A lightsaber tied to one of the most unforgettable moments in George Lucas’ “Star Wars” universe is set to headline an upcoming auction devoted to Hollywood memorabilia.
Heritage Auctions, the New York-based auction house behind the event, is staging its Hollywood & Entertainment Signature Auction from July 13 through 17. The sale brings together a wide mix of pop culture artifacts, offering collectors a chance to bid on props and costumes from some of cinema’s most beloved titles.
Among the standout items is the custom-built lightsaber used by Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker during the climactic Cloud City duel in 1980’s “The Empire Strikes Back” — the scene that culminates in Darth Vader’s famous revelation, “I am your father.” The prop, which has never been offered at auction before, comes with a severed-hand effects rig and will open for bidding at $1 million.
The auction also features several other high-profile pieces from classic films. Fans will find costume hats worn in “The Wizard of Oz” and “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” along with hoverboards from “Back to the Future II,” rugs from “The Big Lebowski,” boxing boots from “Rocky,” and a drafted screenplay for “The Godfather” sequel.
Music history is part of the lineup as well. Included in the sale are John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics to “If I Fell,” penned on the back of a Valentine card while he was in New York for the Beatles’ first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
Two of the most recognizable costume pieces in the auction come with substantial opening bids. The Wicked Witch of the West hat worn by Margaret Hamilton in 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz” will start at $100,000, while the brown top hat worn by Gene Wilder in 1971’s “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” opens at $50,000.
Heritage Auctions via AP
Bidding starts at $100,000 for a Wicked Witch of the West hat worn by actor Margaret Hamilton in 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz” and at $50,000 for the brown top hat worn by Gene Wilder as the title character in 1971’s “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”
The auction will also include a pair of boxing boots worn by Sylvester Stallone in “Rocky III.” Stallone wears the showy boots featuring tassels and a Nike swoosh in the opening montage of the 1982 film. Bids will begin at $100,000.
Heritage Auctions via AP 
Two rugs that are essential to the plot of “The Big Lebowski” are also up for sale: the one belonging to Jeff Bridges’ “The Dude” that is soiled at the beginning of the 1998 film that “really tied the room together,” and the other that he takes from his wealthy namesake. Bidding on them opens at $15,000 apiece.
“This auction represents the full spectrum of entertainment history, from Hollywood’s Golden Age to modern blockbuster cinema and the most influential moments in popular music,” Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, said in a statement.
Many other items including a Paul Newman hockey jersey from “Slap Shot,” a necklace worn by the title character in “The Bride of Frankenstein” and the inflatable “Otto the Autopilot” from “Airplane” will be up for auction.
