A distinctive light-up C-3PO head, a prop from Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, has commanded over $1 million at auction.
The iconic piece, used in George Lucas’s 1980 sci-fi blockbuster to portray the beloved fictional droid, went under the hammer as part of a significant collection of film and television memorabilia. The sale took place on Wednesday during the first day of the Spring Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction at the Propstore auction house in Los Angeles.
The enduring Star Wars franchise, which saw a resurgence in the 2010s with new films starring Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver, alongside original cast members, has since expanded with numerous spin-off productions.
It is the only known example of the fictional droid’s head to appear on the collector market and sold for 1,058,400 dollars (£801,818), having received a pre-sale estimate of 350,000 to 700,000 dollars (£260,000 to £520,000).
The C-3PO head was the top lot at the auction, which also saw the harpoon gun used by the actor Robert Shaw in the classic movie Jaws, accompanied by its original case, fetch 327,600 dollars (£248,182).
Also from the 1975 Steven Spielberg film was the Fenwick fishing rod with reel used by Shaw’s Quint character in an encounter with the ferocious shark, which fetched 239,400 dollars (£181,364).
Among the Jaws merchandise, presented a year after its landmark 50th anniversary, was the shark tooth clapperboard used during its production, which fetched 81,900 dollars (£62,045).
Elsewhere, a Wilson volleyball used by Tom Hanks in 2000’s Cast Away sold for 189,000 dollars (£143,181), after receiving a pre-sale estimate of 150,000 to 300,000 dollars (£110,000 to £220,000).
The auction also featured broken pieces of a sword called Shards of Narsil, used in the hit fantasy and adventure series The Lord Of The Rings, which sold for 252,000 dollars (£190,909).
The first day of the auction fetched 6.5 million dollars (£4.9 million), and also included items such as a golden ticket from the 1971 adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory up for sale.
Brandon Alinger, Propstore’s chief operating officer, said: “We’ve seen a strong start to the auction, with competitive bidding right from the outset.
“At Propstore, Star Wars material continues to resonate with collectors and the C-3PO head from The Empire Strikes Back was a real highlight of the day.
“The Jaws collection also delivered an impressive overall result, coming just after the film’s 50th anniversary and reflecting its enduring appeal with collectors.
“With such a diverse line-up of material still to come, we’re excited to see how the rest of the auction unfolds.”
The final day of bidding, March 27, will be dedicated to animation, with more than 200 lots celebrating the artistry of animation in film and television.
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