Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A pair of shark pectoral fins made by legendary Academy Award®-nominated effects artist Robert Mattey. In 1974, Mattey, a longtime Disney effects veteran, was recruited by Steven Spielberg to serve as the head of mechanical effects on Jaws - an ambitious task that ultimately redefined blockbuster filmmaking.
Mattey had previously served as a Walt Disney Imagineer during the era of Disneyland's founding, and was the first head of its Mechanical Effects Department. Among Mattey's most famous animatronic creations were characters from Disneyland's Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attractions, earning him a personalized dedication window in the park's Main Street.
Under Mattey, three full-size animatronic sharks were created for Spielberg's acclaimed film. Nicknamed "Bruce" for Spielberg's lawyer, the terrifying Great White remains one of the most influential practical creature creations in cinema history.
In 1974, while "Bruce" was still in development, Mattey invited a young neighbor into his garage to witness firsthand as the creature took shape. When Universal greenlit Jaws 2, Mattey returned to oversee the construction of new sharks, as the originals had deteriorated beyond repair. The new builds included multiple full-size sharks, a towable version, and various partial elements, including fins, for specific shots and stunts.
Years later, in 1980, Mattey gifted this pair of small pectoral fins - along with a set of articulating eyes - to that same neighbor, entrusting him with elements from one of cinema's most enduring mechanical creations. The fins have been in his possession ever since.
Made from fiberglass and wood with metal pipe attachments, these fins originated from Mattey's shop during the production era of Jaws and Jaws 2. Though we are unable to match them to a specific film or screen appearance, their design, construction, and provenance are strongly consistent with the practical effects work done for those productions. It is possible that these fins are prototypes from the production of Jaws, or one of the many films and commercials Mattey worked on in the same period. Both exhibit production wear, including water damage, splintering, and paint chipping.
Artifacts directly linked to Mattey's shark work are exceedingly rare. These fins represent a tangible piece of the practical effects legacy behind one of the most groundbreaking films of the 20th century.
A pair of shark pectoral fins made by legendary Academy Award®-nominated effects artist Robert Mattey. In 1974, Mattey, a longtime Disney effects veteran, was recruited by Steven Spielberg to serve as the head of mechanical effects on Jaws - an ambitious task that ultimately redefined blockbuster filmmaking.
Mattey had previously served as a Walt Disney Imagineer during the era of Disneyland's founding, and was the first head of its Mechanical Effects Department. Among Mattey's most famous animatronic creations were characters from Disneyland's Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attractions, earning him a personalized dedication window in the park's Main Street.
Under Mattey, three full-size animatronic sharks were created for Spielberg's acclaimed film. Nicknamed "Bruce" for Spielberg's lawyer, the terrifying Great White remains one of the most influential practical creature creations in cinema history.
In 1974, while "Bruce" was still in development, Mattey invited a young neighbor into his garage to witness firsthand as the creature took shape. When Universal greenlit Jaws 2, Mattey returned to oversee the construction of new sharks, as the originals had deteriorated beyond repair. The new builds included multiple full-size sharks, a towable version, and various partial elements, including fins, for specific shots and stunts.
Years later, in 1980, Mattey gifted this pair of small pectoral fins - along with a set of articulating eyes - to that same neighbor, entrusting him with elements from one of cinema's most enduring mechanical creations. The fins have been in his possession ever since.
Made from fiberglass and wood with metal pipe attachments, these fins originated from Mattey's shop during the production era of Jaws and Jaws 2. Though we are unable to match them to a specific film or screen appearance, their design, construction, and provenance are strongly consistent with the practical effects work done for those productions. It is possible that these fins are prototypes from the production of Jaws, or one of the many films and commercials Mattey worked on in the same period. Both exhibit production wear, including water damage, splintering, and paint chipping.
Artifacts directly linked to Mattey's shark work are exceedingly rare. These fins represent a tangible piece of the practical effects legacy behind one of the most groundbreaking films of the 20th century.
