Rare Star Wars prop leads a blockbuster auction featuring Batman, Spider-Man and Alien memorabilia.
One of the rarest Star Wars props in existence – a screen-used Darth Vader lightsaber – is heading to auction with an estimated price tag of £2.2 million ($3m).
The ‘hero’ prop, seen in the climactic duels of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, has been kept in a private collection for decades.
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Originally crafted from a British press camera flash handle, it was transformed into a lightsaber with plastic grips, wiring, and a circuit board from a calculator.
Propstore, which is hosting the sale, described it as “the only hero lightsaber prop with verifiable screen use to ever be offered at public auction,”
Adding: “It is one of the rarest and most sought-after ‘grail’ Star Wars props in existence.”
The Los Angeles auction, opening 4 September, is also stacked with other iconic movie memorabilia.
A full Batsuit worn by Michael Keaton in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman is expected to fetch between £186,567 and £373,134.
Meanwhile, Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man costume from Spider-Man 2 carries an estimate of £76,627 – £149,253.
Other highlights include Sigourney Weaver’s flamethrower from Aliens (1986), valued at up to £186,567, and Captain America’s shield, predicted to sell for between £44,776 and £89,552.
The auction will run across two days, offering fans a rare chance to own pieces of cinema history – but for the lightsaber especially, the Force (and a very large wallet) will need to be strong.
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