Movie enthusiasts should save the date for an exciting auction featuring over 1,000 iconic costumes and props from Hollywood’s most famous films. Items like Darth Vader’s lightsaber from “Star Wars” and the cursed medallion worn by Keira Knightley in “Pirates of the Caribbean” are among the highlights, but there are also more affordable pieces available.
Brandon Alinger, the CEO of Propstore, the company organizing the auction, mentioned that Darth Vader’s lightsaber, anticipated to fetch $3 million, practically came to them on its own.
“Literally a cold call on a Friday afternoon,” Alinger said, a “gentleman called in and said, I have a lightsaber.”
Alinger said the item was vetted for authenticity.
“We successfully identified not only which character used the lightsaber but also exactly how it was employed,” he explained. “You can notice a small steel post protruding from the top; that’s where the blade was attached.”
Alinger explains that there are ways to identify an item’s realness, and for the lightsaber, it happens to be what the original prop is made of.
“Interestingly, it’s crafted from a real-world item,” he noted. “It’s originally part of a camera flash, and they simply added these plastic strips to transform it into a prop. For this particular version, they made some unique adjustments to affix the blade.”
Each object’s allure is also the unique story behind it — like Indiana Jones’ bullwhip.
“You know, the gentleman that owns that was gifted it as a child, when he visited the set,” Alinger said, “he’s had it ever since.”
The auction allows for both virtual and in-person participation at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, with items ranging in price starting from as low as $200, contrasting with the high-value lightsaber.
While a “Ghostbusters” prop might not be a typical purchase, for many collectors, memorabilia holds a special sentimental value and evokes particular emotions.
“There’s a certain category of films and shows that just get it, that just sort of transcend culture and are ever-present,” Alinger said, “and I think when people have the chance to hold a real piece of those in their hands, there’s a joy to it, there’s a wonder, there’s kind of a magic that these things inherently have.”
The event, hosted by Propstore, is set to take place Sept. 4-6.
contributed to this report.
