Spock won’t be able to tell you to get out of the Captain’s Chair if you own it.

Classic Captain’s Chair replicas are now available for pre-order from Amazon.com (with an August 1 release date.)

The piece, which mirrors the original television prop, features left- and right-hand arm controls that set off modern lighting and sound effects, even playing popular phrases uttered by Capt. James Tiberius Kirk. The swiveling chair is made of wood (with a leather-upholstered seat), has an iron base, and weighs over 215 pounds. You don’t want to know how much it costs, do you?

They’re asking $2,999.99, but the replica is a bargain compared to Kirk’s original which sold at auction for $305,000 in 2002. (The original was subsequently displayed at the SF Museum in Seattle.)

Making your own is a less expensive choice and plenty of fans have, reports the New York Times in a lengthy article. Not only have these fans researched all the details of the classic Captain’s Chair, they have tried to psyche out why Kirk sat in such an aggressive posture. One fan simply concluded it’s not the most comfortable of chairs, so that’s why William Shatner always leaned forward. The Times, however, located a genuine expert with an idea of his own:

There is another possible explanation, suggested Eddie Paskey, who as Mr. Shatner’s stand-in on “Star Trek” spent much time in the chair during camera and lighting set-ups. “Early on, Bill sat down, leaned back, and it went over backwards,” he said.

[Thanks to David Klaus for the link.]