A metal skeleton used to make King Kong come to life in a 1933 film has been sold for more than £120,000.

The armature was the base for a 22-inch model of the gorilla used in the movie's climax at the top of the Empire State Building in New York.

It was bought by an anonymous bidder for £121,250, including buyer's premium, at Christie's auction house in South Kensington, west London.

The firm's head of popular memorabilia Neil Roberts said: "This King Kong armature was instrumental in filming one of the most recognisable sequences in cinema history, and as such it is an exceptional relic of film memorabilia.

"We are thrilled to have seen such excitement leading up to the auction and to have been able to exhibit the model to the public for the first time, and we are pleased to have realised a notable price which reflects its importance."

The armature, which has ball and socket joints, was covered in cotton and rubber to form muscles, a latex covering for skin and then rabbit fur.

Technician Willis O'Brien then used stop-motion animation to bring the beast to life.

The piece featured in a sale of film memorabilia which included 290 vintage film posters, a range of props from the James Bond films and various items of Marilyn Monroe's jewellery and clothing.