Used during the filming of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi by Dave Prowse and his stunt double, Bob Anderson, this rare lightsaber will go under the hammer at Propstore in September with an eye watering guide price. It is estimated to sell between $1,000,000 and $3,000,000, with every chance of surpassing the upper figure.
Darth Vader Lightsaber with Allen Bolts for Dueling Scenes Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)/ Return Of The Jedi (1983)
Estimate: $1,000,000 – $3,000,000The primary hero dueling lightsaber prop used by Darth Vader for duel scenes with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in the final acts of both The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).
The prop is made from a British press camera flash handle. It was converted to a lightsaber prop with the addition of dressing components such as plastic grips, small electrical wires and a circuit board with magnifying bubbles from a calculator.
The prop photo matches to production stills from The Empire Strikes Back and screen matches to Return of the Jedi based on specific damage to the body. The prop has been in a private collection for decades, and largely unseen outside of the films themselves. It is coming to light and being made available at auction for the first time.
Genuine lightsaber props from the original trilogy are incredibly rare. This 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 will be going on a 3 city tour this August to London, New York and Beverly Hills prior to the auction. Alongside it at auction will be Indiana Jones’s bullwhip, whip holster, and belt from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Sauron’s helmet for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The auction will take place this coming September in Los Angeles.
