Han Solo’s iconic blaster from Star Wars
Episode VI - Return of the Jedi has just sold for over $500,000. The
real prop, touched by the sacred hands of Harrison Ford himself, sold at
auction at the Planet Hollywood Casino-Resort in Las Vegas on Saturday along
with a few other classic items from various films.
Star Wars is one of the most successful franchises in
film history, second only to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 1983, George
Lucas graced his devoted fans with the conclusive third instalment of his
original Star Wars trilogy, Return of the Jedi. The film
introduced us to a host of new weird and wonderful characters from the malevolent
gangster Jabba the Hutt and his creepy entourage of monsters to the adorable Ewoks
on the mysterious Forest Moon of Endor. Other quintessential characters such as
Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewie and of course Han Solo returned for
another adventure, fighting the evil Emperor and his puppet Darth Vader.
Although Han’s blaster was the star of the show, some 40
items previously owned by Schoppe were sold at the same auction hosted by
Julien’s Auctions of California including an Ewok axe prop which went $11,000
and an Imperial Scout Trooper’s blaster, selling for a huge $90,000.
Star Wars is one of the most successful franchises in
film history, second only to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 1983, George
Lucas graced his devoted fans with the conclusive third instalment of his
original Star Wars trilogy, Return of the Jedi. The film
introduced us to a host of new weird and wonderful characters from the malevolent
gangster Jabba the Hutt and his creepy entourage of monsters to the adorable Ewoks
on the mysterious Forest Moon of Endor. Other quintessential characters such as
Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewie and of course Han Solo returned for
another adventure, fighting the evil Emperor and his puppet Darth Vader.
At an
auction in Las Vegas, Han Solo’s blaster prop from the movie sold along with
other items from the personal collection of Art Director James L. Schoppe. The
item, mostly made of wood, was bought for a whopping $550,000 by American news
company turned museum chain Ripley’s Believe It or Not! the
owners of Luke Skywalker’s official lightsaber prop from Star Wars
Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980). According to an article
published by the prestigious buyers, the movie prop’s design is based on a
German Mauser C96, a weapon widely used during World War II with an added
futuristic extension to the end of the barrel and a large scope on top. In
their extensive collection of odd memorabilia, Ripley’s also own an original R2
unit, C3PO’s head and a model of the illustrious Millennium Falcon made of
matchsticks.
Although Han’s blaster was the star of the show, some 40
items previously owned by Schoppe were sold at the same auction hosted by
Julien’s Auctions of California including an Ewok axe prop which went $11,000
and an Imperial Scout Trooper’s blaster, selling for a huge $90,000.
The event wasn’t just for Star Wars memorabilia,
though. Schoppe also parted with a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe, the profits of
which benefitted the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation to the
tune of $50,000 and a Superman suit worn by Christopher Reeve on the set of Superman
III that sold for a colossal $200,000, beating its original estimate.
The sale still hasn’t come close to the all-time record
number still held by California auction house Profiles in History who
sold an R2D2 unit last year at auction for an astonishing $2.75 million! As the
original Star Wars trilogy increases in age, the props and memorabilia
from the films continue to increase exponentially in value. Future auctions may
sell more props for some astounding figures!
Source: Jose Martinez/Complex Media, Matt Wood/Cinema Blend,
Associated Press, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
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