Darth Vader lightsaber prop sells for £2.7m at auction

The lightsaber prop used by Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies has sold for $3.65m (£2.7m) at auction.

The piece, used in battles in both The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return Of The Jedi (1983), went under the hammer along with more than 400 other lots of props and costumes used in film and TV in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The lightsaber is the only one with verifiable screen use ever to be offered at public auction, and now holds the title of the highest-priced Star Wars item ever to go under the hammer.

The ‘Longclaw’ sword from the TV Series Game of Thrones was also sold in LA. PA Media

Other notable sales on day one of Propstore’s Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction include the eight-foot bullwhip, belt and whip holster handled by Harrison Ford as the title character in Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989), which fetched $485,100 (£360,260).

The Spider-Man suit worn by Tobey Maguire in the 2002 superhero film went for $289,800 (£215,190), while Sir Patrick Stewart’s Ressikan Flute as played by Captain Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series (1987–1994) and a costume continuity script was sold for $403,200 (£299,400).

The neuralyzer – the device used in Men In Black (1997) to wipe the mind of anybody who sees its flash – went under the hammer for $315,000 (£233,900), while the stunt Longclaw sword used by Kit Harington’s Jon Snow in HBO fantasy series Game Of Thrones went to the highest bidder for $94,500 (£70,170).

The prop is now the single most expensive piece of Star Wars memorabilia ever sold at auction. PA Media

Props from the Harry Potter film series, including the Platform 9 3/4 sign, was bought for $138,600 (£102,900), and Daniel Radcliffe’s wand from the scenes in the Prisoner Of Azkaban when he is seen opening the Marauder’s Map, sold for $81,900 (£60,800).

The shark tooth clapperboard which was used to film Steven Spielberg’s Jaws (1975), which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, fetched $94,500 (£70,200).

A total of 433 lots achieved a sales total of $14,302,417 (£10,618,530) – including buyer’s premium – on the first day of the auction, which continues today and tomorrow with more than 600 further items.

Indiana Jones’ bullwhip also went under the hammer in Los Angeles. PA Media

Propstore chief operating officer Brandon Alinger said: “The result marks a landmark moment not just for Propstore, but for the entire world of film collecting.

“To see a Star Wars lightsaber – the symbol of one of cinema’s greatest sagas – become the highest-valued piece of the franchise ever sold at auction is incredibly special.

“It speaks to the enduring cultural power of Star Wars and the passion of fans and collectors who see these artefacts as touchstones of modern mythology.”

Interested participants can place bids online or via telephone by visiting propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/456.