The original lightsaber used by Darth Vader in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi fetched a hefty $3.65 million at an auction, becoming the most expensive Star Wars item ever sold.
According to Propstore, the auction house, this is the only confirmed screen-used “hero” lightsaber from those movies ever offered to the public. It was originally used by actor David Prowse, who played Darth Vader.
"The result marks a landmark moment not just for Propstore, but for the entire world of film collecting. To see a ‘Star Wars’ lightsaber — the symbol of one of cinema’s greatest sagas — become the highest-valued piece of the franchise ever sold at auction is incredibly special," Propstore COO Brandon Alinger said.
"It speaks to the enduring cultural power of ‘Star Wars’ and the passion of fans and collectors who see these artifacts as touchstones of modern mythology," he added.
In fact, the prop, used extensively during filming at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, was described by Brandon as one of the most iconic and recognisable items in film history.
The auction took place at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles, where several iconic movie props were sold alongside Darth Vader’s lightsaber. Highlights included the light-up hero Neuralyzer from Men in Black, which fetched $315,000, and Clayton Moore’s promotional Lone Ranger Stetson hat from the classic TV series The Lone Ranger, which sold for $302,400.
Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man costume from the 2002 film went for $289,800, while Sauron’s helmet from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring fetched $289,900.
Other memorabilia sold included Ellen Ripley’s flamethrower from Aliens for $252,000, the animatronic Billy puppet from Saw III for $176,400, Jon Snow’s stunt sword from Game of Thrones for $94,500 and John Rambo’s compound bow from Rambo III, which also sold for $94,500.
Additionally, Captain America’s shield from Avengers: Age of Ultron sold at $85,050, Elizabeth Swann’s Aztec medallion necklace from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl for $81,900, Harry Potter’s hero wand from The Prisoner of Azkaban for $81,900, a production-made Deadpool mask for $21,420 and Ace Ventura’s screen-matched costume from When Nature Calls was bought at a price of $21,420.