Patrick Barber has owned the throne since 1998, with it taking pride of place in his farmhouse, as a plush dog bed. Barber knew about the origins of The Joker’s Throne with it being an iconic Hollywood prop.
However, it wasn’t until he spoke with leading collectibles expert Gary Ashburn, that he discovered how extreme the value was for this piece from the film hall of fame, which sadly put an end to Freddie’s regular naps on his new bed.
“I always knew it was a bit special, but I never imagined I’d been letting the dog nap on a throne fit for a Hollywood villain that could be worth six figures.” laughed Barber who lives in Woking, Surrey.
The Gothic-style throne was originally loaned to Barber and later purchased from his friend Nick Harrison of Weird and Wonderful Ltd, a prop company based at Elstree Studios, for an extravagant New Year’s Eve party in 1997. The event, The Insanity Ball, was held at Pinewood Studios and hosted by Screaming Lord Sutch, founder of the Monster Raving Loony Party, with a guest list of celebrities and over a thousand partygoers.
Now, the throne is preparing for its next chapter: the auction block. It comes complete with an authenticated, signed photograph of Jack Nicholson seated on the throne in full Joker attire, as well as original press images from the film.
The 1989 Batman, directed by Tim Burton and starring Nicholson, Michael Keaton, and Kim Basinger, was a global phenomenon. It grossed over £400 million and was the start of the modern era of superhero cinema. As collectibles from the film surge in value—such as the Batwing model, which sold for £409,500 last year, and the Joker’s costume, valued at £150,000 by the Antiques Roadshow—Barber is optimistic.
Leading collectibles expert Gary Ashburn, former director of the world-renowned Stanley Gibbons Group, had this to say:
“An exciting, rare and unique original film prop such as this, especially with its direct connection to a cinematic icon like Jack Nicholson, would undoubtedly attract major media and collector attention. I’d estimate this could fetch upwards of £80,000—and if a few collectors get competitive, we could easily see it soar into six figures or even much higher.”
