R.S. Owens had been the official manufacturer of the Academy Award since 1982 as well as the Academy's Irving Thallberg and Scientific and Engineering awards, but lost the Oscar statuette contract to Polich Tallix in 2016.

Who manufactures the Oscar statues?

Since 2016, the statuettes have been produced by UAP Polich Tallix, a historic New York fine art foundry that gives shape to the visions of the greatest contemporary artists, from Jeff Koons to Louise Bourgeois.

Has the Oscar statue changed over the years?

Standing 13 1/2 inches tall and weighing 81/2 pounds, the first statuettes were made in gold-plated solid bronze, but in the later years, the Academy switched to Britannia metal, a pewter-based alloy.

Who made the first Oscar statue?

The first Oscar was designed by MGM art director Cedric Gibbons and sculpted by Los Angeles artist George Stanley.

Are the Oscar statues still made in Chicago?

Those impeccable, glistening, gold Oscar statuettes, for three decades the product of Chicago-based R.S. Owens and Company, will now be made in New York.

OSCARS: HOW STATUES ARE MADE

How much is an Oscar statue officially worth?

Cast in bronze and finished with gold plating, the award is among the most coveted in the film industry — and the Academy values it at just $1.

What is an Oscar statue worth?

The real price of the statuettes is actually one dollar. In the event that a person wants to get rid of one of the awards, they cannot sell it and will have to return it to the Academy for that price.

Do Oscar winners keep their statues?

Since 1951, all Academy Award winners must sign an agreement that they “shall not sell or otherwise dispose of the Oscar statuette, nor permit it to be sold or disposed of by operation of law, without first offering to sell it to the Academy for the sum of $1”.

How much gold is in an Oscar statue?

It is composed of 24-karat gold-plated bronze. The sleek award stands 13.5 inches tall and weighs a hefty 8.5 pounds. If cast in 24-karat gold, the award would weigh 22.7 pounds, a mass equivalent to a large watermelon or two-year-old child. Gold is 2.7 times as dense as bronze.

Why did they change the Oscar statue?

The decision was motivated by a desire on the part of the Academy to return to Hollywood's golden age: Polich will revamp the statuette to look like the original 1929 statue, which was given out for the first time at the third-ever Oscars to Best Actor winner Emil Jennings, who clearly went on to be Hollywood royalty.

Can you buy an Oscar statue?

The Academy's rule that prevents this

Award winners shall not sell or otherwise dispose of the Oscar statuette, nor permit it to be sold or disposed of by operation of law, without first offering to sell it to the Academy for the sum of $1.00.

Why does the Oscar statue hold a sword?

Gibbons designed the statue with Fenandez's help, creating a knight standing on a film reel, holding a crusader's sword, which was meant to represent a crusader of the industry. The statue was then sculpted by Stanley and has remained the same 94 years later.

How long does it take to make an Oscar statue?

Multiple statuettes are made for every category each year, and it takes three months to make 50. The first Oscar was designed in 1928 by the sculptor George Stanley, according to the Academy, and forged in California.

Who is the Oscar statue made after?

It is believed that the statue itself is actually modelled on Emilio Fernandez, who was a Mexican filmmaker and actor. The story goes that when working in Hollywood, he met the wife of Cedric Gibbons. He asked Fernandez to pose naked for a sketch to create the basis for the trophy.

Do you get paid when you win an Oscar?

There's not a cash prize, but the value of winning an Academy Award is huge.

Can you buy an old Oscar?

If you do get your hands on an Oscar statuette minted before 1950, you're in luck. Although the Academy changed the rules in 1950 to restrict the sale of Oscars, there were no rules against it prior to that. And over 150 of these early awards have gone to auction.

Is the Oscar 100% gold?

The modern Oscar stands 13.5 inches tall with a weight of 8.5 lbs, and it is made of solid bronze with a electroplated coating of 24-karat gold. However, the world's most beloved trophy wasn't always made this way.

Who keeps Oscar in the bathroom?

Kate Winslet Keeps Her Oscar In Her Bathroom So People Can Practice Their Own Acceptance Speeches. Because she's the perfect human.

What celebrity keeps their Oscar in the bathroom?

Kate Winslet: In the Bathroom

With so many of her guests asking where she keeps her Best Actress Oscar, which she won for The Reader in 2009, Kate Winslet made it easier for everyone by placing her prized possession on "the back of the loo."

Is the Oscar statue gold plated?

The statuettes are solid bronze and plated in 24-karat gold. Due to a metal shortage during World War II, Oscars were made of painted plaster for three years. Following the war, the Academy invited recipients to redeem the plaster figures for gold-plated metal ones.

Why is the Oscar only worth $1?

That's because the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Oscars, has strict rules in place to prevent winners from profiting off of the sale of their trophies.

Do Oscar winners know beforehand?

Who knows the winners before they're announced? According to the academy website, just two PricewaterhouseCoopers partners know the results beforehand.

What is the most valuable Oscar?

Michael Jackson paid $1.5 million in 1999 for the statuette for Best Picture for 'Gone with the Wind' (1939).

How much money do you get with an Oscar award?

The amount Oscar winners receive is zero, but...

Through a study carried out by IBISworld some time ago, it was estimated that the average salary of an Oscar winner rises by up to 20% after receiving the award, so although they don't receive anything directly, it does increase their income.