Darth Vader's lightsaber from the Star Wars franchise to hit the auction block
In September 2023, a significant piece of Star Wars history will be up for grabs as Propstore, a renowned memorabilia auction house, hosts the auction of the original Darth Vader lightsaber prop used in _Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back_ and _Return of the Jedi_.
This hero lightsaber prop, with verified screen use in the films, is considered one of the rarest and most sought-after Star Wars collectibles. The prop, made from a vintage British press camera flash handle, is estimated to sell for between £746,000 and £2,241,000.
According to Propstore, the lightsaber was initially called "laser sword" by George Lucas. During filming, it was wielded by the stunt performer and British Olympic fencer, Bob Anderson, during duels in the final acts of both films between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. Visual effects artists added a hand-animated glow to the final shots of the lightsaber.
The auction of this grail-level piece, one of the most significant Star Wars artefacts ever, comes as it coincides with the 45th anniversary of _The Empire Strikes Back_. The auction will not only feature the Darth Vader lightsaber but also other film artefacts from Propstore's September Los Angeles Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction.
Included in the tour are Indiana Jones's bullwhip and belt, Sauron's helmet from _The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring_, and the shark tooth clapperboard from the 1975 film _Jaws_. The lightsaber will go on tour in August, visiting London, Beverly Hills, and New York before the auction in Los Angeles.
Genuine lightsaber props from the original trilogy are rare, and this is believed to be the only hero lightsaber prop from the original Star Wars trilogy with verifiable screen use ever to be offered at public auction. The lightsaber, a universally recognised symbol of the Star Wars franchise, is consistently ranked as one of the most iconic and memorable props of all time.
With an estimated selling price between £1 million and £3 million, this auction could potentially break past high-value Star Wars memorabilia records, such as the X-Wing that sold for $3 million and R2-D2 for $2.76 million. The lightsaber, which has been modified with a wooden rod for physical on-camera duelling, is set to make history once again.
References: [1] _The Verge_, "The original Darth Vader lightsaber is going up for auction", 2023. [2] _The Hollywood Reporter_, "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Lightsaber Heads to Auction", 2023. [3] _CNET_, "Original Darth Vader lightsaber from Star Wars trilogy heads to auction", 2023. [4] _IGN_, "Darth Vader's Lightsaber from Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back Heads to Auction", 2023.
The upcoming entertainment event in September 2023 by Propstore, featuring the auction of the original Darth Vader lightsaber, showcases a connection between movies-and-tv and entertainment. As one of the most iconic Star Wars collectibles, this grail-level piece, with estimated selling prices between £1 million and £3 million, is not only a symbol of the Star Wars franchise but also a significant part of entertainment history.
