27-03-2025
Star Wars weapon used by Chewbacca sold for £471k at auction
A weapon prop used by Chewbacca in all three of the original Star Wars movies was sold at a US auction for $610,000 (£471,493).The Bowcaster, which resembles a crossbow, was from props master Gerard Bourke's collection, which he amassed while working on the trilogy shot at Elstree Studios, was sold at an entertainment auction in Los Angeles by Propstore, a company based in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.A medal given to Luke Skywalker in the first film was also for sale, but it fell just $10,000 (£7,744) short of its $300,000 (£231,901) reserve after 15 bids.
Chewbacca's Bowcaster is the only weapon to appear in the original trilogy based on a crossbow, while other characters used blasters that resembled was based on a real weapon model made by Horton Crossbows of Wales, which was manufactured in low one Bowcaster was seemingly made and used by production, with no evidence of a second or backup prop, according to the weapon was not named in the trilogy itself, Luke Skywalker refers to it as a "crossbow". However, it was called a Bowcaster in books, computer games and toy weapon was often carried by the popular Wookie character but only fired on a couple of also appeared in the made-for-TV Star Wars Holiday Special in 1978.
In total, 42 bids were made on The into consideration fees, the buyer paid a total of $768,600 (£594,836) for the weapon. It was expected to sell for between $250,000 and $500,000 (£193,230 and £386,492).Propstore was approached for comment.
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