Darth Vader’s lightsaber from the original Star Wars trilogy has sold at auction for a record-breaking $3.6 million.
One of the lightsabers wielded by the Sith Lord in the original Star Wars movies was auctioned off at Los Angeles-based Propstore on Thursday (September 4).
David Prowse, who played Darth Vader on screen in the original trilogy, as well as his stunt double Bob Anderson, held the lightsaber on screen in various scenes including duels in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
According to Deadline, a record bid snagged the legendary Hollywood prop piece for a staggering $2.9 million, plus a $7,000 premium paid to the auction house.
The history-making sale marks the highest-valued Star Wars item ever sold.
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According to the official auction website, the piece “is believed to be the only hero lightsaber prop with verifiable screen-use to ever be offered at public auction. It is one of the rarest and most sought after ‘grail’ Star Wars props in existence.”
The lightsaber was constructed using a British press camera flash handle, small electrical wires, calculator pieces, and a circuit board. It was previously stored in a private collection for decades.
“Today’s 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. 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,” Propstore COO Brandon Alinger said in a statement following the sale.
Other props sold during the same auction include the Platform 9 ¾ train station sign as seen in the Harry Potter franchise, Captain Jack Sparrow’s compass from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Sauron’s helmet as seen in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Ellen Ripley’s flamethrower as used in Aliens, and a bullwhip, belt, and holster accessory worn by Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
