Symbol for justice and enduring icon of American culture.
From the personal property of Clayton Moore.
Original
screen-used Clayton Moore signature "Lone Ranger" mask from The Lone
Ranger. (ABC-TV, 1949-56) Clayton Moore wore this black mask as the star
of The Lone Ranger - the wildly successful TV series of the 1950s about
a Texas Ranger who disguises his identity to fight crime on the
frontier. Accompanied by his trusted Indian friend, Tonto, and packing a
gun loaded with silver bullets, the Lone Ranger dispensed justice while
respecting the laws of society.
The Lone Ranger's iconic custom-made mask is constructed of a
face-fitting shell crafted of lightweight resin-impregnated cloth with
black felt covering the exterior. Features attached, adjustable 12 in.
black elastic strap for securing to the face around the back of head.
Clayton Moore performed many of his own stunts and he worked with the
costume designer to create this mask, working from a plaster casting of
the actor's face, so it would fit perfectly and not interfere with his
peripheral vision during action sequences and on horseback.
Following the
production of The Lone Ranger, Moore ultimately kept three of his masks
and displayed them in his library among other personal memorabilia. The
accompanying letter of authenticity by Moore's daughter, Dawn, states in
part,
"When deciding which pieces of
his collection were to be shared with his fans after his passing, he
and I talked about each mask's future. This one - while obviously almost
identical to the other two - for some reason was the one I chose to
keep. Its condition seemed to bear witness to more magic-making and
therefore to me, held more of my father's spirit...Of the other two
masks, one resides in a private collection and the other is proudly on
permanent display in the
Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History."
Resin shell exhibits minor cracking on the back of the mask from production use; otherwise, in fine condition. Displayed
on a custom, museum-quality plexiglass stand suspended on a post
affixed to a 13 x 8.5 x 2 in. wooden base with a 12 x 6 x 7 in.
plexiglass cover.
Arguably the greatest piece of television pop culture Americana extant. Click here to bid!
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