'Star Wars' lightsaber used by Darth Vader sells for a record $4.8 million
A lightsaber wielded by Darth Vader in two iconic ‘Star Wars’ films has fetched nearly $5 million at an auction, setting a new record for memorabilia from the science-fiction franchise.
The weapon, featured in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’, was sold for $4.875 million on Thursday at the Ultimate Star Wars Auction organised by Heritage Auctions. It was used during the dramatic Cloud City confrontation between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, in which Vader delivers the famous revelation, "I am your father".
According to Heritage Auctions, the sale represents the highest amount ever paid for a ‘Star Wars’ collectible at auction.
Darth Vader's lightsaber breaks auction records
The sale also established a new benchmark for screen-used props from the franchise, surpassing the previous record of $3.75 million.
That earlier milestone was achieved in July when a lightsaber belonging to Luke Skywalker, accompanied by the character's severed hand-effects rig from ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, went under the hammer. The auction house had described it as the most expensive ‘Star Wars’ film prop ever sold at the time.
Darth Vader's weapon has now surpassed that figure, making it the most valuable screen-used ‘Star Wars’ prop sold at auction.
Other ‘Star Wars’ memorabilia featured in the auction
The Heritage Auctions event brought together collectibles from across the franchise, covering Episodes I through IX as well as other films and television productions. Alongside Vader's weapon, the auction featured 27 additional lightsabers, offering collectors an opportunity to acquire props associated with several prominent characters.
Among the notable pieces were the lightsabers used by Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker during their confrontation in ‘Revenge of the Sith’. Both weapons carried estimated starting values of at least $10,000.
The collection also included an EE-3 carbine blaster associated with Boba Fett, the bounty hunter who wielded it throughout ‘The Empire Strikes Back’. The weapon was valued at more than $100,000.
Yoda puppet hand and original ‘Star Wars’ screenplay among collectibles
Other items offered at the auction included a hand from the Yoda puppet operated by Frank Oz during the character's appearance in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’.
Collectors also had the chance to bid on a signed personal copy of the third-draft screenplay for the original 1977 ‘Star Wars’, owned by Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO in the franchise.
A TIE Fighter pilot helmet from ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ was another notable addition to the collection, which featured a range of costumes, props and production memorabilia from the galaxy created by filmmaker George Lucas.