Star Wars memorabilia came out on top at yet another auction last week with two props selling for well over $1 million in total.
Both are very special and immediately recognisable to fans of the film series that now must be considered an all-time favourite of collectors.
The first Star Wars film, now named Episode Four: A New Hope, closes in a victorious moment.
Luke Skywalker is presented with a medal by Princess Leia in front of triumphant Rebel forces.
And this week, that prize - the Medal of Yarvin - has a new home after it was auctioned for $378,000 by PropStoreAuction. It came from the collection of Gerard Bourke, who worked, uncredited, as a propman at Elstree Studios during the filming of the original Star Wars trilogy.
Believe it or not that was a relatively modest price, with the item going into the auction with an estimated price range of $300,000 to $600,000.
Fifteen bids were needed to settle the sale and the cast resin medal with a gold-leaf finish now has a new home.
More valuable was a Bowcaster.
The Bowcaster is immediately recognisable as Chewbacca's main weapon. Image courtesy of PropStoreAuction.
The weapon, modelled on a crossbow and used as Chewbacca’s signature firearm through the first three movies is an iconic Star Wars item.
It surpassed its high estimate of $500,000 to sell for an astonishing $768,000.
PropStoreAuction said: “This is believed to be the one and only crossbow used as Chewie’s bowcaster across all three films; there is no evidence of a second or back-up prop. This is extremely significant as only a small number of other hand props, if any, were used in all three movies.”
The Bowcaster was based on a crossbow made in Wales that was extensively altered to make it look like a weapon from a galaxy far away.
Photomatching checks small details on the item against screened footage. Image courtesy of PropStoreAuction.
The sale was backed with extensive photo matching evidence to show both items had been filmed and shown to the billions of Star Wars watchers.
PropStoreAuction added: “Principal character props and costumes from the original trilogy are exceptionally rare and sought after.”
The most valuable ever Star Wars item is an X-Wing model prop that sold for $3.1 million last year.
