Star Trek props under the hammer

Star Trek fans are being offered a "once in a lifetime" opportunity to buy props, models and sets from the show, auction house Christie's has said.

More than 1,000 items will be sold at auction in New York in October to mark the show's 40th anniversary.

The memorabilia up for grabs includes a pair of phaser guns and a detailed model of the Starship Enterprise.

The lots, from TV company CBS and film studio Paramount, come from all six TV versions and 10 Star Trek films.

Christie's director of special collections Cathy Elkies said she was able to take her pick of props from the companies' archives.

"They really gave us the ability to go in and carve out a sale that tells the whole story of the series," she said.

Starship Enterprise
A model of the Starship Enterprise is expected to fetch $20,000
"It was one of those things where you went in there and thought 'Oh my god, I have to have this'."

The most valuable lot is a replica of Captain Kirk's chair, which was made for the series Deep Space Nine in 1996.

The chair, which featured in an episode called Trials and Tribble-ations, has an estimated price of $15,000 (£8,000).

Fans can also bid for costumes worn by Spock, Uhura and Captain Picard.

Previous items of Star Trek memorabilia to be sold at auction include a pair of Mr Spock's ears, which raised $3,290 (£1,740) at Christie's in Los Angeles in 2000.

Last year, actor William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk, sold his kidney stone for $25,000 (£14,000) to an online casino to raise money for a housing charity.

Before the auction, potential buyers can see the collection as it tours Star Trek conventions around the world this summer