Vader lightsaber sells for $4.875 million at US auction
A lightsaber used by Darth Vader in two Star Wars films sold for $4.875 million (about €4.4 million, or roughly 49 million Swedish kronor) at Thursday's Ultimate Star Wars auction run by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. The sale sets a world auction record for any Star Wars collectible, according to the auction house. The prop was used in the Cloud City duel in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and the final duel in Return of the Jedi (1983). It beats the $3.75 million paid in July for Luke Skywalker's lightsaber. The auction house had expected more than $1 million. Twenty-seven other lightsabers were offered in the sale.
Key facts
- The hilt came from a 1950s camera flash attachment, according to the auction house.
- Actor David Prowse and stunt performer Bob Anderson are identified as having wielded the saber in the films.
- Brian Chanes, senior director of Hollywood and entertainment at Heritage Auctions, called it a Holy Grail for collectors.
Summarised with AI from 5 sources · Updated 20:41Read our AI policy
Why it matters
The result points to strong demand for screen-used film memorabilia.
What changed
Summary updated
First published from South China Morning Post, SVT Nyheter, DW, The Guardian and Svenska Yle