It's one of the most iconic objects in cinema that has changed hands. The lightsaber of Darth Vader, used in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) et Return of the Jedi (1983), was sold in Los Angeles for the record sum of 3,6 million dollars (around €3M). The room thus becomes the most expensive Star Wars prop ever sold at auction.
The initial estimate fluctuated between one and three million euros. Handled by the actor David prowse and its double Bob anderson during iconic fights of the original trilogy, the lightsaber “was used extensively during filming and remains one of the most memorable props in the saga,” the Propstore auction house.
Made from an old camera flash and salvaged parts, the object was adapted for the needs of the shoot. Signs of wear, scratches, cracks and peeling paint are not hidden, but rather presented as proof of authenticity. Kept for nearly forty years by an American private individual, it resurfaced by surprise. “Someone came up to us and said, ‘I have this for sale.’ We were amazed,” says Stephen Lane, founder of Propstore.
The sale coincided with the 45th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back and was part of a series of auctions dedicated to cinema. Among the other items that went under the hammer: the whip and the belt ofIndiana Jones ($475.650), Jean-Luc Picard's flute in Star Trek: The Next Generation ($403.200), or Leonardo DiCaprio's flamethrower in Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood ($346.500).
Source: Faxinfo https://faxinfo.fr/en/insolite-star-wars-le-sabre-laser-de-dark-vador-vendu-36-millions-de-dollars-aux-encheres/
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