From a galaxy far, far away to a Dallas auction house – a lightsaber wielded by Darth Vader before uttering the famous phrase “I am your father” sold for more than $4.87 million on Thursday.
Described by Heritage Auctions as the character’s “primary dueling lightsaber,” it is the most expensive “Star Wars” memorabilia ever to go under the hammer.
The prop was used by actor David Prowse and his double, Olympic fencer Bob Anderson, in several fight scenes. It was famously brandished during Cloud City’s duel with Luke Skywalker, in 1980’s “The Empire Strikes Back,” which saw Darth Vader cut off his son’s hand before revealing the shock.
Three years later, in “Return of the Jedi”, the same accessory appeared in the confrontation of the two men in Emperor Palpatine’s throne room. In its sales catalog, the auction house said it was unable to confirm whether the lightsaber was also used in the original film, 1977’s “A New Hope,” though added that it was “possible.”
The $4.87 million price surpassed the auction record for a “Star Wars” prop, previously held by the other Cloud City combat lightsaber. Luke Skywalker’s weapon, sold with a special effect representing an amputated hand (created by makeup artist Stuart Freeborn using a mold of actor Mark Hamill), sold for $3.75 million, also at Heritage Auctions, in July.
Rather than being custom made, many of the lightsabers in the original trilogy were actually recycled flash mounts from vintage cameras. Those used in the fight scenes were modified to support the propeller blades (none of which were in the auction) and withstand the stress of combat. The iconic glow of the weapons was then brought to life by artists, frame by frame, in post-production.
Darth Vader’s lightsaber had damage “consistent with use as a functional dueling prop,” the auction catalog says, including scratches, a crack, a missing portion of the upper shroud and a partially broken hilt.
Heritage Auctions’ “Ultimate Star Wars” sale included nearly 200 accessories and artworks related to the “Star Wars” franchise, as well as spin-offs like “The Mandalorian.” Top lots included other “The Empire Strikes Back” props, including a rifle used by Boba Fett (sold for $375,000) and a miniature model of a Snowspeeder used during filming and once owned by Princess Leia actress Carrie Fisher (sold for $200,000).
The auction also included 27 other lightsabers, including those used by Ewan McGregor’s Obi Wan Kenobi and Daisy Ridley’s character Rey Skywalker. Aside from Darth Vader’s record, the highest prices for lightsabers were achieved by those used by Ray Park’s Darth Maul and Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker in “The Phantom Menace” and “Revenge of the Sith,” respectively. Both brought in $162,500.
Other “Star Wars” props used on screen to attract multi-million dollar deals include a miniature Red Leader
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