
Star Wars lightsaber used by Darth Vader to go up for auction
The live auction, hosted by memorabilia auction house Propstore, coincides with the 45th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, with the prop estimated to sell at £746,000 to £2,241,000.
The lightsaber was used during duels in the final acts of both films between Darth Vader, played by David Prowse, and Luke Skywalker, played by Mark Hamill.
It was also used by the stunt performer and British Olympic fencer, Bob Anderson.
According to the auction house, genuine lightsaber props from the original trilogy are rare with this 'believed to be the only hero lightsaber prop from the original Star Wars trilogy with verifiable screen use ever to be offered at public auction'.
Brandon Alinger, chief operating officer at Propstore, said: 'The lightsaber, or laser sword as it was initially called, was imagined by George Lucas as the perfect defensive weapon for a more sophisticated age.
'Nearly 50 years after the first Star Wars film, lightsabers are a universally recognised symbol of the world's most beloved film franchise and are consistently ranked as the most iconic and memorable props of all time.
'They are the 'ruby slippers' of cinema's modern era. Surviving genuine lightsaber props from the original trilogy of films are exceedingly rare, and Propstore is honoured to present this historic artefact in our September sale.
'It is a grail-level piece, worthy of the finest collections in the world. This lightsaber is simply everything you want it to be — one of the most significant Star Wars artefacts ever. One of the most significant cinema artefacts ever.'
The lightsaber was made from a vintage British press camera flash handle with components such as plastic grips, calculator bubbles and cosmetic wiring.
It was modified with a wooden rod which was used as a blade during the choreographed fight scenes, making the physical on-camera duelling possible and allowing visual effects artists to add a hand-animated glow for the final shots.
Ahead of the auction, the prop will go on tour and visit London, Beverly Hills and New York throughout August before the live auction takes place in Los Angeles this September.
The tour will feature other film artefacts from Propstore's September Los Angeles Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, including Indiana Jones's bullwhip and belt, Sauron's helmet from the Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring and the shark tooth clapperboard from the 1975 film Jaws.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scottish Sun
16 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Lionel Messi looks embarrassed as he and wife Antonela are shown on Coldplay kiss cam at Miami concert
The couple's three young kids joined them MESSI ENTANGLEMENT Lionel Messi looks embarrassed as he and wife Antonela are shown on Coldplay kiss cam at Miami concert LIONEL MESSI was caught in a rare moment of awkwardness with his stunning wife Antonela Roccuzzo at a Coldplay concert. The loved-up couple were enjoying the British rock-band's final U.S show in Miami when the dreaded kiss cam landed squarely on them. 6 Lionel Messi was pictured on Coldplay's dreaded kiss cam on Sunday night Credit: X @ESPNFC 6 Messi and his wife Antonela took the joke well, before smiling to the crowd Credit: X @ESPNFC 6 Astronomer's chief executive Andy Byron was caught canoodling with his head of human resources Kristin Cabot at a gig last week It comes days after the kiss scam scandal involving married Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristin Cabot. Their ducking reaction to being filmed at Boston's gig has caught the world's attention - with millions now talking about an alleged affair. And while many might seize the opportunity for a public smooch, Messi seemed to go bright red given the circumstances. Footage circulating on social media showed the Inter Miami star smiling sheepishly, while Antonela, ever graceful, beamed beside him. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL what a leg-end England icon Lucy Bronze reveals she played whole Euro 2025 with broken leg With everyone in the crowd cheering "Messi", the couple waved to fans before Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin serenaded them. Martin, who had jokingly called out Byron and Caobt's potential 'affair' during his performance last week, thanked Messi for coming and called him "the No1 sports person of all-time". And it didn't take long for fans online to see the funny side. One wrote: "They should have tried to hide for a second. That would be hilarious." Join SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from Old Trafford While another said: "They were just singing and not dodging any Cam scandals." A third said: 'Jumbotron with Lionel Messi! (He didn't hide, though).' Moment Chris Martin laughs as he issues kiss cam warning days after CEO and HR chief caught 6 Antonela later shared pictures of the couple with their three sons at Coldplay's show Credit: instagram @ antonelaroccuzzo 6 Messi and Antonela enjoyed a rare night out at a concert Credit: instagram @ antonelaroccuzzo Although not spotted in the viral clip, Antonela later posted snaps of the couple's three sons enjoying the show at the Hard Rock Stadium. Thiago, 12, was pictured wearing a Coldplay cap, while Mateo, nine, wore a snazzy pair of 3D glasses as Ciro, six, cuddled into his dad. Meanwhile, Messi was serving a one-match suspension for Inter Miami's game against FC Cincinnati on Saturday. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and fellow Barcelona legend Jordi Alba were punished for skipping Major League Soccer's All-Star game earlier this week. Both players missed Wednesday's match in Austin, Texas where the MLS squad posted a 3-1 win against Mexico's Liga MX All-Stars. Elsewhere, Humiliated Byron and Cabot quit their jobs at the tech company as a result of the scandal. And Martin's ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow was hired by Astronomer for a tongue-in-cheek video, in what fans are describing as a genius PR move.


Daily Mirror
17 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Netflix now streaming ‘truly entertaining' British thriller with a ‘mind-blowing' twist ending
An iconic actor teams up with a Peaky Blinders star in this gripping British thriller that's just been added to Netflix Netflix is now streaming an underrated thriller from two years ago that's guaranteed to keep you on your toes. Starring Richard E Grant and Daryl McCormack, fans and critics alike agree this psychological drama is 'mesmerising'. Unfortunately, it didn't quite light the box office on fire upon its original release, though the streaming service has now given the film a well-deserved second chance at success. Penned by Alex MacKeith and directed by Alice Troughton, in her feature film debut after working on iconic shows like EastEnders and Doctor Who, The Lesson deserves the top spot on your watchlist this week. It follows aspiring writer Liam Summers (played by McCormack) who seemingly lands the perfect job, tutoring at the estate of one of his literary heroes, JM Sinclair (Grant). However, his tenure soon takes a dark turn when his idol's family secrets start to bubble to the surface and Liam becomes trapped in a web of deceit. Awards Daily described the thriller as "meticulously crafted" and "mesmerising', while The Spectator was particularly impressed by Grant's "deliciously, marvellously, full-on monstrous" performance. A fan writing on Google reviews also had nothing but praise for Grant's co-star: 'I can't get over how incredible Daryl McCormack is in The Lesson! 'The plot twists had me on the edge of my seat, and the ending was absolutely mind-blowing - I never saw it coming!' Another five-star review gushed: 'The Lesson is a cinematic gem that is so refreshing, witty and entertaining till the very last musical note and cut to end credits. 'The stellar cast's chemistry brings layers of brilliance to the script and to the screen. The editing, score and cinematography simply yet intentionally further elevate the storytelling, creating an unexpected well crafted masterpiece.' Watch Stranger Things on Netflix for free with Sky from £15 Sky Get the deal here Product Description Someone else heaped on the praise: 'Best film I have seen in a long time and I see a lot of films. 'It completely kept me riveted from the very beginning to the end and through the epilogue. 'An elegant, intelligent, writerly and artful example of a truly entertaining masterpiece. Loved it. I wish there were more like it.' And a final fan summed up The Lesson as 'simply brilliant' in yet another five-star write-up. 'Delightfully quirky, superbly filmed visually, nicely sinister in an almost tongue in cheek manner, brilliantly acted by all the actors.' With this hidden gem of British cinema now on Netflix in the UK and Ireland, make sure The Lesson gets the attention film fans think it deserves this week. The Lesson is available to stream on Netflix.


Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Sir Keir should not emulate Hugh Grant
His feet had barely touched British soil before Donald Trump started swinging his big stick. 'You better get your act together or you're not going to have Europe anymore,' he lambasted his Western allies after arriving in Scotland to visit his golf courses (not for the 47th president, concerns about second jobs). 'You've got to stop this horrible invasion that is happening to Europe, many countries in Europe… this immigration is killing Europe.' Setting aside the rights and wrongs of British immigration policy, our beleaguered Prime Minister would be forgiven for feeling a little peeved. What other American president would have presumed to blend personal and state business so brazenly and deliver such insulting rhetoric into the bargain? Amid social unrest in Epping, Reform on the march and small boats arrivals up by a staggering 50 per cent, immigration is Sir Keir's Achilles' heel. With his approval ratings at rock bottom, the last thing he needed was a punishment beating from Trump. Certainly, Sir Keir's backbenchers will be begging him to stand up to the Donald, if only to appease their voters in places like Ashton-under-Lyne, where many may be tempted by the Corbyn-Sultana cult or a Gaza Independent at the next election. Did Sir Sadiq Khan recommend that the Prime Minister reprise the 20ft Trump 'baby blimp' that he authorised to be flown above Parliament during the presidential visit of 2018? I wouldn't be surprised. And he wouldn't have been the only one. In the Left-wing mind, the 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually looms disproportionately large. This is for the sake of one scene alone. In it, Hugh Grant – whom most progressives, particularly those of a Liberal Democrat persuasion, wish was the prime minister in real life – upbraids the American president at a press conference. 'I fear that this has become a bad relationship; a relationship based on the president taking exactly what he wants and casually ignoring all those things that really matter to Britain,' Grant lectures his opposite number, played by Billy Bob Thornton. 'We may be a small country, but we're a great one, too… and a friend who bullies us is no longer a friend. And since bullies only respond to strength, from now onward I will be prepared to be much stronger. And the president should be prepared for that.' Forgive me for quoting that Richard Curtis idiocy at such length. But that is precisely what Guardianista-in-chief Polly Toynbee did in a petulant little column before Sir Keir's visit to the White House in February, under the screaming headline: 'Starmer has the backing of Britons to stand up to Trumpism.' I rest my case. But does he? When it comes to immigration, the opposite would appear to be the case. Although 55 per cent of Labour voters want the numbers to stay the same or go up, polls show that most of the population wishes them very much reduced, with 32 per cent viewing immigration as a 'bad' or 'very bad' thing. Small boats get people's backs up even more. For all his braggadocio and swagger, the sorry truth is that on this issue, Donald Trump speaks for a greater number of Britons than our own prime minister. For this reason, Sir Keir would be best advised to tell his backbenchers to pipe down. Trump's big stick has caused the PM enough pain already. Tweaking the orange tail might play well to certain parts of the gallery but after a year of economic mismanagement, we are hardly able to withstand the tariffs with which Trump would surely retaliate. Whatever Hugh Grant may think.